Page 18 of Before You
“I’m where I want to be,” she says, the corners of her mouth pulling up.
I turn away to hide how wide my smile is.
Take that, Trent.
“You’re welcome to take however many eggs you want. I’ll eat whatever you don’t,” I say, changing the topic because I’m certainly not going to convince Marley to go back upstairs if she doesn’t want to.
Marley walks around the island to serve herself, and when she’s done, I dump the rest on my plate before sitting next to her.
“JJ, that’s so much food,” she says, gaping at my plate.
I shove a forkful in my mouth, shrugging. “I’m a growing boy.”
She covers her mouth, smothering her quiet laugh. “I’m sorry, I didn’t catch that?”
“I’m a growing boy. We need a lot of food,” I repeat after swallowing the food in my mouth.
“Oh, believe me, I know. My brother eats so much food it’s insane, but your plate makes his look small.” Marley shakes her head at me, spearing scrambled eggs with her fork.
“What can I say? It takes a lot of protein to keep these muscles,” I joke, flexing with the hope Marley will laugh again. Everything about her is musical, but especially her laughter.
She rolls her eyes, but her cheeks flush as she takes a drink of her water. “You know, speaking of siblings, I think your sister followed me on social media.”
I’m going to kill Mirabelle.
“I’m sorry, she can be . . .weird.” There’s no way around Marley knowing I’ve talked to my sister about her.
“She’s really pretty. I think I recognize her from somewhere, but I can’t think of where,” Marley says, and I’m hoping it’s not from the naked pictures taken of her and Henry a couple years ago. They’ve worked really hard to put the violation of their privacy behind them and move forward from it. I’ll never forget my friends in class turning to look at me after the article dropped my freshman year.
“She was in the Summer Olympics in Paris six years ago, and Mira and Henry have been in the media quite a bit with their careers,” I answer, trying to keep it vague. They’re so much more than one moment in their history.
“That must be it. They’re a really cute couple.”
My phone starts ringing as if we summoned the devil herself. I smile widely, but Marley looks confused. “Why is your sister calling you this early in the morning?”
“Because it’s the afternoon in France, and she just got engaged.”
I answer the phone, putting it on speaker because I want Marley to experience this moment with me.
“JJ, holy fucking shit! You won’t believe what just fucking happened!”
I stifle my laughter. “What happened?”
“Henry fucking Price just proposed to me! Like down on one knee, with a ring and everything!”
It’s the pure happiness in her voice that makes my smile somehow wider. She deserves this more than anyone I know. “And?”
“Well, of course I said yes! I’m not an idiot,” Mirabelle exclaims, and I hear Henry laughing in the background.“Je suis si heureuse que je crois que je pourrais en mourir.”8
“Non, mon cœur. Nous ne mourons pas. On va se marier,”9 Henry says and Mirabelle squeals with excitement.
“Je t’aime,”10 she says, and I know it’s not directed to me.
“Congratulations, but you’re so sickeningly sweet, I think I’m going to go throw up now,” I say, and Marley hits my arm, gaping at me.
“Gross, JJ, be happy for me. You’re the first one I called to tell my childhood dreams of becoming Mrs. Price are finally coming true.”
“Mirabelle, we can’t cross it off the list unless I take your last name,” Henry says, and I have no doubt he would. I’ve never seen someone as in love as Henry is with my sister.
