Page 96 of Promise Me

“Either way, thank you, Sadie,” my dad says before heading to the bar. My brothers do the same, but their twin senses must be on alert because they both look back at the same time, smirking.

“I’m happy you had a good day,” Sadie says.

Without thinking, I reach my hand forward and rest it on her knee. My thumb rubs her inner thigh as I try to think of what I’mabout to say. I’m touching her as if it’s something I do every day. As if touching her is the most normal thing for us.

“Enough about my day,” I say. “This is your party.”

“Hmm, you know what I like the most about today?” she asks.

“If you say watching me skate on the ice, I swear I’m going to?—”

I close my mouth before I can finish that sentence. The things I would do to punish her would not be things my best friend approves of.

But, oh hell, these feelings aren’t going away anytime soon. If ever. I should just man up and?—

“You’re going to what, Hudson?”

Sadie leans close, and I suck in a breath at how her presence makes me feel. Anxious and tempted all at once.

This party needs to end before I get myself into trouble.

“I can’t finish that sentence,'” I tell her.

“But it’s my birthday.”

I chuckle. “Tell me the best part of this day.”

She rolls her eyes and says, “My favorite part of this day was spending it with you.”

Fuck. This woman is trying to kill me.

I’m at war with the choices I need to make, and here sits Sadie Collins, openly asking me to choose her.

“I think I’m going to take off,” Brooke says rather loudly as she approaches us. Then she whispers, “Someone has to be the first to make the move.”

Sadie stands to hug her goodbye, and quickly, a domino effect happens as everyone steps up to say their goodbyes for the night.

Linc and Sadie’s dad are the last to leave.

“Are you sure you don’t want to go home tonight?” Linc asksher. He’s talking in quiet tones, but since I've remained next to Sadie’s side, I hear him loud and clear.

“Not yet.”

Linc leans in to hug his sister; his gaze flickering to mine over her shoulder.

As soon as everyone is gone, I make my way to the windows to turn the blinds and start closing the place down.

“Thank you for tonight,” Sadie says, following suit and speeding up the process.

“Of course.”

As soon as everything is locked up, we head for the back stairs. Sadie doesn’t waste time the moment we are inside my apartment with the door closed.

“Why did you do that?” she asks.

“Do what?”

“Plan a surprise party for me.”

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