Chapter 25
We walk towards Pricks,and I feel at ease now that Keaton knows. I had no idea how he was going to react, but I couldn’t have wished for a better outcome. He didn’t walk away.
He still wanted whatever this was between us.
He wanted to be here for the baby whether it was his or not.
He still wanted me.
He promised he wouldn’t leave me.
Promised he would be by my side.
My heart sung in my chest, leaping and pirouetting.
His fingers were laced with mine, and it’s like all my worries slipped out from underneath my feet and we were floating. Killian promised not to breathe a word to my dad until I was ready, and I trusted him. Also, Reese wouldn’t let him say anything. It’s not that I didn’t want my dad to know, I would tell him, but I needed to fix what was already broken before I threw something else into the mix. I wanted to call my dad and tell him everything and tell him I wanted to forgive him but it will just take me a little time.
Understandably. I felt betrayed in the worst possible way. My mom left me when I was a baby, and now my dad was married to a girl a little older than me and having another baby. I was his life. But now I wasn’t going to be his everything and that was really fucking selfish of me to even be thinking these thoughts, but I didn’t care. I already lost one parent, and now I was going to lose another one because he chose to move on and have another baby—which he was well within his right to do, obviously—but it still hurt. I was used to being his everything and now, well… I felt like I had been kicked to the curb and disregarded.
But I knew I hadn’t. That’s the annoying thing. My brain was constantly reminding me of what he’d done.
He texts me every morning and every night just like he always has done, but I leave him on read, because I am horrible.
My stomach knots and I feel instantly sad.
Keaton’s thumb rubs over the back of my hand and tightens slightly which causes me to look up at him, giving him a sad smile.
It’s like he can read my body language, any little emotion that I feel or show, he is there with me. I never believed in soulmates until Keaton.
I never thought I would fall in love with one of my dad’s best friends, but here I am.
Married.
Pregnant.
In love.
We were so wrong, yet so right in so many ways.
Following Sage into Pricks, Reese and Killian were by my side and I was praying that I didn’t feel sick at the table. I still couldn’t believe I was pregnant.
I actually have a baby growing inside of me.
I know I am going to have to sign into my cam app and face TallDarkandHandsome at some point. I have been in hiding ever since that night. I never expected it to go the way it did, but yet, it happened. One of the worst nights of my life and I have had a few.
I never should have agreed to meet him. Should have just kept it online, in my bedroom. But I was stupid and did it anyway and now here I am. Pregnant. With either his or Keaton’s baby and I really want it to be Keaton’s. I know he says he will love it either way but still… will he?
“Ugh, what do you want?” the rude young server says to us, his eyes bouncing between the six of us.
“We have a table booked,” Sage pipes up, walking forward and standing tall.
“How unfortunate for you,” he rolls his eyes, scooping up six menus.
“Name?”
“Sage.”
The guy blinks at her as if in disbelief.
“Sage? As in the stick they use to burn to rid of the unwanted dead?” She stays mute.
“By the looks of what you dragged in with you, it clearly didn’t work.”
She giggles and I hear Killian grunt.
“Come on Sage, lead your dead to the table and follow me.”
We all follow him and sit on a long rectangular table.
“What the fuck is this place?” Keaton asks as the server tosses a menu at him, his arms flying up to protect himself.
“Your worst nightmare,” the server says as he continues launching the menus around.
I laugh, lifting my menu up and scanning it. “My name is David, I will be your unhelpful server this afternoon,” he sighs heavily, pulling out his notepad and pen. “Drinks?”
“I’ll have a beer please mate,” Dex says first.
“Mate? I’m not your mate. Wouldn’t be mates with you if you were the last person on earth…” David looks Dex over in pure disgust and Dex laughs.
“What about you, Morticia, what do you want?”
“Sweet iced tea.”
“Basic. What about you, Heffner?” he asks and faces Keaton and I want to die.
“Excuse me?”
“Sorry, I forgot you’re hard of hearing. WHAT ABOUT YOU HEFFNER?” he now shouts across the table.
“I’m not deaf! Fucking hell man,” he groans. “Beer,” he huffs and tosses his menu into the middle of the table.
