Page 59 of Give Me a Reason

“Hmm.” Pete studied his fingernails. “Katie mentioned she saw you growling and snapping your teeth at some poor man who asked Anne for a breadstick.”

Frederick’s hands clenched around the wheel as though he were choking the life out of it. Thatpoor manhad rubbed him the wrong way. His ridiculous good looks. His ridiculous good manners. Anne smiling at his ridiculously punchable face.

“I don’t know what she’s talking about,” Frederick lied through his teeth. “All I did was politely ask the man not to bother Anne again. He was coming on to her so fucking strongly. She was obviously uncomfortable.”

“Hmm.”

“If you make that noise again, I swear I will stuff a sock in your mouth.” Frederick pointed his finger at Pete’s face. “A damp, stinky sock that’s been sitting at the bottom of a duffel bag since the late nineteenth century.”

“Were duffel bags invented by the late nineteenth century?” His friend held his chin as he contemplated the question.

Frederick couldn’t hold back a huff of laughter. “Asshole.”

“I love you, too.” Pete grinned.

“Dude.” He tried to look disgusted but failed abysmally.

After a moment, Pete said gruffly, “I’m here if you ever need to talk.”

“I know,” Frederick replied equally gruffly.

“And as a married man and soon-to-be father, I’ll be able to offer you a wealth of wisdom that a single guy like you can’t begin to fathom.”

“Do I even have to say it?” Frederick breathed a long-suffering sigh.

“No, but my love language is words of affirmation.” Pete nodded encouragingly.

“Okay, fine.” Grinning broadly, Frederick said with relish, “Fuck you.”

“Thank you,” Aiden mumbled in his sleep.

Pete and Frederick burst out laughing, and the more they tried to stifle their mirth, the louder they got. Miraculously, Joe and Aiden slept through it all until they pulled into the parking lot at Moonstone Beach.

“Where are we?” Joe rubbed his eyes.

“Cambria.” Aiden yawned. “At least, I think we’re in Cambria. That’s where Anne said we’re going to spend the day.”

Frederick’s heart flip-flopped like an idiot’s at the mere mention of Anne’s name. He scoured the ample parking lot and spotted her just as she stepped out of the driver’s seat. There were only a few cars around, but he would have found her even if the lot had been full. He didn’t shy away from the thought and kept his eyes trained on her as he got out of the car.

She gazed out at the beach, a small smile touching her lips. She seemed lost in her thoughts until Coraline linked her arm through hers, and they walked over together at a leisurely pace. Katie, on the other hand, made a beeline for his car with hurried steps like she couldn’t wait to see her husband. Bethany and Tessa followed closely behind her.

“Yes, and we’re at our first stop.” Pete glanced over his shoulder at the groggy backseat passengers. “Moonstone Beach.”

“Not exactly a beach day.” Joe squinted out the window at the thick, gray clouds in the sky and the fog clinging to the cliffs.

“I kind of like it.” Aiden hauled himself out of the car. “It makes the beach feel dark and brooding.”

“I wish I were dark and brooding.” Pete shut the car door and leaned back against it, attempting a sullen scowl.

“Honey, I told you not to add milk to your coffee this morning.” Katie threw her arms around her husband and kissed his cheek. “It wasn’t lactose-free.”

Pete wrapped his arms around his wife and whispered something in her ear. She laughed softly, burying her face in his neck. Frederick was used to ignoring the envy that stole into his heart whenever he saw how much Pete and Katie loved each other. But this time, the bittersweet feeling burrowed into his bones, and he looked across the parking lot, searching for Anne again.

Tessa and Bethany reached the men next and offered them a quick wave without pausing their lively chatter. Coraline and Anne brought up the rear, their heads bent in conversation, but Anne suddenly glanced up and met Frederick’s gaze, like she felt him watching her.

He didn’t bother pretending to look elsewhere. When her eyes didn’t flit away, his lips spread into a lopsided grin, and she waved at him, returning his smile. Apparently, friends did that. They smiled and waved at each other, even when one of their hearts—namely, his—was pounding hard enough to crack his ribs.

“How was the drive?” Bethany came to stand next to him at the same time Anne took a step toward him. “Near the end, Anne kept shushing us—nicely, of course—because she had to focus on maneuvering down the winding road.”

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