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He chuckled. Then his expression turned a little more serious, though he was still smiling. Clasping my hand in his, he said, “Well, he might have to learn to share. I’m sure it’ll get crowded with all five of us, but… we can make it work.”

My heart fluttered. I’d worried we were only staying together because he needed support on this trip. But maybe…

I swallowed. “So you want to keep… when we get home…? Sleeping in the same bed?”

“Do you?”

“Definitely,” I whispered. “Even if, you know, we have to teach Arrow some boundaries.”

Nolan laughed again, this time with a hint of relief, as if he’d thought I’d want us to go back to our separate bedrooms at home. “I think we can convince them to move.” He sobered a little. “It might not hurt for you to keep your room the way it is. In case I have a rough night or you need some space.”

The thought of leaving him to weather a bad night made my stomach turn.

“We’ll leave my bed where it is,” I said. “Then the cats can go sleep there if they run out of room in yours.”

He laughed again, letting a little more relief into it. “Sounds like a plan. I, um…” He gestured at the wall between us. “Should I cancel the other room? No point in paying for it if we’re both staying here.”

My heart went absolutely wild. “Yeah. Yeah, good idea.” I smiled. “But we can probably finish eating first.” I gestured at the forgotten pizza. “It’ll keep.”

Nolan glanced at the box as if he’d forgotten all about the food. Then he pulled another slice onto his plate. “Sounds like a plan.”

Yeah, it did. Share a hotel room. Get through the next few days. Move into the same bedroom.

Sounded like the perfect plan to me.

Chapter 28

Nolan

Tonight and tomorrow,I told myself on the way into the church.

I just have to get through tonight and tomorrow.

Tomorrow would be the worst of it. Tonight would be, ironically, a rehearsal of that as much as it was a rehearsal of the wedding itself. The reception—well, I’d just stick close to Riley and hopefully avoid Leann as much as our roles as best man and matron of honor allowed.

At least we only had to walk up and down the aisle together, and then into the reception together. After that, I’d be sitting next to my brother while Leann sat beside Sophia. I’d rather be sitting next to Riley, but there was only so much space at the head table, and as long as I didn’t have to be right next to Leann, I wouldn’t bitch.

In the foyer outside the sanctuary, the other bridesmaids and groomsmen were milling around, chatting and checking their phones. Both sets of parents were there, along with Sophia’s grandma. Sophia, Matt, and the woman I assumed was the wedding coordinator were by the open door to the sanctuary, the couple nodding along as the woman spoke and gestured.

I looked around, and my heart dropped as soon as I saw Leann. It always did, but this time—fuck me, she was drunk. All the bridesmaids were a little tipsy by the looks of it, and they were still passing around a bottle of wine to top off their plastic cups.

Fuck my life. Leann was insufferable anyway. When she was drunk, she definitely wasn’t on her best behavior.

Great.

Riley appeared beside me and slid a hand over the small of my back. That gentle contact was more soothing than it had any right to be, and I released a breath before I turned to him.

“You okay?” he asked.

“Yeah.” I laughed nervously. “Just need to get through the rehearsal, and then I can put some space between her and me at dinner.”

He scowled. “You know, some comic book mutant superpowers would be really handy right about now.”

I cocked me head. “What do you mean?”

“I mean, I could like use my mind”—he put two fingers against his temple and furrowed his brow like he was in deep concentration—“and make her shit herself or something.”

I barked a laugh that probably turned a few heads. Riley grinned in a way that made me think that was the effect he was going for.

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