Page 169 of Alive At Night

“Everything’s okay,” I reassured. “Greg cornered me in the bar.”

“Seriously?” Her smile momentarily vanished. “Oh my God, Junes.”

“But Julian found me,” I quickly added.

“Of course he did.” Her expression grew playful again as her eyes shifted to her brother. “You know, Julian, when you said…what you said on the phone, I didn’treallythink you’d get the nerve up…for this.” She gestured to Julian, still holding me in his arms, refusing to let go. “But now here we are, and I suppose you proved me wrong. About fucking time.”

“I got the nerve up a while ago, Gems,” Julian said dryly. “If we’re being honest about it all.”

“You didn’teven,” I scoffed, looking over my shoulder at him, “I kissed you first, remember?”

“You had liquid courage,” he countered after a soft chuckle. “Doesn’t count, especially since you tried to take it back with all that shit about getting swept up in our fake date.”

“Fake date?” Gemma interrupted, brows furrowing. “Sofia’s wedding? That was months ago.”

Guilt crawled up to my face; I felt it burning. “I know, but we had some road bumps. We’ve only really beenofficiallydating since…” I paused, trying to pinpoint when exactly it was.

But Julian filled in the blank for me. “New Year’s.”

That had been the wrong thing to say. Gemma’s brows lifted higher and higher until they nearly disappeared, and then her eyes narrowed. “New Year’s, huh?”

A flush worked over me, heating me from the inside out, and I chose not to confirm or deny what she was thinking. “I was going to tell you this week,” I said, knowing I didn’t sound super convincing with how my words squeaked out. “I promise, Gems.”

She didn’t seem mad or even surprised, but that didn’t stop my stomach from somersaulting. I tried to step forward, wanting to go to her, but Julian’s arms tightened around me.

Gemma noticed, her eyes rolling up. “You know, I think Juni was right about you. Youarea little…over-the-top sometimes.”

I felt the rise and fall of Julian’s shoulder as he shrugged. “You’re just going to have to get used to sharing now, Gemma.”

“Are you kidding me?” A disbelieving laugh burst from her lips. “I’ve been sharing Juni with you foryears. You’re welcome, by the way. I made sure, even when you had your head up your ass, that she was always there. For you. Because even though you were too thickheaded to admit it, I knew you wanted her at your games. I knew you wanted her at your birthday parties and Christmas and every holiday in between. And I knew she wanted to be there, too.”

Her words bounced around in my head.

“You…knew?” I repeated, awe in my voice.

Gemma’s smile broadened. “I knew. I’ve always known. And I knew if someone shoved you two into a room together, maybe you could finally realize it, too.”

I was too stunned to speak, but Julian wasn’t.

“Good thing Cameron got me my job, then, huh?” he said hoarsely.

“Mhm.” Gemma lifted her hand and began inspecting her nails. “Good thing someone who knew both of you were starting on the same day suggested to him that you should share an office if he could convince someone to do it.”

“You didn’t,” I breathed. “Gemma.”

Gemma looked up, the warmth in her eyes trickling over at me. “You’re welcome for that, too.”

And because I couldn’t find any words as Julian hugged me closer, I mouthed, “Thank you,” at her.

To which she smiled in return. “Just do one thing for me, okay?”

I nodded. I’d do anything for her.

Her voice dropped to a stern tone.

“Next time you’re in bed together, donotpick up the phone when I call.”

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