Page 132 of Gracefully Yours

“Best Friends Book Club? No way. That name’s like yourbaby,” Angelina added, a little gasp at the end for emphasis.

“No.” Her cheeks pinked. “Theirs. Book Boyfriends no longer, huh?”

We’d had this conversation a few months ago, and back then, everything with Daniel and I had been fake, a show we’d put on for our friends, but now…

“We got really lucky, didn’t we?” I murmured, watching Daniel who was sitting on the floor of his office, strumming chords on his guitar. Try as I might over the years to get him to share his musical talents even with our friends, he never sang in public—or for anyone.

Except for me.

And now… Iwasreally lucky.

Even with everything going on—I had the best friends a girl could have ever asked for. Sure, we all liked to tease each other, but we also pushed each other when we knew we needed it. And I wouldn’t have traded them for the world.

“We did,” Gabbi agreed with a hum, burying her face in Rowan’s fur. “Now, I know we’ll celebrate soon, but I just wanted to share the news real quick. Hunter and I are going to go have a celebration of our own.” She winked.

“Gross,” came Benjamin’s voice again. “That’s my brother you’re talking about.”

“Ben, I swear to God—” Angelina chirped back, narrowing her eyes at where he was out of frame. “Love you, Gabs. So happy for you.”

“Thanks.”

We all said our goodbyes and made plans to see each other soon, and I couldn’t help but smile as I ended the call. With Daniel spending even less time at home, I was feeling unsteady and uncertain, as if the ground was shifting beneath me. But talking to my girls, the ones who had been with me through thick and thin—it always brightened my spirits.

Daniel walked into the kitchen, opening the fridge to pop a few pieces of cheese into his mouth.

“Was that your girls?” He asked, settling down on the couch next to me, adjusting my blanket so it rested over both of us.

“Yeah.” I gave him a small smile. “Hunter proposed to Gabbi.”

“Oh, did he?” Daniel’s smirk lit up his face.

“You totally knew, didn’t you?”

He popped another cheese cube in. “We don’t have a group chat for nothing.”

“I can’t believe you didn’t tell me! I’m yourwife!”

Daniel quirked an eyebrow. “Hunter asked me not to.”

“I see where your loyalties lie,” I said, crossing my arms and huffing my breath.

He leaned over, kissing my cheek. “To you.”

“Mhm.”

“Charlotte.”

“What?”

A deep laugh emitted from his lungs. “Are you actually mad that I didn’t tell you?”

“No,” I said, even though I didn’t make eye contact with him as he pried my arms apart and pulled me into his lap.

“Good.” He kissed my neck. “Because I am.”

“Am what?”

“On your team. Always.”