Page 136 of Destined Lovers

I palm her nape and run my thumb along her smooth neck to relax her. “Don’t be. You know I would never be friends with just anyone, so trust me, please. This group of people aren’t only my friends, they are my family, and I want them to be yours.”

“Aye, I get it.” She holds me tighter. “Can we do it tomorrow?”

I chuckle. “No, babe, tonight. Up you get, we leave in twenty.”

Nora

Declan and I are sitting in a small neighborhood restaurant in Notting Hill, not far from his house. It only took us about ten minutes to walk here.

Ten minutes for me to annoy Jameson.

I’m going to get him to crack one day. It’s become a life mission and a fun way to distract myself, since I have four guys following my every move.

We’re both sitting quietly, waiting for all his friends to arrive. I can tell he’s just as nervous as I am because he won’t stop bouncing his damn knee up and down, rattling the table. If I had to guess what an earthquake felt like—this is probably it.

Declan glances at me and frowns. “Don’t be nervous, Pip.”

“Are you telling yourself or me?” He shrugs and takes my hand in his. Mister cool and calm from earlier long gone.

We’re meeting his friends today to explain my situation, at least as much as we can without putting them in danger.

“Tell me about them again.”

He huffs, “I’ve already told you a million times. You’ll remember.”

“Tell me,” I urge.

“There is Wills and Sadie. They are engaged and met four years ago when we were all on holiday in France.” I nod for him to continue.

“Jackson is Sadie’s older brother. He works with Wills and me atThe Taylored Group. Annabelle is Sadie’s best friend from childhood, who is also close with Jackson.”

“Got it.”

“Lola works for Annabelle, and Marco works for Sadie. Then there is Evelyn, who is Wills’s little sister.”

I’m going to feck up all these names.

“So Sadie and Wills essentially started it all. If it weren’t for them, you wouldn’t all be close?”

He nods. “Pretty much.”

Sadie knows my story since Declan confided in her when he couldn’t find me, but they’ve not shared it with anyone else, not even Wills.

When he gave me the rundown of everyone coming, I was taken aback that he calls all these people hisbest friends. How can one person be so close to so many people? I can’t wrap my head around it.

Growing up, it was always only him and me, and even later in life, it was only Bennett and Agnes. With the occasional Killian mixed in. And that’s only because he’s Bennett’s friend.

Apparently, that’s not how it is anymore. I hope he doesn’t expect me to become best friends with these people overnight. Declan knows I’m not good with others—I’m shy, awkward, and sometimes come off as bitchy with new people.

Every time the door opens, my stomach drops, a pit instantly forms, and nausea washes over me. I hate this feeling.

What if they don’t like me?

Even though I might not be besties with all these people, I still want to fit into Declan’s new life. I don’t want him to ever feel like he has to choose his old life or his new one, I want them to blend into one.

The door opens again, and my eyes bug out of my head as three literal gods walk in.

Declan is a smoke show, but holy shit, these guys walking in all at once do something to a girl. Let me tell you.

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