Page 102 of That Time I Kissed The Groomsman Grump
“Uhhh… everybody knows that,” Sloane says. When I flinch, she bursts into laughter. “I’m only kidding!Ihad no idea. But your face looked so serious. I felt like maybe a joke was in order.”
“Ahh. Yes. Good one.” I force out a low chuckle. I hope Sloane’s still laughing after she hears what I’m about to tell her. “Anyway.” I draw in a deep breath. “There’s something else—”
“Kasey told me!”
I scrunch up my face. “She did?”
“About you and her brother!”
Warmth seeps through me, despite the strangeness of the past week. There was a lot of loss, sure. But so much was gained too.So, so much. And in about an hour, Brady will be having his own important conversations. And I’ll be with him all the way.
Sloane arches an eyebrow. “That man is gorgeous with a capitalG. I don’t blame you for going after him.”
“Well, I didn’t exactlygo after him. But yes, we’re interested in seeing where the thing between us might go…”
“Kasey told me!”
Whatdidn’tKasey tell Sloane?
“I guess I’ll be seeing a lot more of that big, beautiful hunk of a man when he visits. But don’t worry.” Sloane moves her face closer to the screen. “I promise to keep my hands out of the cookie jar.”
Cookie jar? Huh. That’s a metaphor I haven’t thought of for Brady.
“You’re right. Brady will be visiting,” I say. “But he really loves living in Abieville, though. This town is home for him.”
Sloane purses her lips. “Kasey told me.”
“So if you were open to it, I have an idea.”
“Okayyyyyy.” Sloane draws the word out, and her head tips on an angle.
“You know Kasey’s friend, Amber.”
She squares her shoulders. “Of course I do. She’s at the apartment all the time. Or she used to be, when Kasey lived here. I like Amber. She’s nice. And funny. Although I was a little jealousshewas able to make it to the wedding. Even though she’s pregnant. And her husband had to stay behind with their twins. But noteveryonecan just pick up and leave their jobs, right?”
My stomach twists. That’s for sure. Hopefully some people can, though. “We all really wished you could’ve been here too.EspeciallyAmber.”
“Yeah. Amber’s nice.”
“And funny,” I add. “Like you said. I enjoyed meeting heralmostas much as I enjoyed meeting you.”
Sloane’s mouth curls up, sneaking into a smile. “We did have fun together, right?”
“We did.” I nod. “But here’s the thing: Amber’s sister wants to be closer to her when the baby comes.”
“Kasey told me! And I totally get that. I love babies! So, so much!”
“So.” I swallow hard. “So.” This is it. I’ll only get one shot to present my idea. “Amber’s due in about five months, and I was wondering… if maybe her sister could come out to visit us between now and then. And if you two get along—and Wyatt meets her—maybe Amber’s sister could be a good fit to take over my room. The one that used to be Kasey’s, I mean. Not right away. But later. After the baby comes.”
“Wait.” Sloane blinks. “What?”
I hike my mouth into a smile. “I’ll absolutely honor my whole lease if this is a bad idea. But.” My shoulders inch toward my ears. “You like babies. You also said you like Amber. She’s nice. She’s funny. And if Amber’s sister is living with you, you’d probably get to see Amber’s kids, and Amber, and the baby, and—”
“Ohhhhh. I get it now.” Sloane bobs her head. More curls bouncing. “This is so you can end up in Abieville, right? To be with Brady?”
I clear my throat. My mouth is so dry, I can barely speak. But I have to be honest with her. With myself. “That’s a possibility.”
“Kasey didnottell me this.”
