Page 58 of The Book of Wrath

“Ready to be stuck with me forever?” he asked me with a sly grin on his face. I rolled my eyes and smacked his chest.

“I mean, I guess. Just remember,” I paused, giving him the wickedest grin I could muster, “You’re choosing to be stuck with me too.”

“I love you, Megan Monroe,” he said as he grabbed my waist and pulled me closer to his chest. “Until the sun stops shining.”

My heart swelled at the casual use of Matt’s old saying. I knew Ally told him, and I think Matty was right. Max is my second chance soul mate. I guess he really did bless us. I took a deep breath and smiled before responding.

“And the stars are all that’s left.”

Chapter 48

Megan

After five months of house hunting, moving from our separate houses into one main house, we can finally fucking breath. Ally and Tony rented out my place with Roark and Andy renting out Max’s house. It was a needed reset for Max and I. Work has changed for a lot of us. While I’m still working at the library, I am also writing my first book. Max has been super supportive and reading my work when I am not in the room. I also started a book club with Ally, Alice, Gwyn and Lexi. That’s been a bit of a blast too.

Max and the guys all applied to move into the open detective positions. According to Melissa, the entirety of Rick’s guys all were applying to get off the day-to-day grind and to move up to detectives. They all studied together and are currently waiting to hear from whoever about whether they passed or not. I don’t doubt any of them.

“Have you guys planned out the wedding yet? Or at least started to plan it?” Ally asked over her glass of red wine. We were reading some random romance book that none of us really got into, so they instead decide to start grilling me about the wedding.

“If you really think she’s finished planning, then you forget who you’re talking to,” Alice chimed in, teasing me. “Nothing is ever fully planned. She plans out as much as she can control and then has to relinquish control to someone else. Currently the relinquishing part she’s having trouble with.”

“I am not! I just don’t think I have everything right. The seating chart is done, everything is paid for, the cake testing is done, the dresses are giving me hives since Lexi hasn’t received hers yet, and the food testing is already done. I just don’t like the idea of not having control over the bachelorette party. Can’t I just pick where we go and what we do?” I beg they know how bad my anxiety gets!

“Hell no! That is our plan and our job. You cannot take that away from us!” Gwyn chimes in. I can’t believe she’s even agreeing with them all that I don’t have a say in this. Traitor.

“There is this awesome place on the beach where we can go watch the sunrise with the horses. It’s about two hours away. You’d love it!” Alice chimed in all excited. Ugh.

“Alice, I love you, but you know I am terrified of horses,” I sigh. I need something harder than wine to get through this book club meeting.

“Alright, what do you want to do then?” Ally finally asked me the one question I haven’t been able to figure out. There’s so many things would love to do, strolling through a cemetery, spending the night in a haunted asylum, anything but bright girly shit.

“Let’s go dancing,” I suggested. They all looked at each other then back at me. I was hoping they would be down for it and not make a fuss. I love to dance.

“We can go dancing, but we are doing it down at the beach. It is too damn nice out to not walk the beach at three in the morning half drunk,” Ally remarked.

“I can get behind that,” Gwyn said, Lexi nodded in agreement, but it was Alice who was holding out.

“Alice, when you get married we can go to the beach with the horses. I promise I will not forget that it’s something you want to do,” I said to her, trying to put a smile on her face. I didn’t like seeing her upset.

“I’ll be right back,” she said, excusing herself from the room. I looked at Lexi, but she just shrugged her shoulders. Normally she would know what’s going on with Alice. They hung out a little more frequently, especially lately.

“I have a question Megan,” Lexi spoke up as Gwyn and Ally tried to dive back into reading. “Is Roark single?”

I practically choked on my wine as Ally’s head spun. Roark’s a great guy, super dependable and kind for the most part. But he’s also a pure fucking psycho. I mean in a good way, like I’m glad he’s on our side of things. I took a deep breath because honestly I didn’t know the answer. “I’m not sure, he keeps his personal life pretty private.”

“Oh,” she sighed, opening her book up and pretended to read. Ally looked at me and I just shrugged. I don’t want to lie and tell her he’s single if he’s not.

“Are you and him seeing each other?” Ally asked, but she was saved having to answer as Alice came back into the room looking like she ran a marathon. She smoothed her hair down and took her seat. “You good kiddo?”

“Yes, I’m fine, just had to argue with our mother. The woman wants to take over wedding planning and she wants this huge lavish wedding. Nothing like the small wedding you have planned. She also says she won’t be caught dead wearing orange or brown,” Alice shot the rest of her wine as if it was whiskey.

Our mother had a tendency to be overbearing and controlling. I guess that’s where I get my control freak issues from. “She can say what she wants. They’re not paying a cent toward this wedding. I made sure of it. I suggest you start saving for your wedding now so she can’t pay for it and take over everything.”

“Already ahead of you. I have been saving up my allowance since I was thirteen. I don’t want mom thinking she can plan my wedding like it’s her own,” Alice sighed. Our mother would do exactly that if she put even a penny towards either of our weddings. Thankfully, that’s not the case for mine, and hopefully not the case for her either.

“Okay, enough depressing talk about your mother. We are heading to the beach tomorrow so get home, get your shit together, and Megan,” Ally paused, “I already packed your bag and it’s in my car. Just pack a small bag with whatever you want to wear to the club.”

I looked at Ally, I knew she was up to something, and I wouldn’t put it past her to have raided my closet and found an outfit or two in there that I haven’t worn. Gwyn put her book on the table, standing as she did so.

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