“And you, the quiet one who looks like she is sitting here against her will?”
“Sweet iced tea.”
“Basic. Grandad number two and blondie?”
“Beer.”
“I’ll have a glass of wine please.”
“Basic,” he rolls his eyes, “let me guess, a chardonnay?”
“Sauvignon.”
“It’s a box wine, you get what you’re given okay princess?”
She rolls her lips and hides her growing smile behind her menu.
“Well, that was painful, hurry and chose something to eat, I haven’t got all day.”
And with that, he turns and disappears out back.
“Well, that was awful,” Killian groans looking over the menu.
“It’s all good fun,” Sage leans into Dex.
“Riveting.”
And I laugh.
“Have you been here before Sage?” I ask as I scan the menu again.
“No, we have one like this back home in London, so thought this would be fun to come to.”
“Fun is not the word I would use,” Keaton groans beside me.
“Stop being a bore,” and just as the words come out my mouth, David is back with paper hats for us all. He begins placing them on our heads one by one, but not before reading what he has written on all of them.
Sage: High maintenance but swallows!
Dex: Pussy whipped coloring book.
Killian: Lets his wife peg him.
Reese: Daddy issues.
Keaton: A minute and half of pure pleasure
Arizona: My dad would be pissed if he knew how many dicks I’ve put in my mouth.
And I am crying.
All of us are.
We all sit with our hats on for the duration of our meal and even take them home with us. I wasn’t expecting to enjoy it, but I loved every second of it.
Saying our goodbyes, we slip into our room, and I feel exhausted suddenly.
“Let me draw you a bath,” Keaton says as he wraps his arms around me and pulls me close.
“That would be amazing,” he places a kiss on my forehead.
Stepping into the bathroom, the aromas fill my nose and I instantly feel relaxed. Lavender and eucalyptus wrap me in a warm blanket as I pull my dress from my body, and I let it fall to the floor. Once naked, I turn to face the mirror and look at my body, and I know it’s impossible, but I already feel like I have changed from this morning. It’s slowly sinking in that I am growing a baby, a little human who I am bringing into this world to love with everything I have. I have no idea how to be a mother, I have no idea how to love a child how a mother should, but I will do my very best. I had the best teacher in my dad, he was the best mom and dad there was, and I am so grateful. He was there for every cold, every tear, every bad dream and every fall out that I ever had. It was always him. Nate and Kaleb too. Keaton never really helped out when I was younger. He was only there if no one else could help, and now, being where we are, I am grateful for that.
Dipping my foot into the hot bath water, my skin breaks into goosebumps as I slip under the bubbles, and I hadn’t realized how much I needed it until now. I feel my muscles relax under the water and with the bath salts. My eyes are closed, and I enjoy the silence until I hear the bathroom door go and a knowing smile graces my lips. Keaton kneels next to the bath, his hand slipping into the hot water, and I can feel him looking at me. Slowly opening my eyes, his green eyes are settled on me, scanning over my face as if he is trying to remember every detail.
“Stop staring,” I say softly, my eyes falling heavy as I let them close once more.
“I can’t help it, you’re just too beautiful.”
Cheese ball.
And I feel the heat creep onto my cheeks.
“Are you drunk?” I tease, eyes still closed, lips pulling into a smirk.
“Drunk in lo…” and he pauses, my eyes slowly opening.
“Same,” I hum, not wanting him to think that he is the only one who is feeling something so much more than friendship.
“What’s happening to us?” He whispers, his hand moving back and forth through the bath water causing soft ripples.
“We’ve fallen, we crossed the line…” I pause, his fingertips brushing the silkiness of my wet skin on my thigh.
“The line wanted to be crossed.”
“It did…” I pause for a moment and my chest vibrates on my intake of breath. “Dad is going to be furious.”
“So, he will get over it. These things happen. You can’t help who you fall in lo…”
“I know,” I nod, slipping a little further under so now my lips are under the water, stopping myself from saying the words out loud, but doesn’t mean I can’t mouth I love you under water where only I can feel it, only I know I am speaking it. “I do need to talk to him, I don’t want to have this baby still being mad at him.”
