Page 56 of A New Era

She takes a step closer to the door and his eyes darken. “Take one more step, I fuckin’ dare you.”

She flips him the finger and leaves. Mason lurches forward to follow her but Pope heaves himself up and steps in his way.

“Grumps, I’m not in the mood for you right now. Move.”

“Boy, sit the fuck down or I’ll put you down.”

Pope doesn’t have to tell him twice. With one last glare at the now empty doorway, he kicks out a chair from Pope’s table and falls onto it. Pope turns to everyone and grunts, “Back to your own lives, there’s nothing to see here.”

I’m quick to look away and so is everyone else. Conversations resume and I drain half my beer.

“Do you think Aspen will be okay?” Nina asks no one in particular.

“I think she’ll be just fine,” Zach says. “Didn’t you see her argue back? She isn’t a wallflower.”

“I’m pretty sure Pope and Aspen are the only two people, along with Leo now, that can push him and not end up buried in the middle of nowhere,” JJ says.

“Enough. It’s their business…” Leo says but Harper cuts him off, “Hardly their business when they float it in the middle of the bar.”

“Regardless, let’s talk about something else.”

“Like?” she retorts.

“Like how Zach and Nina are keeping something from us.”

Both their grins fall, and I realise Leo’s onto something.

“No, we’re not. Why would you say that?” Nina shakily asks. Totally guilty.

“Because I’m not stupid. So, what gives?”

Nina and Zach share a look and then he nods.

“Since you called us out, we do have news, but we were going to wait till after your wedding,” Nina begins, digging into her jeans pocket. Her movements are hidden under the table and then she lifts her left hand, and a gold shiny ring sits snugly on her fourth finger.

“We got married… in Vegas!” she exclaims.

“Oh my God!” I shriek, jumping up from Leo’s lap. Pulling Nina in for a hug, I’m so happy for her.

“Congratulations!”

“Thank you.”

“We need to celebrate!” Harper exclaims.

And celebrate we do. I vowed last week I wouldn’t drink in excess again, but the shots keep coming and the bar spins faster and faster around me. Harper announces the song playing is her song and she drags Nina and me up to an empty space to dance. I can’t remember the last time I danced without a care in the world.

“I can’t believe you got married and didn’t tell us,” Harper slurs as the three of us dance.

“We didn’t want to steal Holly and Leo’s thunder,” Nina slurs just as much as Harper.

“Aww, we wouldn’t have thought that! We love you guys.”

One minute my head is filled with laughter and then we’re sharing a three-way hug and crying on one another.

“We’re so lucky to have each other. I love you guys like my sisters,” Harper sobs.

“Me too,” Nina cries.

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