“Oh!” she exclaims, the drink she holds sloshingdangerously close to the rim of her glass. I stop where I am, standing in the kitchen doorway, and words fail me as I take her in.
She’s wearing probably—definitely—the sexiest outfit I have ever seen on any woman in my life. Tight black dress pants are paired with a sharp black blazer, the sleeves rolled up a few times to show off her wrists. Since when are wrists sexy? Am I living inBridgertonnow? Next thing you know, she’ll be asking me to button her cuff and I’ll swoon.
Under the blazer is a sexy, lacy black top that is dangerously low-cut and gives a healthy peek of cleavage. Her strawberry-blonde hair is pulled up into a messy bun on the top of her head, a few delicate tendrils drifting around to frame her flushed face.
She is devastating.
“Hey!” Mellie shouts, pointing at herself and then me. “We match!” She breaks out into giggles.
Looking down at my outfit, I realize we do indeed match in our all-black ensembles. I chuckle. “You wear it better.” I wink, and a deep blush creeps up her neck to her already rosy cheeks.
I could get used to that reaction.
Clearing my throat, I gesture to her glass. “Where’s the bar? I feel like I have some catching up to do.”
“Yes, you do! You’re late, mister! Also, Bree, Brooke and Imayhave started pregaming a little too early today, so I think I’ve been drunk since, like, lunch.”
Mellie grabs my arm and marches me over to the counter, where there’s a spread of liquor bottles and mixers to choose from. I start mixing myself a Jack and Coke while Mellie rattles off all of the reasons why cats are superior to dogs. I’m confused, but I nod my head and go with it.
“Remind me why we are discussing the merits of cats versus dogs? What did I miss?” I turn to her, leaning back against the kitchen counter with my drink in hand.
“Bree wants me to adopt a cat from her parent’s shelter—keep up, Ro.” Mellie rolls her eyes. “They have this senior cat that was dropped off last week, and now that I’m staying, she’s trying to convince me to take her home.”
As someone who is allergic to cats, I’m rather partial to dogs, myself. “That would be incredibly sweet of you to give them a home, but I’ll never be able to come to your house again,” I reply, and her eyes widen.
“That’s right! You’re allergic to cats! That’s why you and your fake girlfriend had to get a fluffy dog instead. I can’t believe I keep forgetting that.” She laughs to herself. “Well, then, that decides it. I can’t adopt a cat if it means you’ll never come over again.”
How much of this party had I missed? It’s only10:00 p.m.for Christ’s sake.
“Fake girlfriend? Fluffy dog?” I quirk a brow at Mellie.
“Yes, long story. I’ll tell you another time,” Mellie replies, taking a sip of her drink. It’s pink with a jaunty yellow umbrella sticking out of it.
Evan suddenly appears in the kitchen doorway, looking frazzled. He spies us in the corner and hurries over to join us.
“You good, man?” I ask him. A thin sheen of sweat shines on Evan’s forehead.
“Yeah, everything’s fine. I’m just freaking out a little bit, that’s all.” He glances around the kitchen to make sure we’re alone, and then reaches into his pocket, pulling out a small, black box.
Mellie gasps, her hand coming up to cover her mouth as she gapes at Evan with wide, shining eyes. “Evan, is that?—”
“Yeah. Yes it is,” Evan cuts her off. “Am I insane? I’m insane, right? This is crazy. I can’t ask Cat to marry me. What was I thinking?”
Mellie reaches for the box, popping it open. She holds it out to me, showing me the beautiful diamond ring cupped in velvet inside. “This was our grandmother’s, on my dad’s side. He’s had it saved for Evan since she passed, waiting for Evan to propose one day.” She closes the box and places it back into Evan’s outstretched hand, closing his fingers over it. “No, little bro, you are not crazy. Go get yourself a fiancé!”
Evan takes the box, placing it back into his pants pocket. “Thanks, Mellie. I neededto hear that.”
“Of course.” She beams at her brother. “I am so happy for you, Evan. You deserve this, and so does Cat. She’s wonderful, and I can’t wait to call her my sister.”
Evan’s eyes shine, but he just swallows and nods at Mellie before leaving the kitchen. Her face is full of an emotion I can’t name.
“Man, my little brother is all grown up, isn’t he?” she says softly.
“Yeah, he is,” I agree. “He’s pretty great.”
“You two seem to have gotten pretty close since I left, huh?”
“Yeah, we have, actually. Ev’s one of my best friends.”
