“I’m good,” she squeaked out just as Jackson patted her on the back one final time.
“I think we need to get you to a doctor.” Tanner eased over to his sister.
“I can’t. They’ll know I was there, and they’ll start to ask questions.”
“What are you hiding?” Jackson asked.
“Ummm.”
“I think we should go,” I said, knowing that another argument was about to start, and I didn’t want to listen to it. I wrapped my arm around Britt, hauling her to my side, and felt the metal of my mother’s ring when her palm landed on my hand. She hadn’t taken it off since I slipped it on her finger two weeks ago, and I hoped it would stay that way forever.
“Can I come? Please?” Jackson clasped his hands together as he begged us from across the room. “I’ll be quiet as a mouse, and if you ever want the occasional threesome, I’ll be right there.”
“You can come over for dinner sometime,” I said, giving Britt a kiss on her cheek. “But I don’t want you there for what’s going on later.”
“Matty,” Britt whisper-shouted, slapping me on the chest.
I chuckled. “I’m sorry.”
“It’s fine, we’re taking Thea to the doctor now, anyway.” Tanner already had his jacket draped over Thea’s shoulders.
“We?”Jackson frowned, and Tanner glared at him.
“Yes,we.She’sourroommate now, after all. We need to protect her.”
“Fine,” Jackson drawled out, dragging his feet to my boxes. “I’ll help Matty with these, then join you in the car.”
“I’ll come back for you if you take too long,” Tanner said as he ushered Thea out of the apartment.
“At least this saves me listening to their bickering for five minutes.” Jackson picked up one of my boxes as I grabbed another and brought them down to my car. After the second trip, I thanked him and watched him trudge over to Tanner’s truck.
Taking Britt’s hand, I led her to the U-Haul and helped her into her seat. Once she was buckled up, I smiled. This was it. This was really it. Britt and I were moving into our new house and moving on with our new lives. Together.
I cupped her cheek and kissed her. Long and slow because we had plenty of time to be together. No one would get between us now.
“I love you,” I whispered against her lips.
“I love you too,” she said, dropping her forehead onto mine.
Beep! Beep!
“For the love of football, can you please move?” Jackson yelled out of the window.
“Shall we head home?” I asked, ignoring my friend’s behind.
“I couldn’t think of anything better.”
And like that, I was happy to be starting my new life with my wife.
THE END
