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“I want to know how you’d feel if Everly moved in with us.” It was something Wren used to ask Everly when she was little. Sometimes we’d have sleepovers in the living room. But this was different. It was more permanent. It felt real, even though it was supposed to be fake.
“Are you serious?” Wren asked, her eyes wide.
I sucked in a breath, not feeling great about lying to my daughter. But this was for her. “Everly and I are dating.”
“Finally,” Wren said as her eyes widened.
I shifted so she could sit in front of me, drawing the brush over her tangled hair. “Wait. What do you mean,finally?”
Wren shrugged. “Everyone says you should be. It was just a matter of time.”
I had an idea that was the case, but there was one more person who was more adamant about it than anyone else. “Are you talking about Grandma?”
“She’s going to be so happy,” Wren singsonged.
My heart contracted. I was lying to the people I loved, and by the end of this, I might even hurt them. I told myself it was necessary to get what I wanted. What Wren wanted. “Are you okay with it?”
“I want you to be happy. I love Everly.”
I suspected that Everly was another mother figure for Wren, but I felt a pang at her concern for my happiness. She was too young to be worried about me, but I loved that she was empathetic to my feelings. “I’m glad that you and Everly have a close relationship.”
“She’s always been there for me.”
I drew the brush through Wren’s hair with one last stroke before pulling her into my arms. I hated to even think it, but I suspected Everly would be a better role model for Wren. She’d be someone she could go to when she had her first period. Everly would handle it with grace whereas I suspected Lola would tell her to just deal with it.
“Are you sure you’re okay? A lot of things have changed in your life recently. Your mom got married. She’s pregnant.”
Wren pulled back, a frown on her face. “This is different. I want Everly to move in. When will she?”
“This weekend.” Then I held my breath, waiting for her reaction.
Wren clapped her hands together. “Yay! I can’t wait.”
Wren’s enthusiasm was infectious. It was easy to forget that Everly was my best friend and that I’d just lied to my daughter. I’d made Wren happy without destroying my friendship with Everly. Or, at least, I hoped that was what I was doing. We didn’t have feelings for each other, so we could be practical about the situation.
It would be awkward to live with my best friend, but it was for a good cause, and there was zero chance of me catching feelings for her. I’d never thought of Everly as anything more than a friend. At least that’s what I’d told myself over the years.
I was pleased Wren had taken to the news of Everly and me dating so well. It made me wonder if everyone else saw something that I didn’t.
* * *
Gia summoned me for a meeting at Happily Ever Afters. I was rarely included because my business was based on orders Gia placed on behalf of her couples. I wasn’t involved in choosing the colors, textures, or sizes of tents. But I was invited to this one.
I parked my truck on Main Street, wondering what I was doing here in my work boots with the lingering smell of sawdust and dirt I couldn’t seem to shake. I hadn’t bothered to change out of my company T-shirt and worn jeans since I’d come here from a job.
Inside, the receptionist, Payton, greeted me.
“You know what I’m doing here?” I asked her.
“No idea. But they’re waiting for you,” Payton said with a smile as she stood and led the way into Gia’s office.
The room was filled with delicate wood furniture and floral cushions. I could see how a bride would feel pampered here; it was a feminine space. But standing in the doorway, I was the only man, and I felt out of place.
All eyes turned to me, intensifying the feeling of being in the wrong place. I held up my hands as if it were a problem, and said, “Gia invited me.”
“I’m so glad you’re here,” Gia said as she approached, closing the door behind me. I stepped farther into the room, worried I was leaving a trail of dust on her gleaming hardwood floors.
“Have a seat.” Gia gestured toward the one chair that was unoccupied.