“I agree, he will be okay.”
“I’m not so sure, I’m his baby.”
“You are, but you’re also a young woman who deserves to live her life and fall for whoever she wants. He will be madder at me, trust me. If I don’t return, then send out a search party. I’ll send my last location so it will give you a little hint of where he may have buried me. Plus, he has Xavier. There is no way I am getting out of this alive, Blossom,” he smirks at me and I splash him with a little bit of water.
“Stop it, he wouldn’t do that, he loves you too much.”
“He did. Not anymore.”
“That’s how I feel.”
And sadness blooms in my chest at my confession.
“Baby,” he pauses, his wet fingers gripping my chin and turning me to face him, “he will never not love you. He may be mad, fuck, he may be furious, but he will always love you. You’re his baby girl, he loves you so much Ari. He is worried but he knows you’re in good hands…” he trails off and tilts his head to the side, “well you were before I married you while drunk and let you get pregnant.”
I roll my lips.
“I want this baby to be yours Keaton, so bad.”
“Baby, I’ve told you, this baby is mine. Blood or not, this baby is mine.”
My eyes swarm with tears as they roll down my cheeks and I am so overwhelmed that everything inside of me aches with feelings I have never felt before. My heart is ready to explode in my chest and it’s all because of this man that is knelt beside my bath, his hands buried in my water, and he doesn’t even care.
I pull his lips down to mine, kissing him with all I have and he wraps his arms around me, pulling me from the tub and carrying me into the bedroom, laying me down on the bed. He finally looks at me, really looks at me. His eyes full of every emotion I have just felt as he slips between my legs, his hands linked in mine as he pins them above my head. His mouth drags across my jaw and down the column of my neck and my body reacts to him in a way that only he knows.
“Keaton,” I whisper, fighting against his grip.
“Yes baby?”
“I need you,” and he releases me as I grab the hem of his tee and drag it over his head. His fingers are wrapped back round my wrists, pinning them above my head but with only one hand now as the other roams over my body, worshipping me with his mouth and I am lost in this moment with him. We said we wouldn’t do this again. But this is who we were. We couldn’t help it. It was a chemical thing. A reaction maybe. A need and want all rolled into a beautiful addiction that only when I was with him did the need subside to nothing but a simmer deep inside of me.
His fingers rub in slow circles over my clit, fingers dipping and sinking into me before slipping out and focusing on my clit.
“More, I need more,” I whine, and I know I sound needy but I don’t care. My hips lift, as his fingers glide between my lips and slip into me once more, working me up before he drags my arousal back over my clit.
“I will give you everything baby, I promise,” he kisses against my skin, his tongue licking out the fire that is spreading across my body.
His lips pull my nipple into his mouth, licking and sucking before gliding his hot mouth across my chest and onto my other nipple and giving it the same attention. I am writhing beneath him, his fingers buried deep inside of me, and I am too lost in the moment to think about anything else other than me and him. How perfect we were, but also how dangerous this game we were playing was.
“Keaton,” I whisper, slipping my hands out of his loosened grip as I place my hands either side of his face, pulling him up to me.
“Yes Blossom,” he whispers back, but I silence him by pulling his mouth onto mine, kissing him deep as our tongue entwine, his fingers still working me up, arousal pooling between my legs but he doesn’t stop even though I am more than ready for him.
“I never want to know what it’s like to not have you.”
“You never will,” softness wraps around his deep voice and before he can say anything else, I drag him back towards me. I don’t want to speak, I want to be lost with him forever. We were made for each other. He was everything I have ever wanted or needed. He was like the air I breathed. He came naturally to me but to not have him near me, to not be able to have him, scared me. My lungs burned at just the thought, and suddenly I feel like I am starved of oxygen. Fingers linked round the back of his head, I hold him in place just where I want him as he slips his fingers out of me and I hear his zipper go. My whole body tenses in anticipation and I need to feel full, I need to feel loved and worshipped by this man. The man who has giving me so much over the last year. He pulls away, looking down between our bodies and I push up onto my elbows, legs bent and wide as he lines himself up, green eyes devour me whole before they’re back between where our bodies meet and slowly, so so slowly, he rolls his hips forward and slides into me until I am full of him. My mouth a gape as I relish in this feeling that has overwhelmed me wholly.
