Page 155 of Could Have Been Us
“Not really. She’ll say yes.”
“Stella is a mystery,” Oliver chimes in. “That girl never does what we expect.”
She’ll say yes. I know she will. I mean, she better.
I turn and glare at him. “You’re not helping.”
“What makes you think I was trying to? You booted me out of a perfectly nice living situation—three fucking times—and stuck me with the worst person. Amelia climbs on my bed every morning before the damn sun is up, and apparently, if I’m still there when the baby comes, I’m the nanny.”
Alex laughs. “You’re looking for a place then?”
Oliver nods. “Damn right. I might just move in with Delia.”
Josh tenses. “Delia?”
“She said she has room at her place.”
Oh, this is going to be excellent. I step back, letting the Parkerson brothers face off. Josh doesn’t disappoint. “I’m sorry, but why would you move in with her?”
“Because she . . . has . . . room.”
“Find somewhere else,” he warns.
Oliver, being the asshole he is, grins. “Why would I do that? She’s single. I’m single. It’s not like we have to worry about that.” He turns to me. “Is she still single?”
I put my hands up. “I have no idea.”
“Well,” Oliver continues, “I don’t give a shit either way. She has that house she just bought, and I need a place.”
Josh’s eyes flare with anger. Oliver is such a shit stirrer, but it’s fun to watch. “You can afford your own place.”
Oliver shrugs. “Doesn’t matter. I also want to save what little I’ll have left after we break ground. Plus, why the hell do you care?”
We all know why he cares. He just won’t admit it. “I don’t.”
“Then what the hell is this conversation about, Josh? Hmm? Is it because you’re dumb and refuse to accept the fact that you’ve been in love with Delia for years and pretend you have no idea what we’re talking about when we call you out?”
Alex sniggers. “You’re asking for trouble, Ollie.”
“What else is new?” I tack on.
Josh lets out an almost silent laugh. “You all have no idea what you’re talking about, and whatever is or isn’t between Delia and me is none of your concern.”
This is going to turn ugly if I don’t stop it. “All right, guys, let’s leave this be. Today is a happy day, and I’d like to keep it that way.”
We are deep in the woods at the same spot I took Stella camping when we first started dating. There’s a huge tent with lights strung up, her brothers and friends are already here, eating and hanging out. Everything is arranged, and we are just waiting for Stella, Kinsley, and Samuel to get back from town so I can go meet them at the main house.
It’s a party. Our celebration of being engaged even though I haven’t gotten a yes from her.
And hopefully, tonight, I’ll be able to give her even more good news about Samuel and Kinsley.
Yesterday, while the girls went shopping, Samuel asked to meet Odette. We spent hours with her, meeting the other foreman and discussing the plans as well as his work experience.
Samuel got a text from Odette an hour after we left that said she’d be more than happy to have him on board.
He thanked me again, not saying whether he was going to take it, and I dropped him back off at my cabin. I haven’t seen him since, and I’m fucking down on my knees that he accepts it. It would give us Kinsley and allow us to help Samuel.
Alex and Oliver walk away, leaving Josh with me. “You know that they’re right.”
