Page 71 of How Sweet It Is

I glare, but my heels are already clicking against the pavement.

He pulls me in for a quick kiss. “You look amazing,” he whispers.

A thrill runs down my spine. “Thanks.” I slide into the buttery leather seat with a sigh. “If you rev that engine even once, I swear.”

“I wouldnever.” A glint catches his eye.

He shuts my door and climbs into the driver’s seat, then he revs it. Hard.

By the time we pull into Tobias’s driveway, I’m already regretting every decision I’ve made since waking up.

The car is a beacon of obnoxiousness. Tobias steps out from the porch in his usual calm-but-simmering dad mode and takes one look at the car before running a hand down his face.

“Levi,” he says in a low warning tone.

Levi kills the engine and hops out like he’s on a catwalk. “Told you I’d make it on time.”

Tobias’s eyes flash. “I told you not todoanything with the money yet. Micah can’t know.”

As if summoned, Micah appears from the side of the house, hands stuffed in the pockets of his suit pants, shoulders curled in like he’s shielding himself from the world.

He stops short when he sees the car, eyes widening.

Levi moves quickly, stepping between Micah and the Lamborghini like a human curtain. “Hey, little bro. Didn’t see you there. Lookin’ sharp.”

Micah frowns. “Whose car is that?”

“It’s a rental,” I blurt, my voice steady.

Levi shoots me a grateful glance then nods. “Yup. Totally impractical. Handles like a diva. I miss my bike already.”

Micah doesn’t look convinced, but he doesn’t push. He glances toward the backyard, eyes skimming over the white chairs, the trellis wrapped in flowers, and the people milling about.

“You okay?” I ask him gently. Levi told me the struggles Micah’s been having with social anxiety. I was hoping a small wedding would be okay for him, but he looks like he’s having issues already.

He shrugs. “I mean, I’m not really a people person.”

I reach out and touch his arm lightly. “I’m sorry. Levi told me you don’t like crowds.”

Cricket spies us from the backyard and comes to join us. Gone are the oversized sweaters and worn jeans, replaced by a soft, flowing dress in a shade of dusty lavender that hugs her figure. Her usual ponytail has been replaced by loose waves that spill over her shoulders. She even put on makeup, just enough to highlight the freckles on her cheeks and the sparkle in her eyes as she looks at Micah.

She joins us and places a hand on Micah’s arm. “Hey, you doing okay?”

He quickly nods. “Yeah.”

My gaze bounces between the two of them—Cricket, her eyebrows pulled together in concern for him, and Micah, not even really seeing Cricket, and my heart instantly goes out to her. This is a heartache waiting to happen.

At that moment, Noah and Savannah emerge from the house. Noah’s dressed in a dark suit that hugs his broad frame, looking every bit the protective older brother, while Savannah practically floats beside him in a dress matching Cricket’s. They must be bridesmaids.

Savannah sees me and immediately lights up. “Amelia! Oh my gosh, you look stunning. That color is perfect on you.”

I wave her off, flustered. “It’s just a dress.”

“It’s not just a dress,” she insists. “It’s like… you’re glowing.”

Levi slings an arm around my shoulder. “Told you she cleans up nice.”

I elbow him, but he just laughs and presses a quick kiss to my temple.

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