“Ari,” he moans as he begins to move, slowly pulling out of me and pushing back into me hard. His pounds are punishing, and I know if he continues like this, neither of us will last long.
“You feel so good.” My head tips back, fingers tightening on the sheet beneath me.
“You drive me wild, everything about you Ari, the way you were made for me, us fitting perfectly together,” he growls. A hand skims down my body, fingers circling my clit to match the rhythm of Keaton and I can feel my orgasm teetering. My pussy tightening around him, clenching. “Fuck,” he drawls out, head falling back for just a moment before he stills.
Pulling out of me, he falls to his knees, hitting the carpeted floor and his large hands wrap around my waist as he pulls me closer to the edge of the bed and rolls me onto my side. Resting on one elbow, my hand is still on my clit as I look down at him, wide green eyes hungry for more and I moan, wetness pooling and I am ready to explode. He edges forward, mouth hovering over my pussy before his tongue spreads through me, greedily circling my clit, matching the way my fingers are moving.
“Oh god,” my head tips back, his finger teases at my opening as he licks and eats me like I am his last meal and he has been starved.
“How close are you baby?” Lifting his lips for just a moment, his fingers pulse deep inside of me, a third teasing at my opening which I am silently pleading for.
“Close,” I whisper, fingers still dancing before his tongue joins in.
Slipping his soaked fingers from me, he pushes them into my mouth and I suck them clean.
“See how good you taste baby, see why I can’t get enough,” he groans, now standing and I watch as his cock bobs between his legs.
Snatching my fingers away, his large hands press onto my thighs, spreading them wider and pushing them down into the mattress.
“You’ve got such a pretty pussy,” he smirks, looking down at me before spitting onto my clit. Not that I need anymore wetness but there was something so hot about it and I feel arousal trickle from me. Clenching my pussy, moans pass through my lips as he mixes us together. “Did you like that baby?” he asks, looking down at me like his prey and I nod, his fingers back inside of me, curling up and rubbing the heavy ache that is consuming me.
He does it again and I watch as he rubs it into me with his spare hand and he smirks when he feels me tighten around his fingers.
“My dirty girl,” he groans, his fingers fucking me, and I honestly don’t know how much more I can take of this.
I grind my pussy down onto his fingers, meeting his every thrust as I ride his fingers, hips bucking, and I am so needy for him.
My nipples are hard as I roll them between my fingers and he spits again, and I am fucking soaked. My cheeks flame red, my chest rising and falling as he rubs over my clit, fingers fucking my pussy and I am close to oblivion, my whole body trembles and just when I think I can’t take anymore, his cock slips inside of me just as he pulls his fingers out and I lose it. Choked sobs leave me, his hands pinning my legs down as he rides me how he wants, my pussy clenching as the heat rolls through me, the deep ache that was once so prominent now slowly fading into nothing but calmness.
“Fuck, baby, you take me so well. I am going to—” he groans as he fucks me hard, and I have no idea how, but another orgasm explodes through me, taking everything I have and ripping it off me so I lay bare beneath him, showing him every ounce of my soul as he comes. Filling me, his moans fill the room and my whole body sings in tune with him as he gives me everything, fixing me back together after breaking me apart.
“That was…” I whisper as he lays on top of me.
“I know Blossom, I know.”
Keaton stays backwith Killian and Reese and I travel to Laced Promises with Sage and Dex. It’s at the other end of the strip, tucked inside one of the hotels and the only way you get into Laced Promises is by buying your way in. This isn’t any gentleman’s club, this is the creme de la creme.
The best of the best.
It’s prestigious and Dex and Sage wanted it.
“How did you hear about this place?” I asked as we entered the lavish hotel.
“My dad,” Dex smiled, “he thinks it’s a good investment and to be honest, it will always be booming here. Business is always good in Vegas but I have been thinking, maybe I need to invest in little wedding chapels,” he throws me a wink and I roll my eyes.
