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I glanced at my friends, filled with gratitude. They weren’t judging me for moving on after Tessa or even falling for her sister. They were happy for me, supportive. So much so that they were trying to help me make it happen. “Fuck. You guys are the best.”
“Obviously.” Liam smirked, and we all started laughing.
“What are you going to do about Gloria?” Asher asked.
I scoffed. “I have to win over Elle first. Then we’ll deal with Gloria.”
“Win her over?” Asher chuckled. “Ellie’s crazy about you. Even if it took a little nudge for you to see it.”
A little nudge? Ha! He’d flirted with her to push us together.
And while it was a relief to hear him say that, I still worried. What if Elle had gained some perspective during our time apart and didn’t want to be together anymore? What if she’d moved on? That question haunted me—a lot.
“Do you think the kids will be okay with this? With Elle and me?” I asked, trying to convince myself it would all work out.
“I’m sure it will be an adjustment,” Bennett said. “But they adore her.”
I nodded. I knew he was right, but still…asking them to accept Elle as more than just their aunt… Well, I hoped they’d be okay with it. I hoped they wouldn’t think I was trying to replace their mom. I could never replace Tessa, but I could make our family whole again.
There was a knock at the door, and Aiden peeked his head in, his eyes intent on Enzo. “Mom’s looking for you.”
Enzo and the others filed out, leaving me alone with Liam. “I’m surprised you’re okay with this. Elle and me.”
He furrowed his brow. “Why wouldn’t I be?”
“Of all the guys, I know you were closest to Tessa. I just…” I rubbed the back of my neck. “I’m sorry for keeping this a secret from you, but I was worried how you’d react.”
“Really?” Liam jerked his head back. “You’re one of my best friends. I just want you to be happy.”
“I know, but, well—” I shoved my hands into my pockets. “You knew Tessa really well. And I guess I wonder if you think she’d be okay with this.”
“Ahh.” He tilted his head back in understanding. “Do you know what her favorite book of mine was?”
I shook my head. “I’m not sure she ever told me. Actually, she acted like they were all her favorites, and she wouldn’t pick one.”
He laughed. “Ever the diplomat.”
“So, which was her favorite?” I asked, curiosity marking my words with impatience.
“A manuscript I never published because it didn’t fit my pen name. But I let her read it.”
“And…?”Jeez, Liam. Talk about a flair for the dramatic.
“And it was a borderline erotic romance about a stepdad and his nineteen-year-old stepdaughter after the mom died.”
That sounded…kinda wrong. But who was I to judge?
“Just because Tessa enjoyed reading something doesn’t mean she’d be okay with it in real life.”
“No, butwhen we talked about the story, she always said she loved the forbidden aspect of it. That she could really feel the emotions and see how they fell for each other.”
I scoffed. “And you think that somehow means she’d approve of my relationship with her sister?”
“Honestly, I don’t know. None of us can. But she was very open-minded. And I’m certain she’d want you to be happy. She told me that, you know?”
I shook my head. I hadn’t known, but it also didn’t surprise me. Still, it was reassuring.
“The book I was working on when—” He cleared his throat. “The last book she helped me with was about a widow.”
