Page 47 of Gracefully Yours

“Okay, if this is what I have to look forward to every night, I have no complaints about dinner.” She moaned as she brought another forkful of the layered pasta to her mouth. “This issogood.”

“Good.” I said it with a smile, even though I didn’t press for more. I couldn’t ask her what was bothering her, what seemed to be on her mind. Not tonight.

Tonight, I was just enjoying sitting side by side with my best friend—and soon to be wife.

* * *

A week later,I was trying to figure out how the circus had come to town—or, rather, to my house.

Somehow, I’d always avoided having everyone over here. Not that it was too small to host, but simply that I’d never had areasonto. It was always either Matthew and Noelle, since they’d been dating the longest, or Benjamin and Angelina, with all the wedding activities.

But now, it was our turn, and everyone crowded on the couches in my—our—living room. Gabbi and Angelina were cooing over pictures of my sister and Benjamin’s new kittens on her phone.

“What are their names again?” Gabbi asked, even though I wasn’t sure how she’d forgotten.

“Bruce and Selina.” My sister’s smile filled my heart. She’d been so serious for so long, so unwilling to let love into her life, that seeing her filled with this much joy was everything I could have wished for her.

I wanted Charlotte to have that kind of happiness, too.

The guys were in the kitchen, talking about god knows what, while I sat on the couch with Charlotte’s legs draped over me. The only thing that would make us be touching more was with her on my lap.

Gabbi looked at Benjamin. “How’d she talk you into that?”

Angelina rolled her eyes as Benjamin wrapped his arms around his wife. “She can beveryconvincing.”

“I like that we both have black cats,” Gabbi added. Her little black cat was named Toothless, after the Dragon fromHow To Train Your Dragon.Her love for dragons probably also explained the dragon-and-book tattoo on her wrist. Hunter had even gotten a dragon tattoo to match.

“And who could forget the big white fluff ball,” Noelle added, looking at their dog.

“When are you two getting a pet, Char?” Angelina asked. “I know you mentioned it a few months back.”

“Oh, uh…” She stiffened, turning her head to look at me as her cheeks pinked. “I don’t know.”

Huh. I didn’t know she wanted an animal. I’d told her I wanted a dog before, but I doubted she remembered that.

“There’s no rush,” I told her. “We have time.”

For now, I was content with just the two of us. The rest would come eventually.

She nodded, but I could still feel her discomfort, and I wondered what was going through her head.

“I’m just gonna… run to the bathroom,” she mumbled, practically stumbling off the couch as fast as she could.

“Hey, babe, will you get me a refill?” Angelina gave her husband a sweet smile, and he kissed her cheek as he took her glass, Matthew and Hunter following her to do the same.

And then the three remaining girls looked at me.

“Why do I feel like I’ve done something wrong and I’m at the principal's office?”

Angelina rolled her eyes.

“Listen. We know that you’ve been friends with Charlotte for a long time,” Noelle started, fiercely protective of her best friend.Ourbest friend. “But if you hurt her, I swear, you will regret it.”

Gabbi crossed her arms over her chest, nodding in agreement. “Don’t make us kick you in the ass, Bradford.”

The three of them were like a pack of guard dogs—a little terrifying, because I knew they were serious. Not that they’d kick my ass, because I had the height over all of them at six one, but that they’d always have Charlotte’s best interests at heart. They’d all been with each other through thick and thin. Breakups, graduation, navigating the years together—of course, they’d want to make sure I was going to treat her right.

And I would.

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