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“We got this new lubrication in that Harlee’s raving about,” she said with an awkward laugh. “Brody snuck a bottle home yesterday.”
I grabbed her arm and spun her around. “What do you mean, I only have to wait until the dance?”
Sutton closed her eyes. “Palmer, pleeeease forget I said that.”
Taking her by her upper arms, I gave her a little shake. “Don’t make me shake this baby out of you. What did you mean?”
“I’ll ruin it! Do you really want me to ruin your engagement surprise?” She gasped and slapped her hands over her mouth.
My stomach did a little flop and my heart felt as if someone had put one of those shocker things on my chest. “Oh. My. God. He’s going to ask me to marry him at the dance?”
“No.”
I raised a brow. “Sutton.”
She scrunched up her face and stomped her feet. “Okay fine! Yes, he’s planning on asking you at the dance. He already asked Mom and Dad for their permission.”
I pressed my hands to my heart. “Oh my gosh, he did?”
Sutton practically melted on the spot. “Yes! Isn’t that so romantic? He had Charlie with him!”
“Wait! Charlie knows?”
“Yep,” Sutton said, popping the P.
I looked away. “That little stinker can really keep a secret.”
“I know, so please act surprised, Palmer! They would be so upset if they knew I let it slip.”
Smiling, I pulled her in for a hug. “You can’t help it if you have pregnancy brain.”
She hit me on the back and then giggled. “You wait. Your turn is coming, and I’m going to remind you that you said that to me.”
I took a step back, my cheeks aching from smiling so much. “He’s going to ask me to marry him! He’s going to ask me to marry him!”
Sutton grabbed my hands, and we both started to jump up and down.
“Um, what’s going on?”
Sutton and I spun around and faced Harlee. I couldn’t keep my excitement in at all. “He’s going to ask me to marry him at your dance!”
“Palmer!” Sutton shouted.
“What? I’m excited, and I can’t hold it in!”
Harlee laughed and pulled me into a hug. “I know. I’m helping him plan it.”
I pushed her away, and she stumbled into one of the displays. “Jesus, Palmer!”
“You knew?”
“Everyone knows!” she exclaimed.
My mouth fell open. “Everyone?”
“No, not everyone,” Sutton stated as she tossed Harlee a dirty look. “Just the family. Ours and Mason’s. Harlee knows because she’s helping with something—and do not even think of telling her about it, Harlee.”
“Wait. I’m not considered family?” she asked.
Sutton looked confused. “What?”
A hurt expression moved across Harlee’s face. “You said the families know, and Harlee, but I was helping him plan it.”
Sutton opened her mouth to speak, then shut it, then opened it again.
I stepped forward. “She didn’t mean it like that, Harlee. You’re more than a friend. You’re like a sister.”
“Like a sister,” Harlee said flatly.
I shook my head and closed my eyes before focusing back on her. “That’s not what I meant.”
She forced a smile. “No, I get it. I do. Um, I came up here to tell you I signed for those new sweaters you ordered, Sutton. I put them in your office.”
“Harlee,” Sutton said as she reached for her.
Taking a step back, Harlee said, “I better get back down there—I heard the bell on the door.”
We all knew it was a lie; no one had come in. Sutton and I let her go and watched as she went down the steps.
Turning, I hissed at Sutton, “You mucked that up!”
“Me?” Sutton whisper-shouted. “You said like a sister!”
“How in the hell else was I supposed to say it? She is like a sister! I guess I could have said she was a sister to us, but geesh.”
Sutton sighed. “Harlee has been overly emotional the last few weeks.”
“Probably because that damn Ms. Seaside has been going after her.”
With a look that said I was being dramatic, Sutton replied, “She’s only written about her a couple of times.”
“And both times she’s mentioned how single Harlee is.”
“Well, she is. Hey…do you see a pattern? It’s like Ms. Seaside goes after the single people, and once they get hitched or something, she moves on.”
“She still mentions me and Mason.”
Sutton waved my comment off. “Yeah, but it’s to report that you were seen kissing or to speculate if the rumors are true that you’re shacking up. Which, by the way, are you basically living at Mason’s now?”
“No.”
She gave me a look that said she didn’t believe me as she crossed her arms over her chest.
I sighed. “Fine. I may keep a toothbrush and some extra clothes there. But we try not to let Charlie know when I stay the night.”
“Fair enough. Come on, let’s get down there and try to make amends for you hurting Harlee’s feelings.”
“Me! You started it with your insensitive remark.”