“Still debating an annulment to be honest,” I sigh, choosing to ignore the fact that we have consummated our marriage.
“Really?” Sage looks at me and I nod.
“I just don’t know; my feelings are all over the place.”
“That’s understandable love, but don’t throw it away yet,” she smiles as we walk to the secret red door.
“Name?” The large doorman says, looking down his nose at Dex.
“Rutherford.”
He checks his list, looking down his nose.
“In you go,” he lifts the rope and all three of us walk into the club.
Walking down the staircase, we all stand as we look around the room, “wow,” is echoed in unison.
“This is something else,” Sage whispers, stepping forward.
The club is quiet, it’s not open yet but I already love it. Red, velvet, long pieces of ariel silks hang from the ceiling, dim spotlights are evenly planted into the ceiling tiles, as well as small lights to make it look like a starry night. The stage is a large circle in the middle of the room, giving a circus tent feel. The bar wraps round the airy room, and upstairs is a balcony, that also runs around the room. I follow Dex and Sage upstairs and notice that five rooms have glass partitions, so you can see exactly what is going on in the rooms while in there and you can be standing on the outside getting hot and bothered.
“Well…” Sage raises a brow.
“I wonder if they’re popular,” I hum as we continue walking and I am intrigued by the rooms while my mind drifts to Keaton.
“I bet they are,” Dex says as we walk up to black velvet covered doors with gold ornate keys hanging from the locks.
Twisting the matching gold doorknobs, it opens to a large room with a bed, sofa, television and an open planned bathroom. The walls are deep purple with gold wall fixtures, paintings and black wood floor.
“These all look new,” I make an obvious observation. “Do we know why they’re selling?” I ask.
“Nope, I think they’ve invested and now ready to sell.” Dex shrugs his broad shoulders up, walking into the room and having a look around.
“I thought I heard voices,” a deep British voice booms down the corridor and Dex turns to find a smartly dressed man wearing the perfect pin-stripe suit, waistcoat and shiny black brogues. Jet black hair is short round the sides, long on top and brushed back so it’s away from his face and I can’t help but focus on his dark brown eyes. “You must be Dex,” he smiles, stepping into the room and shaking his hand.
“And you must be Wolfe.”
“You are correct,” he moves along to Sage, shakes her hand then looks at me, shaking my hand.
“I know who Dex and Sage are, but who are you?” he tilts his head to the side, eyes roaming over me and I feel myself flush under his gaze. But something about him creeps me out, maybe it’s the way he is looking at me as if I am his next snack or the way his words hang on his tongue, hollowed cheeks and empty, soulless eyes.
“I’m Arizona, I work in one of the clubs back home in New York,” I respond politely and I ignore the way a shiver dances up my spine.
“Well, Arizona,” he steps closer to me, “it’s a pleasure to meet you, would you care to join me for a drink after?”
I look at Sage and Dex, heart thrashing in my chest before swallowing the thickness down that is forming a lump in my throat.
“As lovely as that sounds, unfortunately, I have plans with my husband,” and I am even shocked by hearing the word husband.
“That’s a terrible shame.”
I give a small nod and Wolfe turns around and stands back in front of Dex.
“How about we go and get a drink and talk business? The girls can go and have a spot of dinner somewhere else.”
Dex side eyes Sage, then he gives her a small nod.
Sage steps aside, taking my hand and dragging me away from Dex and Wolfe before I even have a chance to say bye.
Climbing the stairs, we exit out the red door and both stand in the middle of the lobby.
“Was it just me…” Sage pauses and looks over her shoulder at where we have just exited from and where she has just left Dex, “or did he give you a weird feeling?” she asks.
“Oh my god, I am so glad that it wasn’t just me. I thought it was because he asked me to go for a drink.”
“Something about that man…” she pulls me a little further away before looking back over her shoulder again. “I just hope Dex gets wrapped up soon and gets the deal across the line.”
I nod as we tuck into one of the busy restaurants across the lobby.
“Are you hungry?” she asks me as we sit at a table for two and I shake my head from side to side.
