Chapter 46
HUNTER
“ What is that?” Aidan asks, leaning so close to the glass I think his nose is touching it. Sure enough, there’s a small streak when he steps back.
“A whale shark, I think.”
“Fuck. Now I’m scared of sharks. Why did Hart’s wedding have to ruin surfing for me?”
“This isn’t his wedding. It’s the rehearsal dinner.”
“Same difference, Morgan.” Aidan sips his drink.
Conor and Harlow are having their rehearsal dinner at the Georgia Aquarium. It’s the entire reason they’re getting married in Atlanta, actually. Because Harlow loves the ocean and Conor loves Harlow.
It’s a cool venue, I have to admit. We’re inside a glass dome, a giant tank, filled with fish and stingrays and coral and seahorses and one gigantic shark surrounding us. Her name is Nina, according to the sign.
“Hey, you guys made it.”
I turn toward Conor’s voice. “Made it? I took three separate flights to be here, Hart. Like I’d miss your fucking wedding.”
“I’m sorry about your grandfather, man,” Hart says, punching me gently in the shoulder when he reaches us. “Eve told Harlow why you were out of town.”
Since he got drafted and became the star of the National Hockey League, I don’t get to talk to my best friend as much as I’d like to. Half the time, we communicate through our girlfriends. Well, his fiancée and my girlfriend. Soon to be his wife and my fiancée.
“Thanks,” I say. “It was quick, at least. He didn’t suffer.”
“Was Sean there?”
“Uh-huh.”
“Still sober?” Aidan asks.
“Yeah.”
It’s been four years now. A hell of a lot longer than Sean ever stayed sober before. But I’m still scared to trust it.
Addiction doesn’t have a cure.
I do hope it means Sean has found some better ways to cope. We went skating together while I was home for Gramps’s funeral. The local rink where we both learned to play hockey stays open year-round. I suggested to Sean he join a local league, like I did in New York, and he said he’d think about it.
“Oh. Hey, I almost forgot.” I dig my phone out of my pocket. “This guy in the airport was wearing your jersey, so I snapped a photo. I told him I know you, and he told me to fuck off. New Yorkers, you know.”
Aidan starts laughing. “You took a photo of a guy who told you to fuck off just because he was wearing Hart’s jersey?”
“Well, yeah,” I say defensively. “It probably would have gone better if I’d been wearing mine.”
Conor sent me one to wear to his first game. I still have it. And I bought five more, so Eve had one to wear, and some extras because I was proud as hell of my best friend.
“Where’s Rylan?” Conor asks Aidan. “She here?”
“No, I left her in Seattle to run the brewery,” Phillips says sarcastically. “She’s over by that orange fish with her parents.”
Conor invited Coach Keller and his wife to his wedding.
We all glance that way. Rylan waves at me and Conor, then blows a kiss to Aidan.
He pretends to catch it.
“You guys all travel together?” I ask.
“Yes,” Aidan grumbles. “And Coach picked the five a.m. flight, so I haven’t slept since yesterday, practically.”
“That’s nothing,” Conor says. “I haven’t gotten a good night’s sleep in two months. My mom or Allison is calling all the time about wedding shit, and they forget about the time difference a lot.”
“Well, it’ll all be over after tomorrow, right?”
Conor lets out a relieved sigh. “Right.” He glances between me and Aidan. “So which of you two is going to take the plunge next?”
“Well…” Phillips says, rubbing his jaw.
We both stare at him, but that’s all he says.
“You proposed to Rylan?” I finally ask.
“Yep. Except…she said no.”
“Wait, what?” Conor asks.
I frown, just as confused as Hart.
Rylan’s a year younger than us, so maybe she doesn’t feel ready? But she and Aidan have been together almost as long as Conor and Harlow have. And they’re nearly married now, not just engaged.
Aidan nods. “Yeah. She started crying, saying I was overreacting.”
Conor and I exchange a puzzled look.
Not only does Rylan’s reaction to the proposal make no sense, but the two of them are either excellent actors or actually on excellent terms right now. Which also makes no sense.
“Overreacting to what ?” I ask.
“Oh. Yeah. She’s pregnant. That’s why I proposed.”
Conor makes a choked sound that’s either a laugh or a shocked cough.
“Holy shit,” I say. “Does Coach know?”
Aidan scowls. “That’s your reaction to finding out I’m having a kid?” He glances at Hart. “Guess it’s down to you for godfather.”
“ Does Coach know you knocked up his daughter , though?” Conor questions.
