Page 329 of New York Love Stories: Vol. 1

“I realized the same thing. Whatever brought us together is doing it again.”

We kiss again, ready for our happily ever after to begin.

Natasha whines, “This was supposed be about me.”

Harrison turns to mic guy and says, “Don’t do it, Dawson.”

I say, “I’m confused.”

“Oh, yeah, this is my brother Dawson.” Harrison looks at me with a huge grin practically splitting his face in half. “And this is my Tatum.” I shake his hand, and we do the greeting, noticeably leaving Natasha out of it.

He says, “I’ve heard a lot about you.” Distracted, Dawson moves around Harrison and speaks under his breath to Natasha, “I think we need to talk.”

When they start weaving their way toward the exit, Harrison says, “My other brother couldn’t make it. He just doesn’t like Natasha.”

“Ah. And your dad?”

“Thinking about an office in Dallas, so he traveled there.”

Poking him in the chest, I warn, “Not for you. Just setting that straight right now.”

He chuckles. “Don’t worry. I don’t want to be anywhere else than with you.”

A phone rings in the background just as our lips press together in a kiss.

Along with everyone else, we look out to see Cookie with the phone to her ear. Holding it up, she says, “Juni’s having her baby.”

That’s when it dawns on me. She’s supposed to be at the candle ceremony, so why is she here? I laugh because I knew that couldn’t be a real thing. I turn to Harrison, and my knees weaken just from being in his arms again. “I think we’ve been set up.”

“I think the universe did it long before our friends.”

Despite his hold on me tightening, I tap his chin. “A-ha! Natalie knew it was Dawson’s day, didn’t she?”

“Yes, she’s the one I hired to pull it off.”

“She pulled off more than a . . . actually, since the proposal didn’t happen, we could stay and enjoy the meal, and then catch a flight home in the morning?”

“I have a suite. You’re very familiar with it.”

I lean against him, ready to claw his clothes off right here. “Oh yeah? Is itoursuite?”

“I requested it.”

“Maybe we should retire early.”

“After dinner,” he replies, tucking hair behind my ear. “You’re eating for two.”

“You’re going to spoil me, aren’t you?”Please say yes.

“Every chance I get, baby.”

EPILOGUE 1

Harrison

Poppy Eloise Decker

I’m smitten.

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