For a moment, the rest of us just watch.
It’s enamoring when you get to witness people who love each other this much. Who have loved each other through years, through history, through the best and the worst that life has to offer. This group is a rare one. I feel pretty lucky to bask in the glory of what they’ve managed to build and keep safe for so many years.
Penny is still crying, showing the ring to her friends with a trembling hand. Her eyes sweep across the room, trying to take this all in, attempting to figure out who is here in a blur of faces. She waves, shouting a quick apology. But then her eyes land on her parents, her sister, and her niece. The weeping starts again. Harder now.
I huff a laugh, squeezing Arden a bit tighter. “We’ll get in there eventually.”
“I could see that ring from space,” is all she says.
I chuckle against her hair. Wouldn’t expect anything else from Lowesy when it comes to that girl.
I feel eyes on me, though. Heavy. It can’t be Avery this time, since she’s currently holding Declan’s face in her hands and nearly making him cry as she speaks to him softly. With my arms still around Arden, I glance behind me.
Boston stands between Saltzy and Oscar. His arms are across his broad chest, pink gum popping out of his mouth. Those green eyes are glued to me, a serious expression all over his serious face. He cocks a brow, but that’s all he offers, and it’s enough.
I rip my eyes away, hold her a bit closer, and watch as Declan blinks four hundred times a minute to stop from crying.
I might want what he has, but I’m not stupid. I know this thing with Arden isn’t that.
“Ah!” Caulfield teases, pointing a finger right in Lowesy’s face, by the corner of his eye. “Here it comes! It’s going to fall! Look, Eej! Look!”
EJ barks out a loud laugh, getting up close to Declan’s face, too. Lowesy tries to smack them away, but even from here, it’s undeniable that his happiness is radiating off him. He glances at Penny, whose hand is out in front of her while her sister takes her turn studying the ring. As if feeling the weight of his stare, she looks over her shoulder at him.
He winks at her. Three times, which is a bit overkill, but who am I to judge?
She smiles at that. Sweet and so, so in love.
And I realize at that very moment that I don’t just want this shit for myself, I’m fucking jealous.
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
carter
I finally getmy boy within reach and a smile explodes across my face.
He can’t help it. This little shit is grinning from ear to ear. Why wouldn’t he be? He finally locked down his dream girl.Reallylocked her down. That ring on her finger is so heavy, she won’t be able to move very far in either direction for the rest of her life.
Declan smacks his hand into mine and I pull him in, slapping him on the back. I’m so proud of him. For all of it. The ring, the girl, the life he’s managed to build. It wasn’t long ago that I was picking him up from the airport and letting his broken heart bleed all over my G-Wagon.
“Finally.” I thump him between his shoulders again.
“Yeah, yeah. Shut your mouth.” When he pulls back, his smile falters a bit. He angles his head, eyes scanning my face. “You okay?”
“Perfect,” I say. Just realizing I want every single thing you have, buddy. “Proud of you.”
“Well, you’ll be happy to know that I had it filmed. I knew you’d be frothing at the mouth to see it.”
My eyes widen. Um,hell yeah?
I’m going to get to watchthemoment? The moment he asks? The look on her face? The way she says ‘yes’ when he asks the question? I get to see all of that?
Sign me the fuck up.
“Shut up.” I stare at him, ensuring that he isn’t pulling my leg. If he is, I’m tossing him to the ground. This is not something he’s allowed to joke about.
“I’m serious.” He chuckles. “It’s technically for Avery, because she said she’d skin me alive if I didn’t, but it’s also because I knew you’d be dying to see it.”
Oh, sothisis what it feels like to have that friendship that people want to bask in the glory of, isn’t it? He has that with his crew, but I have that with him, too. I feel it. Right now. Burning a hole in my chest.
