Page 82 of Grin and Bear It

“Shit…” I hissed, because not long afterwards those little dots appeared. “He’s replying. Coll, he’s fucking replying.”

“Of course, he is, dickhead. He always will.” I looked up then and all amusement was gone, replaced only by this. Her eyes shone and I felt a lump forming in my chest when I saw it. “I’ve wanted to share this stuff with you for so fucking long. It’s why I kept pushing you at Dale’s friends. I thought if anyone deserves a totally amazing bear shifter boyfriend who’ll love her and only her, it’s my bestie.”

Fuck.

“Oh my god, I was such a bitch!”

My voice broke on that, a fresh wave of shame rushing over me.

“You kinda were,” she said, but instead of kicking my arse, she threw her arms open and we hugged it out, because that’s what ride or die bitches do.

“Why haven’t you kicked my arse to the curb yet?” I asked that sincerely, all the while knowing she wouldn’t.

“Because we’re best buds forever, dickhead. Remember when we were going to get those tattoos?”

Dear god, early twenties Coll and El were not to be trusted, the two of us this fucking close to get eternity symbols with the other’s name on it.

“Thank god for Dale,” I said. “He’s the only one that could’ve stopped us.”

“I thank whatever divine presence brought him into my life to say no to my dumbest ideas,” she said, smiling even though tears started to well in her eyes. “I don’t know who I made happy, but I’m blessed, El, with a guy who loves me no matter what. When I’m cranky and premenstrual, he’s got coffee, chocolate, three types of ice cream, a heat pack and some naproxen ready for me. When I’m tired, he takes over. And when I’m happy? Well, half the time he made me like that, but he’s always so damn pleased, like a little kid in a toy store, and that’s what your guys will be like. No matter what you wear. No matter what you do, you’re not gonna shake them off your trail. Don’t be a dumb arse like me. Run towards your future, not away from it.”

“That’s not…” I was about to say that it wasn’t what was stressing me out, but as I surveyed the carnage around me, I thought twice. Shit, maybe it was. And then I looked down to see the message Nash had sent me.

Wear whatever the hell you want, he’d written.I’ll love it, no matter what.

“See?” She grabbed my phone and tossed it on my bedside table. “Now, I’ve always wanted to be a fairy godmother, and you, girl, were destined to be Cinderella. No mice, rats, cats or other critters needed. This bitch will get you ready for the ball. Just you wait.”

When they knockedon the front door I was standing in the hallway, feeling weird, awkward and uncomfortable.

“Don’t forget ‘beautiful’,” Coll said, looking me up and down, using bestie ESP to read my mind. “You look beautiful, El, and for guys who’ll actually fucking appreciate it this time.”

She didn’t wait for my go ahead, opening the door to reveal the two of them, each man dressed in well-made button down shirts and crisply ironed slacks, but that wasn’t what caught my eye. It was Lin and Nash’s expressions, something lighting up inside them.

Me, that strange little voice in my head said finally. They were lighting up for me.

Chapter41

Nash

Fuck.

I had more thoughts than that. I could feel them teeming inside my head, but none of them made it to my conscious mind, because everything came to a screaming halt at the sight of her.

Fuck.

Ellie was beautiful.

Although my dick was making itself uncomfortably known inside my pants, the not so little guy standing up to salute my mate, I ignored it. Because it almost hurt to look at her, see her standing there, her cheeks getting redder and redder then longer I stared like fucking twit. Then, when I looked at my sleuthmate, hoping he could fill the growing silence, I saw he was just as stricken.

“Fuck…” I hissed out and her eyebrows jerked up at that, the look of shy pleasure evaporating way too fast, and both Lin and I cleared our throats at that. “You look—

“That dress—”

Lin and I looked at each other, snorting as we stumbled over our own words at the same time.

“You look… amazing, Ellie,” I said finally, stepping forward and holding out a hand for her to take. She did and that had the bear shifting inside me, making deep chuffing sounds of satisfaction.

“Good to see you, Nash,” Colleen said with a wink. “Now, don’t forget to get our girl home on time. It is a school night.”

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