Page 82 of That Time I Kissed The Groomsman Grump
Too many questions. Too much explaining.
So I pull away from her warm lips, and Natalie sucks in a quick, soft breath.
Oh, man.Sometimes I really hate my self-control.
“This way.” I jerk my chin to indicate the opposite direction Grantly and Molly took around the building. Then, without another word, still holding hands, Nat and I hustle toward the other side of the inn. We choose the long way to the front entrance of the pub. Bursting back through the doors, we automatically drop hands. I swipe at my forehead to erase the sweat.
My nerves are already buzzing when my sister calls out, “There you are!”
Great. Kasey’s making a beeline for Nat and me.
“Here I am,” I say, half expecting her to bust me right now, saying something like,I know you and Natalie were hiding in that storage room when Beau and I were looking for you. And I know you went out behind the inn afterward and bared your soul to her instead of to your best friend or your little sister. And I know you can’t stop kissing my maid of honor.
Yeah. Sorry on all counts, Kasey. Guilty. As. Charged.
But Kasey totally ignores me, focusing on Natalie instead. “Sloane just called. She said you haven’t signed the rental agreement yet.”
Natalie cringes and opens her mouth to respond, but Kasey keeps going before she can. “I mean, it’s no big deal if you changed your mind, Nat. If you don’t want to take my room anymore, just tell me. When Beau and I first pitched the idea of you moving in with Sloane, we didn’t want you to feel obligated. We never wanted that. You don’t feel obligated, do you?”
“Whoa.” I throw a hand up. “Take a breath, Kase.”
“YOU take a breath.” Kasey smirks. “This is between Nat and me.”
I glance around, wondering who else can hear us. Luckily, Beau is nowhere in sight. “I just don’t think anyone should ever feelobligatedto do anything,” I say. “Not to move if they want to stay. Or to stay if they want to move. Or to come or to go or to rethink their options even after they made a decision. Where a person lives is a very personal choice.” I narrow my eyes, trying to send Kasey a pointed message. “Everyone has reasons for what they do. Sometimes good. Sometimes not so good. But either way. Reasons.”
Kasey frowns. “What on earth are you babbling about?”
Funny you should ask.
I’m actually thinking you should admit you and Beau aren’t planning to stay in LA forever. That you’re already looking for apartments with month-to-month leases so you can pick up and transfer somewhere else at a moment’s notice.
Chicago. Atlanta. Boston. Not Los Angeles.
It killed me not to say anything to Natalie out on that bench. I came close to telling the truth. But then we got interrupted, and all I can think now is that Beau shared the news with me in confidence. Kasey might not even know he told me. So I can’t say anything directly. Not until I know it’s okay to talk about this without betraying anyone’s trust.
Come on, Kasey. Say it for me.
My sister studies my face for another moment before turning to Natalie again. “Here’s the thing.” She cocks her head. “Beau and I… you see—”Oh, yeah. Here we go. “We just want you to be happy, Nat.” Kasey leans in close, like she’s trying to figure out what Natalie’s really thinking. “So if you don’t want to move in with Sloane, we will totally understand.”
Wait. That’s not what I wanted Kasey to say.Tell her the rest. Tell her you probably won’t be living in LA much longer.
“I’m so sorry,” Natalie says, darting her gaze between Kasey and me, back and forth, like a pair of blue ping-pong balls. “I should’ve taken care of the rental agreement already. I’m absolutely terrible.”
“You are not.” Kasey waves away the comment.
“You arenot,” I agree, emphasizing thenot. “So what if you changed your mind about moving? That kind of thing happens all the time. Kasey and Beau will understand. Somebody else can take Kasey’s old room in a heartbeat, right, Kase?”
“That’s true.” Kasey nods. “Amber told me her sister’s been talking about moving closer to help with the kids. She lives in Austin now. Maybe she’d like to rent my room.”
“No, it’s not that.” Natalie blinks at me, just a flicker, before addressing Kasey. “I’ve just been so busy with the wedding, I didn’t make the time to read the fine print. And honestly, I might’ve been a little bit scared. It’s a big step, you know?” Natalie shoots me a look, like a quick, private apology. “But having you both here right now—knowing I’ve got your support—makes me feel strong. And brave. And I happen to have the contract in my bag. I was planning to sign, scan, and send tonight.”
I bite back a groan, clenching my teeth. I guess, in the end, Natalie is someone who honors her word too. Like I’ve been doing with the Swansons. She’s going to follow through with her commitment to Kasey. To Sloane. To Double-A Aaron whatever-his-name-is. And here’s the irony: I love her commitment. Her sense of adventure. Her willingness to take big leaps. That’s right. I love all these things about Natalie.
I just hate that they’re keeping us apart.
“Excellent!” Kasey grins. “As long as you’re not ambivalent, Nat. You promise you’re not ambivalent?”
Instead of answering, Natalie strides over to her beach bag and collects the rental agreement. She comes back over to us. “Anyone have a pen?”
