Page 75 of Butter My Biscuit

“We got the Simon Cowell of wedding proposals here?” I get out of the truck and walk around to open her door.

She steps out, and we make our way toward the oversize farm house with a wraparound porch.

Music is blaring, and it echoes over the pasture. Before we get any closer, I stop and look up at the stars.

“It’s so easy to take this for granted.” I stare at the sea of them, not talking about the sky. “I realized that when we were in Houston.”

“Yeah,” she whispers. “It’s easy to take a lot of things for granted when you’re so used to them always being there.”

There’s an awkward pause.

“We’re lucky. We have all this,” I tell her, holding out my arms to the heavens.

“And we have each other,” she says, grabbing my hand and leading me up the steps. “Ready?”

“As ever.”

When we enter, Colt and Remi stand at the door, handing everyone a noisemaker and a glass of champagne.

“You two are in charge of the booze tonight?”

Remi snickers. “Of course. But don’t drink too much. You and I have plans tomorrow.”

“Sis,” I tell her, wrapping my arm around her neck and giving her a noogie, “I’m not going to forget.”

She slightly pushes me away and looks at Grace. “To think, you’re best friends with him.”

“Look, don’t judge me. Little kid-me barely had a developed brain, and he didn’t give me a choice. It is what it is,” she says with a shrug.

“What she said.” I grin at her. “It’s Stockholm at this point. I’m holding her hostage.”

Grace shakes her head. “As if you could get rid of me.”

Haley walks over to us, and I can tell she’s had too much to drink by the way she smiles like she’s on cloud nine.

“Hi.” She looks at Grace. “Why don’t you date him again?”

Grace shakes her head. “Because he’s my best friend. It’s like kissing your brother.”

“Eww,” Haley tells her, looking over at Hayden, and then back at us. “But is it?”

Remi hands out a few more party favors, then joins us again. She’s wearing a silver sequin dress and high heels that make her nearly as tall as me. “What are we talkin’ about?”

“Grace and Harrison kissing and it being like making out with a relative.”

My sister makes a face and sips her champagne. “Can we talk about something else? Kinda making me sick.”

Someone mentions the weather and horse training, and then Lexi, Stephanie’s cousin, speaks up.

“I chatted with Steph the other day. She had a lot to say about you,Mr. Valentine,”she announces. And by the expression on her face, she knows we fucked.

“Yeah? Like what?” I down the rest of my champagne.

“Want another one?” Grace asks, escaping this conversation.

“Sure.” I nod, smiling, then turning my attention back to Lexi, who goes through the entire conversation. Down to Stephanie mentioning us hooking up.

Remi and Haley stare at her, eating up every single word she says. This is thelastconversation I want to have tonight. When I glance down at my phone, I realize Grace has been gone for a while. I scan the room and spot her chatting with Kinsley, laughing.

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