My heart fills with love for the woman at my side. “Hi back, sis. How you feeling?”
The sigh is full of dreamy swoon for my brother, and I lift my head to glance at her. Yep, just as I suspected, her eyes match the breath. Savanna is on cloud nine and looks every bit the blushing bride. Her makeup is perfect, accentuating her natural beauty without being overdone, and her hair is in soft curls, half pinnedback to stay out of her face. Nate isn’t going to know what hit him. I’d bet my whole world that he’ll break down and cry when he sees her.
“Today feels surreal. I can’t believe it’s finally here. Today your brother becomes my husband. I think I might explode with joy,” she says, just as sing-songy as before.
“If you’re already feeling that way, just wait until you see him,” I laugh, bumping my hip into hers. Nate won’t be the only one crying.
A soft squeal comes from her as she turns towards me. “I know. I can’t wait. He’s going to look so good in his tux.”
The image of Liam in a tux pops into my mind, and my stomach goes haywire with butterflies. If I feel like that towards a man I’m only sleeping with, I can only imagine how Savanna is feeling about Nate. The love of her life. The one she’s going to spend forever with.
I push back the tinge of jealousy that rears up, offering her a smile while I distract myself by pouring orange juice into another flute.
“To think, it was only a year ago that he was saving me from a burning building,” she chuckles, releasing her hold on me to lean a hip against the counter where I’m pouring drinks, grabbing one.
“In your underwear, nonetheless,” I remind her with a laugh, topping up the last flute.
“You’re never going to let me live that down, are you?”
Shaking my head, I set the nearly empty container down. “Absolutely not. Because then I got to come in and save your nearly naked ass with a pair of scrubs.”
“And look at us now,” she says, and we grin at each other. “Who would have thought we’d end up here? Me, completely and hopelessly in love with your brother. And you, totally andirrevocably stuck with me as a sister.”
“I wouldn’t want it any other way.”
The words ring true between us. The past year having Savanna around has been nothing short of incredible. Not just because she’s opened Nate up in ways that I’ve hoped my brother would open up for years, but because of the friendship she’s brought me along the way. Getting to live with the two of them, while annoying at times—like when I walk in on them fucking somewhere that isn’t their room—has been special and offered Savanna and me a bond we wouldn’t have otherwise. She really has become a sister to me.
“I’ve never had a sister, you know,” she starts.
“Yeah, just two crazy brothers.”
Savanna laughs, nodding. “Who I love like crazy. And I mean, I’ve got Maddie, who’s been a sister to me nearly my whole life. But this feels different. Maybe because it’s legal or something.”
“I always wanted a sister, and now that I’m finally getting one, I’m really glad it’s you,” I say, and lean in to hug her. She embraces me back, squeezing me tight, and for a second our upper bodies sway back and forth. “I love you, Sav. I’m so happy you’re joining this big ole family of mine, and that I’ll never become one of the crazy aunts without you by my side.”
She laughs, leaning back from me, and I realize the fatal error immediately. “Speaking of the aunts, last night was pretty intense.”
Rolling my eyes, I let her go and pick up a mimosa, finding the will power not to knock the whole thing back. Intense describes it perfectly. But not the aunts—Liam. Liam, and that damn answer to that stupid question.
“You know the aunts, they live to torture us all. I’m not sure what would have been worse, to be honest. Showing up alone, or what happened last night.”
Savanna swirls her mimosa around, giving a slight shrug. I know what that means. She’s playing it nonchalant, but she’s up to something. “We’ll never know. But, I don’t know, maybe one day soon I’ll gain another brother.”
My stomach bottoms out at the implication, and I scoff to cover up the butterflies swarming my stomach. “Don’t be ridiculous.”
“Jor, the way he was looking at—”
“Stop it,” I hiss at her, glancing over my shoulder to where the other three ladies are chatting while getting worked on.
“I just think that—”
“Whatever you’re thinking, stop. Sav, you need to stop. Please,” I plead, bringing my focus back to her. Quieting my voice, I grab hold of her free hand, imploring her to listen. “Even if Liam wasn’t who he is, and didn’t hate the idea of dating anyone, I couldn’t do that to Nate. I made him a promise a long time ago.”
Even if I’ve royally screwed that promise up. It’s only while we’re in Vegas. It ends tomorrow.
A thought I don’t want to think about right now.
“Nate would understand,” she whispers back, cognizant of the audience on the other side of the room. Even if they aren’t paying attention, neither of us wants to draw it. “If he saw the two of you together for real, if he had heard Liam last night, if you just explain and give him a chance, he’ll—”
