Page 36 of Falling for the Billionaire Best Man

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KAISEN

Cullen and Eliza had arrived with yet another announcement—they had rented a house for their stay in Cape May. They would not be staying in the house with me. Honestly, that wasn’t terrible. It would be a little weird to have the happy couple chasing each other around and doing their thing when I was alone in bed. I was happy for them, but I didn’t need to see or hear them in love.

“I hope pizza is okay,” Cullen said. “There’s not much open.”

“Pizza is fine,” I said.

We settled into the living room, leaving the pizza in the kitchen while we waited for Dorie to show up.

Cullen leaned back on the couch, his arm draped casually around Eliza’s shoulders. “The drive wasn’t bad,” he said. “Took us about two and a half hours. Smooth sailing most of the way.”

Eliza nodded, brushing a strand of hair out of her face. “Yeah, and that little bungalow we rented was adorable.”

“And the one we got here is even better,” Cullen chimed in.

“Where did you end up?” I asked.

“It’s right by the beach—literally steps away from the sand,” Eliza said. “I can’t wait for you to see it, Kaisen. It’s got this vibe, like old-school Cape May charm. White picket fence, a little porch with rocking chairs, and these huge windows that let in so much light.”

“Sounds cozy,” I said.

“It’s got character. And the owner—this sweet older lady named Marge—left us a basket of fresh pastries and a handwritten note welcoming us. I mean, who does that anymore?”

“Did you get her life story too?” I joked.

Eliza laughed. “Almost! She told us all about how she and her husband bought the house decades ago as a summer retreat. She even showed us old photographs of the place before they restored it. It was really sweet. She’s like the quintessential Cape May grandma—warm, a little nosy, and full of stories.”

“Thank you so much for doing the venue walkthrough,” Cullen said. “We needed the week off before we jump into all the wedding chaos.”

I nodded. “Sure. Although, if I would have known you guys weren’t going to show up for a week, I would have taken a trip to Miami or Cancun before showing up here.”

Eliza smiled. “We didn’t know we were going to. It just kind of happened. And then two days turned into four and it was amazing.”

“We owe you big,” Cullen said.

“I’m so looking forward to getting into all the pre-wedding events,” Eliza said. “We were hoping we could still have the game night here. You’ve certainly got the space.”

I raised an eyebrow. “Game night? Here? I didn’t pack Monopoly or Uno, but sure.”

Eliza grinned, her eyes sparkling. “Oh, it’s not just Monopoly. We’re talking full-on charades, Pictionary, maybe even a little Cards Against Humanity if we’re feeling spicy.”

Cullen groaned, draping his arm over his face dramatically. “Please, no charades. Last time we played, Eliza made me act out ‘Baby Shark,’ and I still haven’t recovered.”

“You loved it,” Eliza teased, poking him in the ribs. “Admit it.”

Their lovey-dovey ways would make a normal person gag. I was happy for them, but geez. It was a lot. I was glad they decided to get their own place. I was perfectly fine kicking around the house by myself. It was better than the alternative.

“What have you been doing to keep yourself busy?” Cullen asked me.

I leaned back in my chair, shrugging. “Not much. Exploring the town, catching up on some reading. You know, the usual.”

Cullen raised an eyebrow. “That’s it? No wild parties or secret rendezvous?”

I chuckled. “Not exactly. Unless you count running on the beach and helping some kid untangle his kite string.”

Eliza’s eyes widened. “That’s sweet of you.”