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Colt’s phone beeps with a text. He scans the screen and laughs. “Owen’s at rock climbing with the gang. He sent me a photo of him nearly hanging upside-down.” He shows it to us.
“Fun,” I say. “You’re going to hang out with them at Mikey’s later, right?”
Colt nods. “You know you’re invited, Willow.” He glances at the rest of the Musketeers and the guys. “You’re all invited.”
I lift my shoulders. “Thanks for always inviting me and my friends, but I don’t like hanging out with the popular kids. And I’m pretty sure they don’t want to hang out with us. And that’s fine. I got my peeps right here.” I smile at my friends.
“I get it,” Colt says. “I’m still a little uncomfortable with some of my old friends who don’t seem to like the new me. Well, the real me,” he corrects. He glances down at his shirt, which some of the popular kids most likely call “nerdy” because it’s from his favorite fandom. But I think it’s awesome. “They make small comments here and there, but Owen and some of the other guys always have my back. I’m glad I’m no longer king of school, though. Because that was way too much pressure. I’m me, and I don’t want to be anyone else.”
I rest my head against his as I snuggle in his arms. “I’m glad you feel comfortable being the person that you are. No one should hide who they really are. And if other people have a problem with that? Screw them.”
“Totally agree!” Lily says. “We’re so glad to have you in the group, Colt. We’re super happy you make our amazing Willow happy.”
I playfully roll my eyes. “Lily is bursting to gloat that she knew from the start that you and I were perfect for each other.”
“Can I gloat?Can I?”
I wave my hand. “Be my guest.”
“I knew it! I knew it! Iknewit!”
We all laugh.
Colt smiles at the group. “I really like hanging out with you guys. Thanks so much for welcoming me with open arms. I feel so comfortable with you.”
“Of course,” Ava says. “You’re a Musketeer boyfriend now. That holds a lot of responsibility.”
Colt stiffens. “Such as…?”
“You have to promise to be the most amazing boyfriend to your Musketeer and make her the happiest person on the planet. Just as she promises to do the same.”
Colt smiles before pecking my lips. “Easiest task I’ve ever been given.”
“You guys are so cute,” Chloe says as she cuddles up to Liam. “I can’t believe we all have boyfriends now. It feels like a dream.”
“Totally!” Ava kisses the back of Aidan’s hand. “All of our dreams have come true.”
“Dreams some of us didn’t even know we had,” I say.
“We dreamed for you,” Lily assures me.
“Well, you guys are magic.”
“They are.” Xavier rubs his nose with Lily’s. “You’re the best thing to have happened to me.”
“Same with me,” Aidan tells Ava as he kisses her temple. “You and your family have changed my life and my family’s life. I feel like the luckiest guy in the world.”
“When people are meant to be, they’re meant to be.” Chloe stretches her neck to kiss Liam. “I didn’t think I could ever be this happy.”
“Me, too,” he says. “My chest is bursting.”
“Okay,” I concede. “Five minutes of making out. But only five minutes.”
We certainly take advantage of that. Then Xavier calls, “Pool time?”
“Heck, yeah!” Ava says.
Colt hasn’t been in Ava’s pool yet, and he’s been looking forward to it ever since I invited him to hang out with the Junior Musketeers and the guys. But what I don’t expect is to see him yank off his shirt and stand there with his gorgeous, buffbarechest right there in front of me.
