Page 66 of Hooked on Trouble

A year later I dropped an anonymous envelope of cash in Gord’s mailbox, but our joint business venture tanked.

“We’ll have to advertise,” I say. “In one of the local papers, or in a mailing or flyers.”

Shay nods, too slowly. “Sure…but if we hold one awesome gig, it’ll snowball. People will talk. But it’ll have to be impressive.”

“Like male-waiters-wearing-diamond-encrusted-thongs impressive?”

Shay smirks at me. “More like what’s-between-Nico’s-thighs impressive.”

I snort, nearly choking on my beer. She has no idea. I glance at Lily, sure she’s blushing ten shades of red, but her gray eyes are downcast, her fingers still fiddling with her necklace. This is quiet, even for her. “Everything okay?”

That’s when the blush comes, her cheeks staining pink. “Amazing, actually. And I think I have a solution to our problem.” Without another word she reaches behind her neck, unclasps her necklace, and slips the ring from the chain.

Holy freaking shit.

Shay smacks her hand on the table. “Holy freaking shit.”

Lily turns the antique ring over. The center pink stone reflects her rosy complexion, the surrounding gray diamonds a match for her eyes, all bound with detailed gold filigree. Sawyer couldn’t have a chosen a more perfect ring. She slips it on her finger, and Shay and I barely contain our squeals. Sawyer will lose his mind.

Drinks forgotten, we all lean close. “Why now?” I ask. “What changed?”

Lily fixes the strap of her blue dress, the color similar to the one I wore to Neverland Farms. The virginal look is much better on her. “Nothing changed, really. But I was talking to my mom last night about visiting home, and as much as I miss them, the idea of being away from Sawyer was unbearable, even for a short while. It clicked, I guess. I love him so much it hurts, and I trust him. I’m ready for forever.”

Shay sits taller. “Does this mean we get to plan your wedding?”

Beaming, Lily glances at her ring. “It does.”

I refrain from jumping over the table to hug her. “It would be an honor.”

“It’ll be the most beautiful ceremony Vancouver has ever seen,” Shay adds.

A gut-busting laugh comes from Kolton. Sawyer does some weird kung fu move then cuffs him on the back of the head. I stare daggers at them. “With Sawyer as the groom, beautiful might pose a challenge. He might push for a samurai theme.”

Lily’s skin blanches. “He wouldn’t…would he?”

“He definitely would,” Shay says. “But we’ll cut the bastard down at the knees. Kidnap him if—” Flustered, she flaps her hands to quiet us. “They’re coming back.”

I do a Flashdance solo, running my feet on the spot under the table, and I nearly kick Lily. “Are you freaking out? Because I’m freaking out, and I don’t do freaking out.”

My smile is too wide and too toothy to be natural, my heart tripping over itself, a beat that pounds faster at the sight of Nico walking our way. Kolton punches him in the shoulder as they approach, and Nico whacks him back before shooting me a devilish grin. Then his brows slant, as if chastising himself for having fun. Since last night, his moments of levity have been fleeting, but at least they exist. We might have to add more crazy monkey sex to our weekly regimen.

He slides in next to me, the other guys leaning against the sides of our booth. Kolton nods to Lily. “I apologize in advance for Sawyer’s Halloween costume.”

Lily’s hand is on the table, her ring in plain sight. To me it’s a pulsating, glowing thing. The boys are clueless. Wary, she studies Kolton. “I thought he ordered that Iron Man one.”

“He did, but he just lost a bet.”

These guys live to embarrass one another.

Lily’s Oh God is barely out when Kolton swigs the rest of his beer and plants his glass on the table. “Your boyfriend will be a Power Ranger this year, complete with spandex unitard.”

“In pink,” Nico adds.

Shay’s focus shifts from them to Lily’s hand, back and forth, like she’s a bobblehead doll ready to burst. I probably don’t look much better.

Still unaware he’s about to get his wish granted, Sawyer shrugs. “I’ll wear it with pride.”

“No socks stuffed down the front.” This from Nico, who’s packing a heat-seeking missile between his legs.