She looked directly at me as she said the next part. “More than sure now.”
“Of course I’ll want to live with you.”
“Not forever, of course. But you know what I mean.”
“I mean, you are going to find a big millionaire art buyer and let him sweep you off your feet any day now.”
“You know I will,” she insisted, as if I was joking. “But I want to say this now, however late. Okay?” She bolstered herself. “You don’t have to hide anything from me. If you like him … … well, it’s okay.”
“You really aren’t mad?”
Taking a deep breath again, she shook her head. “Nope. I don’t ever want to hear anything about what goes down between you two though. Already, this was a bit much. Got it?”
“Got it.”
“Good,” she agreed. “Glad we are on the same page. You deserve to be happy. Even if it is with my brother. Kind of gross, but you’ve done everything for me, even now, when we are all over the place and I’m so busy. I’m going to support you. But if something goes wrong and my brother messes this up with you, I?—”
“Nothing will ever tear you and me apart.”
She let out a sigh that looked like she’d been holding on to it for a while. Relief.
“Good. Because you’re always my best friend, Bri. Whether or not he’s your soulmate or whatever, you’re mine.”
thirty-two
“I guessthis could all work out. We’ll be, like, actual sisters now,” declared Gina.
“Don’t get ahead of yourself,” I said, though I’d also thought about that. Maybe a few times.
She laughed loudly over the holiday music rising up to greet us as we walked down the steps. I glanced down the hall as we went, noting Josh’s bedroom light had turned off. He returned to the holiday party as if he never left. He stood near the fireplace, engaged in a lively conversation with a group of his friends.
“You go,” said Gina. “I’m going to get a drink. I need one.”
I smiled, watching her go.
As I made my way over to him, our eyes met and a warm smile spread across his face. It was a smile that held unspoken promises and reassurances, making my heart flutter despite the playful banter with Gina echoing in my mind.
I paused in my steps as one of his friends pushed him playfully, not wanting to interrupt yet.
Luckily, someone else came up alongside me. “We’re glad you’re here.”
Turning to the side, I looked up at Mrs. Hutton.
“We’re always glad you’re here and can call this place home, but I’m very glad,” she said. “Because it looks like you’ve brought him home too.”
“Oh, I didn’t …”
She shrugged with a sip of her wineglass. “Either way, I don’t think I’ve seen him smile like that since he was a boy.”
I looked over to where he opened his mouth and laughed at something someone had said. I wanted to see it, soak in that sound and smile forever.
“Thank you.”
I wasn’t sure how to process it all.
Everyone was happy, and I was too. I was …
Josh glanced over at me with another smile before going back to the conversation with his friends.
