39. You’re In Love
You’re In Love
Bree
‘N ot fair,’ Missy whines as she takes a mouthful of Arlo’s Red Velvet Cheesecake, and the rest of us laugh. Cara wanted to host a dinner party with everyone bringing a different course. Zoe and Leo brought starters, Doug and Cara the main course, Arlo made dessert, I brought wine, and Missy and Nick brought cheese platters. ‘Seriously, how am I supposed to beat this?’ She takes another bite and moans in a way that has Nick shifting in his seat.
‘Miss,’ I laugh, ‘you might want to save the orgasm for later.’
She glares at me and licks her fork seductively. Zoe, Cara, and I cackle like the witches we are as all the guys drop their heads, groaning at how fucking annoying we are when we’re together.
‘It’s not a competition, Missy,’ Cara assures her, amusement in her tone.
‘Oh, shut up, Scotty,’ Missy snaps, and Cara laughs, ‘of course, it is, and y’all had better like my cheese.’
‘Sorry, sweetie,’ Zoe starts, and Missy narrows her gaze at my twin. ‘I don’t think I could eat another thing.’
‘Really, you’re going to mess with a pregnant woman, Zo?’
I love these fools. Tonight has been so much fun and just what Arlo and I needed to get us out of the house. We’ve been kind of wrapped up in each other for the past few days, and as perfect as that has been, this is what I have always wanted. I have a beautiful, kind, sexy man next to me, his arm resting on the back of my chair, his thumb lazily stroking across the skin of my shoulder while he talks easily to my people. They all love him, and he seems happy to be here.
‘So, Arlo,’ Leo starts, changing the subject from cheese and Missy’s hormones, and Arlo perks up, clearly happy about that. ‘What’s the plan for Saturday? What do you need us to bring?’
Everyone was thrilled that Arlo wanted to host mine and Zoe’s birthday gathering on Saturday. It’s low-key, just firing up the grill in the backyard, so he said, but I remember the last time he said that there was a spread fit for ten people, and there was only us. I can’t wait to see what he does when everyone is there.
‘Nothin’,’ he shrugs, ‘just yourselves.’
‘No,’ I cut in, ‘not nothin’.’ I glance at him and know he’s going to hate me saying this, but I don’t want him to have to fix everything. ‘Y’all can bring drinks and decorations. Arlo will fix the food, and I’ll help him with that.’
‘Can I do the cake?’ Missy asks, and I turn to see the hopeful look in her eye. She loves baking. Smiling, I nod, yes.
‘Of course, Miss.’
Dropping my hand to Arlo’s knee, I give a light squeeze and turn to look at him as he chews the corner of his lip, but I don’t want to embarrass him, so I drop the conversation. We can pick it back up later.
‘Yay.’ Missy grins, and moans around another mouthful of cheesecake, and Nick stands, starting to clear plates.
‘Honey, you keep moaning like that, and I’m going to have to drag you home.’
We laugh as he turns toward the kitchen, and Arlo stands to help clear the rest.
‘So, things seem to be going well,’ Cara says, grinning as we sit in the living room of her gorgeous house. Lottie is in Zoe’s arms, and I have Lucas. Bowie and Jonah are asleep upstairs, and the guys are sitting on the back porch. I feel a little nervous for some reason that I’m not party to their conversation with Arlo. I hope they’re not grilling him, but I know he can hold his own.
‘They are.’ I smile.
‘You seem different, the two of you,’ Zoe observes, and our gazes rest on each other.
‘What do you mean?’
‘Well, before, you looked at each other like you were either going to fuck or fight, and it was hot either way, but now, I don’t know. What changed, twinnie?’
‘ Oooh ,’ Missy practically sings, and we all turn to look at her.
‘Oh, lord. What?’ I raise one eyebrow at my friend, waiting for her insight, and she smirks.
‘You’re in love .’
Zoe and Cara gasp, and I shake my head, exhaling a short laugh.
‘We’ve been together for a minute. We’re not in love.’ Heat rises up my cheeks as I say the words because I know what I feel for Arlo isn’t something new. It’s something old. Something that lay dormant like a volcano that’s just starting to erupt, and there’s only so much I can do to hold it back, but I don’t want to scare him away.
‘Bree,’ Zoe says my name softly and holds out her finger to me, so I hold out mine to hers, toughing the tips the way we have a million times, ‘it’s okay, twinnie.’ She smiles, and I notice Cara and Missy take each other’s hand on the couch. ‘Tell him first—when you’re ready. Then you can tell us.’
She smiles, and I inhale sharply at the realization. I love him. I have always loved him.