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One month and two group dinners later, Jesse and Sean came over when our girls were on a date. Nobody made a fuss or second-guessed Lizzie and me being together. It really was like no time passed, like they only wanted her to be happy no matter what that meant. In this case, it meant she’d be loved, protected, and cared for unconditionally. That was my duty to her. Oh, and the fact I proposed without a ring on her kitchen floor. We didn’t tell anyone yet, and having our promise be our secret made the flirting, the phone calls, the nights and mornings together even more exhilarating. We wanted time to be together now, but we knew where we’d end up. Together.
I almost let it slip to Jesse and Sean that night. The guys and I ordered pizza and watched a football game, using my packed boxes as our makeshift furniture. It was great and, as much as I loved Silas, the baggage with Jesse and Sean was different. Our friendship was based on now and the future, not then.
Sean dropped his beer bottle into the recycling bin, slapping a hand on my shoulder as he passed. “I need to talk to you two about something.” Jesse and I looked to each other, neither of us anticipating a heart to heart. Sean knelt to scoop up Muffin, the old bastard snuggling right into the nook of Sean’s elbow like a hussy, and wandered into the living room.
“That’s cryptic,” I uttered, taking another beer from the fridge. I heard Jesse’s laughter as I followed him to meet Sean on my couch. I lifted my feet to rest on a box, waiting for Sean to continue.
Jesse scratched his beard, looking elsewhere in my apartment. “I never noticed the detail in that molding before.”
“You guys,” Sean chuckled, “listen to me.”
“We are,” Jesse and I replied in unison. We were both nervous, worried cryptic news from Sean meant something was wrong. It sure seemed like it, as he sat with both hands pulling along his face. Shit. Please don’t be bad news. Please be okay. I don’t want to face Lizzie’s wrath if I find out first.
“Avery and I are getting married,” Sean stated, smiling at us when we didn’t react. “She doesn’t know it yet.”
“Sounds healthy,” I teased, taking a sip of my beer.
“It is. Listen,” Sean laughed, “you’re part of it. Ella and Lizzie will be too. But first, we need to plan it. It’s going to be a surprise.”
Jesse groaned. “Ave hates surprises, Sean.”
“I know,” he bellowed with laughter, “but she’s going to love this one.”
“Am I supposed to keep this from Lizzie? Because that’s impossible. She’s going to pry this from my dead body somehow,” I objected. “She has ways, you know.”
“I believe it.” Sean snickered. “I can get her mom and sister to fly in, and your wives will keep it quiet. I have my ways too.” He raised his eyebrows, and I didn’t want to question his methods at all.
“Could you imagine Lizzie married?” Jesse blurted. “Clean the litter box, get me another cat, oh hell no you did not just put your feet on the coffee table.”
I bit my lip, Jesse’s impression far from accurate, and biting the impulse to tell them I’d proposed. It was our special secret, something we weren’t sharing with anyone yet. Maybe it wasn’t real unless she had a ring. Note to self. Buy her the sparkliest damn ring I can afford.
“She’s amazing,” I finally said. I felt their eyes on me, so I stared at my beer bottle, peeling the label while thinking of what Lizzie would look like in a wedding dress. She probably wouldn’t want one. Too conformist. Maybe we could skip right to the honeymoon?
“Whoa,” Jesse gaped. “You’re…not…Noah, do you need to tell us something? You know you need to get our blessing first before proposing to Lizzie. Moving in together without consulting Ella and Avery was already audacious enough.” He nudged my shoulder, his beard parting with an enormous grin.
“I don’t know if you realize this yet, Noah,” Sean taunted, “but Avery and Elizabeth are essentially two peas—”
“One very independent pod,” Jesse interrupted.
“Right,” Sean agreed. “I proposed to Avery like ten times, and it took me almost dying for her to say yes, but she won’t set a date.”
“She’s a little occupied, Sean,” Jesse defended. “Your super sperm made super babies, and Avery’s turned into a monster, but like a really cute one.”
Sean’s expression fell serious, his green eyes wide as they flicked between Jesse and me. “I’m not allowed to drink from a can, she won’t allow me to keep salami in the house, and I sneak out once a week at least just to eat custard.”
Jesse’s gaze flicked between Sean and me, slowly shaking his head as if warning me not to encourage Sean, but I couldn’t resist. “Damn,” I scoffed. “Lizzie and I get ice cream at least once a week.”
“Whose side are you on?” Jesse playfully reprimanded, his laughter filling the room.
“The side that doesn’t want Lizzie to kill me.” I snickered, receiving their mutual laughter in response. Sean filled us in with the surprise wedding he’d schemed, in just a few months at their favorite restaurant downtown. With all of us there because, in Sean’s words, that’s what mattered most.
He opened more bottles, handing some to Jesse and me. “Jess, you’ll officiate.”
“I’d be honored.” Jesse swallowed. “Do you think Ave will mind?”
“You’re her Jesse.” Sean smiled softly. “You’re more her anchor than Ella and Lizzie. Don’t think we take for granted the years we’ve known you and what you’ve done for both of us in that time.” Jesse nodded slowly before both of their stares fell on mine.
