Page 66 of Give Me Forever Love

I smile. “It’s actually not that bad. I’ve just got a few things I need to do.”

Oh yeah, did I mention the wedding is next month?

“Like tell Claire you’re getting married?” she asks with a lifted brow.

My eyes jump to Bryce. “Really?” I say.

He shrugs. “Sorry. I didn’t know it was a secret.”

I sigh. “Well it’s not…” I look sideways. “Only from Claire.”

“You need to tell her,” Lou says.

“I know. I will… soon.”

“In my experience, keeping secrets from best friends doesn’t go down too well.”

“Oh, I’m sure it’s not going to go down too well, hence why I haven’t told her.”

Lou gives me a sympatric smirk. “Good luck.” She stands, grabbing her purse from the chair. “I brought some spaghetti over. It’s in the fridge.”

“Thanks,” I say, giving her a hug.

“Bryson, I’ll call you tomorrow.” She hugs him, too.

“Tell Monnie we say hey,” he says.

“Will do. You need to come visit the old man at the diner. You haven’t been in a while.”

“We will,” I say.

She nods. “Put that spaghetti in the oven. It’ll taste better. I usually put some cheese over it when I heat it.”

“We got it, Lou,” Bryce says, trying not to roll his eyes.

She holds her hands up. “Okay, okay.” I smirk after she leaves, taking a sip of my water before leaning my elbows on the counter. Looking down at my ring, I think,by this time next month, I’ll no longer be a Harrison. I’ve never been attached to that name. It’s my mother’s. Getting rid of it will be a chain link broken.

“Penny for your thoughts?” Bryce says. I look to him. He stands against the counter, arms crossed over his lean chest. Black ink covers his skin. At thirty-four, he’s gone from club owner to not having a clue what he’s going to do, but he’s got enough money to do anything.

In a way, I feel like I’m holding him back. He could go anywhere, but we have Mugs & Books. I love that store; I love running it. I’m sure he couldn’t care less. It’s just a coffee shop with books in it. It doesn’t hold any special value or memories for him like it does me. It was my saving grace when I moved here. It was a place I grew to call home.

But if he really wanted to go off and do things, I suppose I could leave it in Becca and Claire’s hands until I returned. After all, he is the reason I have it in the first place.

“Just thinking about life,” I say.

“Oh,” he lifts his brow, “that’s a tricky one.”

I laugh. “It is.” I push off the counter, tossing my empty water bottle into the trash. “We’ll have to eat the spaghetti tomorrow; Claire is cooking something.”

“Oh shit, I forgot we’ve got to go over there.”

“Don’t be a baby, baby. We have to move that shit so Axel can have his room.”

“Don’t call me a baby, baby,” he says, uncrossing his arms and walking toward me, looking like a goddamn predator.

“Bryce, hold up,” I say, trying to control my smirk. He smiles mischievously. “Don’t start this.” I slowly start moving around the island.

“Start what?” he asks, tilting his head, but not slowing his steps.

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