Page 24 of Ardently Yours

“See? I’m not the only one who is selfish. You’re just using me to taste-test your lattes. And I let you. Why do I let you?”

“Because you love my lattes, you weirdo.” She pokes me in the chest with the non-pointy side of her pen.

Feigning hurt, I clutch my chest and stumble backward away from her, even though it barely hurt. “Ow. You got me. I’m a Lizzie latte lover.”

My phone buzzes in my pocket, and I reach for it. I’ve got a text from Jay.

Jay: We’re outside. Can you let us in?

Edward: Just pulled up with Jane, too.

“They’re here,” I say, announcing it aloud to Lizzie.

She claps her hands together excitedly, grabs the tray of drinks for everyone, and slips from the kitchen, through the door, and out to a six-person table in the cafe seating area. I follow suit, carrying my large tray of donuts with enough for everyone to try at least two of every flavor.

Lizzie spins around and almost bumps into me as I set the tray of donuts down on the table beside the hot lattes. “Can you grab the door while I grab some cups for the iced lattes?”

“Yes,” I chuckle, holding her upright so she won’t fall from the impact of bumping into me. “Can you not fall on me?”

“Can you get out of my way then?” asks Lizzie. She narrows her eyes at me, slips out from under my hands, and rushes back to the kitchen.

***

“This is going to be the wedding of the century,” Lizzie says to the table. Everyone raises a mug, “And I’m honored that you chose Bennet’s Cafe to be your sweets and drink caterer.”

Jay leads the toast, “To the wedding of the century!”

“Are we royalty?” Nic laughs as we toast.

She holds up an iced latte, while Jay has a hot latte. They look at each other, and I swear if romantic love had a poster child, they would be it. The look of love, of choosing to spend your life with that one person and giving love another chance, is all over them. It radiates from them.

“I think you are royalty here in Selah Falls,” I say. “You two are like relationship goals or something.”

“That is so cheesy,” Lizzie chimes in as everyone takes a sip of their lattes. “No one says that anymore, Darcy.”

I shoot her a playful glare. “You literally just said they are having the wedding of the century. And you call me cheesy?”

“You two are a hot mess,” Jane giggles, placing a hand over her mouth.

“I second that,” says Edward, raising his glass, not in a toast this time but in agreement with Jane.

“Hey!” Lizzie protests, obviously not too offended.

She smiles in the next breath, enthusiastically diving into some wedding details for the latte table setup. She discusses this with Nic and Jane, who sit on one side of the table with her, while Edward and Jay sit next to me on the other side.

“I’ve been meaning to talk with you two about this, but I didn’t want to do it over text,” Jay leans in, talking to Edward and me while the girls chat.

He looks nervous and happy, like a kid about to open a present on Christmas. “I know we’ve only been friends for a short time, but it feels like longer. You both have become my best friends. I know it’s last-minute with the wedding right around the corner, but I can buy your suits and anything else you need for the big day. I know you’re both already planning to come to the wedding, but I wanted to ask if you’d both be in my wedding as groomsmen. My Pops will be my best man, but having you two stand with me would be an honor.”

I open my mouth to respond, but I’m speechless for a moment. It sinks in. Someone called me a friend. Asked me to be in their wedding.

I’d spent so much time without close friends. Without real guy friends. I never realized what I was missing until I moved to Selah Falls and met these two.

I swallow the lump forming in my throat. Then, I clear my throat so I don’t sound like I’m about to cry. Edward’s eyes glisten too, and I wonder if we’re feeling the same way.

“Dude,” Edward says, patting Jay on the back. “Of course, I’ll do it.”

I want to say that I’ve never had friends like this. That my father hates me. My mother is disappointed in me.