Page 83 of Last Chance Seduction
Riley and I met each other’s gazes before we burst out laughing.
“Oh they are.Especially for their little girls, however,” Riley continued, “you don’t tell them that.Because if you tell them that, then they get more overprotective just to annoy you.It’s sort of how things work.”
“Do you think Lex will be like that when he’s older?”Mercy asked.
“Duh,” Riley and I said at the same time.Then my cousin and I met each other’s gazes and burst out laughing.
I loved my family.I loved the depth of it, the immense number.Even though we all saw each other often, we were also smaller units.Meaning many times the only family that I had and got to see every day were my parents and my two older brothers.And Nate and James had that twin thing going on.So sometimes it was just nice to be surrounded by women, the girls I had grown up with.Of all of my cousins, I supposed Riley and I were the closest.We were the same age, had gone through all the same classes, and of course, our dads were twins.And in a family where twins ran rampant, it meant many connections.
I was just sad that Riley hadn’t decided to come work with me.Instead, she had gone to organize and practically run the Montgomery Art Gallery by herself.However, our other cousin Jamie, until recently, was making sure that Montgomery Construction didn’t blow up.
I frowned, wondering what we were going to do now that Jamie was gone.And not just gone from our job, but from the state.
“What’s that frown about?”Mercy asked as she set her e-reader down once again.
“I miss Jamie.And Libby.Why do they keep moving to Wyoming?What’s so good up there?”
“Ranchers in tight jeans?”Riley asked.
“And on horses.Knowing what to do with their hands?And with that slight accent that doesn’t make any sense because they’re from Wyoming?”Mercy put in.
“Okay fine that is all true.But I don’t need a cowboy.I have Duke.He’s fantastic.”I’d grown up surrounded by healthy and happy marriages.I knew love was real and I could scream from the rooftops that it was finally my turn.
“And you’re getting married!”Riley said as she twirled around.Her dress, a handmade piece by one of her friends, flowed around her, and I couldn’t help but take a quick photo with my phone.I wasn’t the photographer in the family but could do decently well with a point and snap.
“So do you think Patrick’s going to propose?”I asked, meeting Riley’s gaze.
She and Patrick had been dating for a couple of years and really gelled.He was a nice guy who thought Riley walked on air.As long as Riley was happy, I’d be in Patrick’s corner.The moment he broke her heart however—if that ever happened—I’d use one of my trusty shovels and show Riley my ditch digging skills from work.
That’s what friends were for.
She shrugged.“Maybe.We’re doing great right now though, so if it happens it happens.I don’t want to put so much pressure on it that I’m not enjoying the moment.I love him.He loves me.And we’ve been through so much together.I’m just happy with the way things are.”
Mercy stood up then and wrapped her arms around both of our waists.“And I’m glad that you guys have adopted me.Being around you two just reminds me that I don’t have to sit in my booth alone all day.Even though I might get behind on my deadline.”
“Deadline schmeadline,” I teased.“Okay, now do I look okay?Even with all these freckles?”
“Stop talking about your freckles.They’re gorgeous.And I’m glad you’re not covering them up.”
“I’m just glad that I can find a decent coverage foundation that has sunscreen in it that’s not actually full coverage.”I shrugged.“I may lament my freckles, but they’re me.And it did remind me that Duke loves them.”
“Okay, go meet your perfect fiancé, and then tomorrow we start wedding planning.I know the moms are going to have fun with it.”
“Duke’s parents will probably want a say, outside of the Montgomery purview,” I teased.
“Maybe, but we still win.We outnumber them,” Riley added.
“You outnumber most small towns,” Mercy said dryly.
I rolled my eyes and finished getting ready, adding a coat of lip gloss, as well as mascara, and grabbed my bag from Mercy’s side table.
We had all piled into her room earlier that day, and I knew that one day soon she would move next door, and this house would go for rent.It was just one more change in the way that our family was growing.
I was ecstatic for Lexington and Mercy.As well as Riley and Patrick.And now I had the man of my dreams.
Before Duke, I’d been the person who dated the wrong guy.All through middle school and high school I dated the guy who wouldn’t stand up for me or even himself.I didn’t mind being the strong one.The most vocal of the relationship.I didn’t mind being the one to always voice my opinions and stand up for us.But just once it was nice when they stood up for me.
And Duke did that.
