Page 103 of Gracefully Yours

I raised an eyebrow, watching the other guys who were in the middle of a Mario Kart tournament with Angelina. She was determined to win and beat the rest of them. “You were saying?” I asked, referring to our quiet gathering for New Year’s Eve.

Last year, we’d all gone out to one of the rooftop bars in Portland, which thankfully had a heater, but Charlotte was still cold. She always was, even tonight, which is why she was curled up next to me, happily absorbing my body heat.

No complaints here.

“Personally, I think there’s no better start to the year than kicking all of their asses, but maybe that’s just me,” my sister said, a grin spread across her face.

“You’re just lucky I’m not playing,” I said with a snort. “I always won growing up.”

She furrowed her brow. “Did not.”

“Did too.”

“What are you, children?” Charlotte scolded, flicking me on the head, as if I wasn’t older than her—and she wasn’t the youngest person in the room. “Besides, I kind of like this better than last year. It’s gross outside, anyway. It’s definitely too cold to get dressed up and go outside.” She pretend-shivered as in example, snuggling even further into me.

I used that as an excuse to wrap an arm around her, holding her tighter against my chest. Not because I wanted to play pretend, but because it felt so fucking good just holding her like this. Pretending it was real. Like we were the perfect couple of newlyweds the rest of them thought we were.

I leaned in close and whispered in her ear. “I think I know a way that I can warm you up.”

“Daniel!” she whispered, smacked my arm, blushing furiously, as if she hadn’t been complaining when I did just that last night.

Angelina just raised the corner of her lip up as Charlotte buried her face in my chest. “Want in the next round, bro? Gonna let me prove you wrong?”

“Nah.” I looked down at the top of Charlotte’s head. “I’m good here.”

I was perfectly content with her in my arms. There was no part of me that needed to prove to my sister that I could kick her ass in Mario Kart when I had the girl of my dreams in my lap.

With a gentle smile on her lips, Charlotte looked up at me, and I bent down to press a kiss to her forehead before pulling her close.

“How are you doing?” I murmured to her, my voice low.

A contented sigh slipped from her lips. “Good.”

“I’m gonna get up and grab another drink. Want anything?”

“Nah. I’m fine here.” She waved me off, and I adjusted our position so I could stand before letting her settle back against the couch cushions.

Hunter joined me in the kitchen as I pulled another two beers out of the fridge, the two of us clinking them together before we took our first sips.

“You still been looking at that plot of land?” I asked him after setting my beer down on the counter.

“Yeah.” He scratched behind his head. “I haven’t told Gabbi about it yet, but it feels right.”

I looked over at Matthew and Noelle. “Think we can convince them to join us, too?”

A grin spread over Hunter’s face. “Yeah. I do.”

“You two ready for the countdown?” Matthew asked, coming into the kitchen as he looked back towards the living room. “It’s almost midnight.”

Nodding, we both followed behind him, me settling back behind Charlotte, and Hunter pulling Gabbi into his lap.

“Happy New Year!” We all cheered as the clock struck twelve in Portland, officially bringing us into the next year.

And then I kissed her, thankful that I’d get to do this for the rest of our lives. That after so many years of wanting to, I could finally kiss her like this, in front of everyone.

“Happy new year, darling.”

“Happy new year, Daniel.”

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