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“Vegan!” Amy pipes up, forcing a nervous smile.
The three of us look over at Amy and then burst into relieved laughter.
“What? It’s true,” our littlest sister says with a shrug.
“No, you’re right, Ames,” I say and then smile at Gillian. “I’m sorry, Gilly.”
Gillian sighs, “I’m sorry too.”
“Hug it out,” Dana instructs.
“Ugh.” I hate this part.
Gillian laughs, grabs me by the arm, and pulls me into a bear hug. “You hate hugs all of a sudden, Harl?”
There’s nothing sudden about it. I avoid them when I can. But I can’t deny Gillian’s warm, loving embrace. Regardless of what arguments we get into, we respect each other to bits. We just know how to push each other’s buttons. But at the end of the day, I know we’ll be okay. The bond between the Solace sisters is unlike anything else.
Suddenly, Stella bursts through the door. “Someone’s here!” she squeals. “I saw a car!”
“Great job, Stella,” I encourage and then look to Dana, our leader. “Well, shall we?”
Dana looks around the kitchen. “Amy, pop the cake in the fridge. Harley, clean up the scraps. And Gillian, clean the hummus off your sleeve.”
Gillian looks at her arm and groans. “You’re kidding me.”
We all follow Dana’s instructions hurriedly and then rush into the front hall to meet our first guests, excitement pulsing in the air.
Someone knocks before we can get to it.
“We’re coming, we’re coming!” I shake my head. “People these days. So impatient.”
I get to the door first. It’s the same kind of thrill as getting to push the elevator button. It’s like a little treat. I may hate the prep phase and all, but I really love this part of the parties. I put my hand on the doorknob and look at my sisters. “Well, ladies, you ready?”
“Just open the door, Harley,” Dana says with an air of annoyance.
I take a deep breath. Last moment of calm before the storm.Let’s do this.
I open the door and immediately lose any sort of composure I just gained. Because staring right at me is one of the finest specimens of man I’ve ever seen. Blue eyes, dark hair graying at the temples, cheeks dimpling under a trimmed beard. He’s so handsome I barely even notice the woman standing at his elbow.
My insides are warm and hungry for him, this tall, well-dressed drink of water.
However, my arousal immediately twists into terror when I realize I know the man in front of me. I’ve known him nearly my whole life.
Grant Neville. My father’s best friend.
2
GRANT
“Abarbecue?”
“Don’t say that like you’re surprised.”
I sort through the papers on my desk, trying to find the contract I signed earlier in the day. Somehow, it’s been lost in a mountain of documents. I was just beginning to make headway on the mess when Kent called.
“You know I’ve been having this party every year for over twenty years now.”
I stop, eyes widening. “That long now? Seriously. Wow…we’re…”
