Page 26 of Gracefully Yours

I wanted to say something else, but stopped myself. No point in getting ahead of myself if I did actually say yes to him. “I think I’m going to get the cheesecake,” I mumbled, still looking at the menu

He chuckled. “Char, I really meant it. You can have whatever you want.”

For some reason, I didn’t think he just meant dessert.

* * *

For the secondnight in a row, I was celebrating my birthday with my best friends. Only tonight, there was no panoramic view of the city of Portland, or a distraction from Daniel’s words.

We should get married.

I’ll give you a baby.

We can be each other’s family.

I finished my second glass of wine and deliberated ordering another one.

“I made a cake for you, back at the house.” Noelle said, beaming at me as I picked at my dinner. She loved to bake, one of her biggest past-times besides writing steamy novels. “Gluten-free funfetti with vanilla frosting, your favorite. Pink, of course.”

“Thanks.” I gave her my best smile.

This year, I didn’t have to think about what my wish would be when I blew out the candles on top of my birthday cake. There was no point, really. And honestly, I’d been making the same wish since I was sixteen years old. To fall in love. To meet the love of my life.

I’d been wishing on stars and dandelions and eyelashes as long as I could remember. But it didn’t matter, because my life was definitely not the plot of a romance novel, no matter how many of them I read. Lately, it felt less and less like that was going to happen for me. Especially when all of my best friends were in serious relationships or married, and I was alone. But I didn’t have to be. I couldn’t stop thinking about Daniel’s proposal last night.

Because this year… My best friend had offered me everything I had ever wanted. Except for the one thing I’d always wanted. True love. Could I marry him, accepting that we would never have that?

“You okay?” Daniel nudged my side, bringing me out of my thoughts. I’d been chewing on my thumbnail for the last few minutes, despite my bubblegum pink manicure.

Shrugging, I mumbled, “Fine.” I tried to avoid his stare, because I knew he’d be able to see right through me. That was the thing about us—you didn’t have almost a decade long friendship without knowing all of each other’s tells.

And Daniel Bradford—he knew mine.

“Are you still thinking about what I said last night?” he asked in that low, smooth voice, which always distracted me from my thoughts.

“No. Maybe. I don’t know.” Meeting his eyes—those rich, brown eyes freckled with gold—I couldn’t hold back my sigh.

He placed his hand on top of mine and squeezed lightly. “I’m here for you. When you make your decision.” Then he flashed me a small smile—one I’d long since felt like was mine.

My stomach did a little flop as we continued holding each other’s eye contact, and I looked away, trying to hide my blush.

That stare. So many women had been on the other end of it, I was sure, but never me. Not before.So why now…?

Noelle’s eyes caught mine, and she gave me a little eyebrow raise, but she said nothing.

“So, everyone excited for Halloween this year?” Noelle’s tall blond boyfriend—Matthew—asked all of us, looping an arm around his girlfriend’s chair. “We’ve already started planning everything out.”

Noelle grinned. “I’m glad we made this an annual thing. My cousin is even coming this year, and everyone’s welcome to bring their friends again. The more the merrier. Only requirement is costumes.”

At last year’s Halloween party, they’d been the only official couple. They’d met her final year of Grad School, while she was working as a Hall Director on campus where he worked as a Professor. He’d already told us he was planning on proposing next month, and he had recruited us to help with the proposal. I thought it was cute that he wanted to include her best friends in it.

“It’s my turn to pick this year,” Angelina looked at him. Last year, she’d brought Benjamin, now her husband, to the event, though they were still denying their love for each other despite his obvious adoration. They’d dressed as Batman and Catwoman.

“Whatever you choose will be perfect,” Benjamin agreed, kissing her cheek. She gave him a little eye-roll but didn’t stop smiling. She was practically glowing with her post-European vacation tan, since they’d just got back from their honeymoon.

Hunter’s lips tilted up into a smile of his own. “Ahh, the Halloween party. Wonderful memories.”

He looked at Gabbi, who was struggling to eat on account of her arm cast after her and Angelina had been in a car accident last week. Luckily, everyone was okay, just a few bruises, and a broken bone, but it still made my heart flutter to see Hunter scoop up little bites on the fork to help her eat.

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