Page 72 of Arden and the Girl Downstairs

“Yeah, if you knew Arden, you would realise that would never be the plan. Arden doesn’t do things by halves,” he says, sweeping his arm around the room full of people wearing pyjamas and unicorn slippers.

Pace and I grew up together. Even though he moved to New Hope while we were in high school, we’re still friends. His mum works for my dad, and he’s still part of our group. He just isn’t as close to everyone, as he refuses to live here with us. Something about it ruining his rep.

Pace has been over a few times, so he’s already gotten to know Ella. “Ells, not your fault. I’ve never seen Arden happier. I’m just teasing him. I’m glad he’s happy, and I sure as hell never thought I’d see the day that he was married.”

Everyone assumed I’d never tie the knot. I wasn’t against it, I just knew that if I got married, I would only do it once, and I hadn’t met someone I wanted to spend my life with.

“I’m glad it’s you he is going to be hitched to for the rest of his life. I’m assuming you’re the one responsible for our outfits today?”

Ella backs up with her hands out, similar to what Logan did earlier.

“No, no, no, no. In my defence, I didn’t know. I was wearing a dress up until half an hour ago.”

Pace eyes us suspiciously. “Well, what happened to the dress?”

I punch him in the shoulder lightly.

“Don’t ask questions you don’t want to know the answer to,” I warn.

“Wait a second. Were you two getting down and dirty upstairs while we were all down here waiting and wondering what the hell was going on?”

“No comment,” Ella and I say at the same time.

Pace does a typical Pace thing and gives me a high five.

“Now, I’m jealous. You really have the life. You have a smoking hot wife, and you live here,” he says, spinning on the spot with his arms out.

“You could live here as well. But keep your hands off my wife,” I warn.

“I’m not moving in here. You will totally ruin my vibe. I want the whole campus experience.”

“You don’t even live on campus.”

“I know, but I live with the team, and it’s all about team experiences.”

“Whatever man, if you want to share a shower with a bunch of dudes and have no privacy ever, that’s all on you.”

“You really think I’d get privacy here?” He gives me a knowing look.

Okay, so maybe it’s not completely private here, but that’s because we choose to do things together. If we wanted, each “bedroom” is technically an apartment, and we could all live independently . . . under one roof. My idea of perfection.

Arden

We stand around and talk to everybody who comes up to us, but Ella never leaves my side. She steps closer when she’s had enough of peopling and allows me to comfort her. I must admit, it’s nice seeing everybody together. Besides the housewarming party we had earlier this year, we haven’t really had people here. I look towards the kitchen and see Martha in her element. She’s pulling a fresh batch of muffins from the oven.

Something out of the corner of my eye catches my attention.

I’ve never seen this happen before. Simultaneously.

Mady leans over and says, “Oh no.”

Instantly, all of her guys spring into action, without even saying a word to each other.

Lochlan picks her up and carries her out of the room, followed by Isaac and Caleb. Chad grabs her bottle of water off the bench and picks up her bag off the floor, following the others to the lounge room we have on this level.

I follow closely with Ella’s hand wrapped in mine. We stand in the living room doorway, watching the events unfold.

Mady is bent over with a vomit bag between her hands, hurling up everything, while Chad and Lochlan tenderly rub her back. Isaac’s holding her hair back and Caleb is pacing the room, running his fingers through his hair.

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