“I hate both of you,” Aidan says, then downs the remnants of his whiskey. He groans. “Damn, that’s good. I gave up drinking alcohol, in solidarity. Tonight’s a special occasion.”
“Well, wow,” I state. I’ve been here the whole time, but I still feel like I’m behind in this conversation, somehow. “Congratulations, Aidan. Seriously. Way to, uh, bury the lede with the whole bad proposal thing.”
“Thanks, man.” He taps the side of the glass with one finger. “But to be clear, my proposal was not bad. Just…bad timing. I did overreact, a little.”
If I know Aidan—and I do—I guarantee it was more than a little . He likely went out and bought the biggest ring he could find and then rented out the Space Needle or something.
He and Rylan live in Seattle. Aidan’s expanded Evergreen Beer Company to two locations, and Rylan works as a financial analyst for a huge company. I’m not clear exactly what she does, except that it has to do with numbers and she’s super successful at it.
“Congrats?” Conor says, sounding unsure if that’s the right response.
Only Aidan would tell us he was about to be a dad like this.
“Thanks, Hart. It’s all good. I like a challenge. I had to work to get Rye to date me, so this is just like one extra step.” He glances at me. “What about you, Morgan?”
I look around for Eve, finding her whispering with Harlow in the corner.
Furtively, I pull the ring out of my pocket. I bought it six months ago, and I’ve carried it around with me ever since. No place seems safe enough to store it, and I don’t want Eve to find it accidentally. Not that me proposing will be a huge surprise—we’ve been together for over four years. But I want to witness the moment she sees the ring I picked out for the first time, not for her to find it while she’s putting folded socks in the drawer.
I crack open the tiny black box so my best friends can see it.
“Damn,” Aidan comments. “I didn’t know policy organizations paid that well. It’s almost as big as Harlow’s rock.”
Conor does an admirable job of keeping his laugh contained, but a little amusement slips out.
“Thanks for your concern about my salary, Phillips.” I roll my eyes as I slip the ring box back into my pocket.
Aidan slaps my back. “Just kidding. You did great, Morgan. When are you proposing?”
“Next week. Eve thinks we’re headed back to New York from here, but I’m taking her to Paris. She’s always wanted to go. We’re doing a trip to Versailles one day, and I’m planning to ask her there.”
Conor whistles. “Damn. Nice one.”
“Conor!”
He glances toward Harlow, who’s waving him over. “See you guys later?”
“Yeah, we’ll be here,” Aidan replies. Once Conor disappears, he glances toward Rylan. “I should go check in with Rye, actually. See if she wants another ginger ale.”
Eve is standing alone now, watching Conor and Harlow greet more of their guests. “We’re at table five,” I remind Aidan, then head for her.
She sees me coming and smiles. “Saw you talking to Conor.”
“Saw you talking to Harlow.”
“So convenient, that our best friends are together.”
“It was very considerate of them,” I agree.
Harlow and Conor started dating first. But Eve and I met first, so…
“I know a secret,” I whisper to her.
“Does it have to do with why Rylan is drinking ginger ale?”
“Fuck,” I say. “Do you think anyone else noticed?”
Like Coach? I don’t envy Aidan for having to have that conversation.
“Nope. I was watching, because she texted me and Harlow a couple of days ago to tell us she was pregnant.”
I stare at her. “Seriously? Aidan just told us.”
Eve pats my chest. “Girls communicate better, babe.”
Well, damn. At least I still know one secret she doesn’t. Unless Aidan tells Rylan or Conor tells Harlow and they tell Eve. That possibility is just occurring to me.
I said the proposal was a surprise, right?
Crap. I’ll have to clarify later. Conor mentioned the three of us going out tonight, since he didn’t have a proper bachelor party, so I’ll swear them to secrecy then.
“They’re starting to bring out the food,” Eve says. “We should go sit down.”
I follow her over to table five, one of the coveted few closest to Conor and Harlow’s spot, since we’re all in the bridal party. We’re the first to take our seats.
Eve glances up at the glass ceiling overhead, separating us from thousands of gallons of water and a lot of fish. “This place is pretty cool, huh?”
“Unless it cracks.”
“ Hunter .”
“I’m sure it won’t.”
Eve smiles and leans closer. I stare at her, and she stares back.
“I missed you,” she whispers. “Three nights was too long.”
I drape an arm over the back of her chair, playing with the ends of her hair. “I’m here now.”
She tilts her head, holding eye contact. “And from now on?”
“Yeah. From now on.” I lean closer, sealing the promise with a kiss.
The best is still ahead.
THE END