Page 48 of Restricted List

I groan as I sink into the bed. “You all know exactly who I was texting.”

“Wait, Harlow knows now, too?” Ella shouts. “I didn’t even get to know the secret that long!”

“Yeah, well, it kinda got to the point where I couldn’t keep it from her. She had it figured out anyway. Apparently, I’m really fucking obvious because all three of you knew before I told you.”

“Is there actually anyone that doesn’t know?” Lucia asks.

“Josh doesn’t know, not to my knowledge,” Ella answers. “I never mentioned it to him, and he’s kind of oblivious.”

“It’s gotta just be Josh then,” Harlow adds. “Lane figures everything out, so he has to know.”

“How surprised would you all be if I told you he only found out a few weeks ago?”

“Seriously?” Lucia exclaims. “He figures out every fucking thing we try to hide.”

“I have no idea how he missed it, but he didn’t know until I told him I was having guy problems. I didn’t tell him who the guy was, but he connected the dots when he ran into Cole and me at Urban Grind. The look on his face when he realized it was Cole was utter disbelief.”

“This is the same man that tricked Knox earlier this year. How the hell is that possible?” Harlow asks.

“No fucking clue,” I admit. “But can we please stop talking about me? This night is about Ella.”

“You’re right,” Ella says, throwing on her Bride-To-Be sash. “Now, let’s go get wasted and celebrate the last bit of my single life.”

“I love Las Vegas!” Ella shouts, fixing the veil someone randomly placed on her head. I don’t know why someone had a veil with them, but nothing is that strange in Sin City.

Harlow, Lucia, and I dissolve into a fit of laughter as we trail behind her up the Vegas Strip.

I lost count of how many bars we visited tonight. We’d get someone to buy us drinks—which is really easy to do when you’re with a bride-to-be—before we danced a bit, and then we were off to the next one, repeating the same process.

My heels are slung over my shoulders right now so I don’t break my ankle—I’m far too drunk to walk in the five-inch stilettos that I can hardly stand in sober.

“Oh!” Harlow exclaims. “There’s that wedding chapel!”

“There’s like a hundred of those in this city, Lo,” I slur.

She rolls her eyes. “But this is the one in front of us!” she says before stumbling sideways, laughing as she finds her balance again.

“She’s just got marriage on her mind,” Ella says cheerily, resting her head on Harlow’s shoulder.

Lucia joins in now. “I bet she does. She has a sexy, six foot four knuckleballer waiting for her at home.”

Harlow blushes as she covers her face with her hands. “I’m not thinking about that.”

“You know you wanna marry himmmmm,” I say, dragging out the last word in a singsong voice.

“I do,” she smiles, face lighting up in pure joy. “But not yet and not in Vegas. We’ve really only been together since summer—I just want us to enjoy some time together first. And if/when we get married, I want a wedding. So does Knox.”

“Of course he does,” I laugh. “That man wants whatever you want. He’s disgustingly in love with you.”

“I know,” Harlow sighs, content and happy as she leans against Ella’s head still perched on her shoulder. “I’m fucking obsessed with him.”

“We know,ojitos.”Lucia turns to me now. “Would you ever elope, Rory?”

“Yes,” I admit. “I’m sure I’d enjoy a wedding, but as long as I love the man I’m with, I’d get married wherever. We could have a large wedding, a small ceremony, or a Vegas elopement. I’m fine with anything as long as I’m happy.”

Ella smiles at me. “Now we just need Rory to find her future husband.”

I can’t help but blush because we all know who I want that man to be.

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