Page 80 of The Kiss Countdown

I press a hand to my chest. “I would love to.” My best friend glows, and I couldn’t be happier for her if I tried.

Gina is already prepared to plan the wedding of her dreams as we continue catching up while she helps me with the rest of the balloons.

The heavy door to the hall opens, and I turn around, expecting to see the building manager or another worker.

“Mimi, is that...” Gina trails off beside me.

“Hey, you,” Vincent says as he reaches us. With a bouquet of flowers in one hand, he grips my waist with the other and bends down to kiss me.

Who would have thought I’d be the type to enjoy PDA?

“Hey. What are you doing here?” I ask him. I thought his not responding meant he was tied up and I wouldn’t be hearing from him until late in the evening.

“I thought you might need help loading up the throne.”

I open my mouth to respond, but Gina clears her throat impatiently to remind us of her presence.

Vincent smiles at her. “Let me guess, you must be Amerie’s friend Gina? I’m—”

Gina recovers quickly from her shock. “Don’t be silly. I already know. You’re her Mr. Sex— Er, you’re Vincent,” she finishes, for once responding to my death glare. “It’s nice to finally meet you.”

Vincent smirks at me. Gina’s words clearly did not go unnoticed. “Yes, I am her Mr. Sexy Vincent.”

“I was going to say ‘Mr. Sexy Astronaut.’ ” Gina shrugs, then grins. “But Vincent works too.”

“Oh no,” I say, shaking my head at them. “See, this? We are not doing this.” First I look to Vincent. “You may enjoyletting your family clown on you and all, but not me.” I point a finger at Gina. “And you know way better than to try and act up in public.” Gina pouts, but I raise my eyebrow in warning. I’d rather not, but she knows I can just as well bring up some embarrassing stories Mack has yet to hear the next time I see him. “Now, I need to have this place cleared in the next fifteen minutes. You said you came for the throne? It’s right over there.” I point him to where the gold throne I set up so the mom could sit and open her presents remains on the other side of the hall.

Vincent hands me the flowers with one more smirk before going off to put those muscles of his that he likes to talk up so much to good use.

Gina and I both watch him pick up the chair like it’s nothing and walk away before she turns to me and squeals. “I did not know you two were gettin’ down like that now!”

“See what happens when you shut your bestie out?”

“Argh, I know! But I’m back, and now you know I’ve got to have all the deets. ASAP, Mimi. I’m serious.”

“I’ll give them to you,” I promise. I’m just as eager to talk to her about Vincent. More than that, I want to tell the world about him. At the very least, maybe I can tell my mom and dad about him, as anxious as the thought makes me.

“How about we finish catching up this weekend?” Gina asks. “I want to go wedding dress shopping, and I’ll need my maid of honor there.”

“You’ve got it.”

Chapter Twenty-Five

My petty side may have been showing a little bit when I chose the drabbest gray I could find for the guest room walls, but now that I see it in action, I’m pleased with the outcome.

After a finishing touch, I put the paint roller down and take a look at my work.

I hear Vincent’s footsteps on the stairs, and seconds later he comes strolling in.

“What do you think?” I say, gesturing at the walls.

He nods. “I like it.”

I walk to the middle of the room and stop under the fan. Closing my eyes, I point to the left side of the room. “We need some art here. Two eleven-by-fourteen prints would work. White frames, I think. A green plant here.” I point to a corner. “An accent chair here. Black or navy will give the room some dimension. Oh, and curtains. Vincent, you really need curtains.”

“Anything else?”

I tip my chin and point to the fan. “Change this out for a chandelier.”

---