“I have plans with Keaton to meet him for some food, what about you?” I ask her but she is back looking over her shoulder to where she left Dex.
“Are you okay?”
She faces me and I can see the anxiousness that is on her face.
“Let’s go back and get him,” I nod but now she’s shaking her head.
“I’m just being silly. I am finding that I am such a worrier now I am pregnant. My anxiety is awful, I worry and overthink every little thing,” she sighs as she looks at the menu.
“You’re not being silly, you’re allowed to be worried. Even more so now you have a baby on the way,” I give her a soft smile.
She shakes her head, then shakes her hands off.
“It’s fine, all will be fine,” she nods as she looks at the menu again.
“Are you eating?” I try and change the subject and hope it eases her worried mind.
“Sort of lost my appetite. Shall we just get a snack and some drinks?”
“Yeah okay,” I nod and she calls the waitress over.
“Hey, what can I get you two?”
“Two sweet, iced teas and some nachos; you okay with that?” Sage asks as she pulls her worried eyes from the waitress and back to me.
“Sounds good,” I hum, closing my menu and handing it back to the waitress; she nods, taking our small order and walking off.
“So,” I ask, smiling at Sage, “when are you due?”
“May 8th,” her hand rests on her non-existent bump.
“I feel like that’ll fly by.”
“I already feel like it’s whizzing,” she admits as the waitress brings our drinks over and she takes a sip.
“Will you find out the gender?”
“We’re not sure, one minute we want to but I think Dex wants to keep it a surprise. He is old school,” she laughs softly, her eyes dragging back over to where we walked from.
“I like the idea of a surprise, nine months of growing a baby, going through labour and then being told whether they’re a boy or girl… I think,” I smile and look down at my own flat stomach. “As if I am having a baby,” I look up at Sage and blink.
“We can be bump buddies, our baby’s will only have a couple of months between them.”
“As much as that sounds amazing,” I say a little sadly, “I’m not sure long distance bump buddies will work.”
She looks at me with utter confusion on her face, brows furrowed as she lifts her iced tea to her lips.
“Long distance?”
“Yeah, you’re from London. This is just a business trip is it not?”
“No darling,” she laughs, “we’ve decided to stay. Prestige is doing really well and if we go ahead with this buy, then I would like to know that we’re close enough if something goes wrong.”
And I have no idea why, but I get teary.
“Oh Arizona,” She stands and wraps her arms around my shoulders.
“I am just so grateful that I got to meet you, and I know this is going to sound really weird…” I pause just as she takes her seat, “but I never had a mom growing up, it was just me and my dad and he was amazing, and his friends all helped out when needed but I missed having a female for certain things if you catch my drift…”
She nods.
“And I know you’re only a few years older than me, but you’re an amazing mom figure and you have taken me under your wing and with everything that has happened and is going to be happening, I am so, so grateful.”
“Arizona,” she tears up as she reaches for a napkin and wipes a tear that rolls down her cheeks. “You’re stuck with me now, I have never had a strong connection when it comes to girlfriends, but you, I don’t know… there was something about you that just felt so natural. I never really had a best girl friend growing up, it was just me and Wes, my boy best friend but I feel like the universe gave us each other for that reason.”
And now it was my time to blubber, just as the waitress walked over with our nachos.
“Are you both okay?”
“Yes, yes, we’re fine. Just pregnant and soppy,” Sage laughs through her tears and the waitress just looks at us, giving us a nod and walking away as quickly as she came.
“Think we scared her off?”
“Probably?” I laugh, wiping my eyes.
“Love you Arizona.”
“Love you too Sage,” my bottom lip trembles as I push a smile onto my face.
“Why are you both crying?” Dex finds us, his brows furrowed as he looks between the both of us.
“Hormones?” I say, even though I probably can’t use that excuse yet.
“Oh girls,” he sighs, pulling us both up and enveloping both of us in an embrace. “How am I going to cope over the next few months with you two running the clubs and tearing up all the time, hm?” he asks, placing a kiss on the top of each of our heads.
“Wait, you said clubs?” Sage pulls out of Dex’s embrace and looks up at him.
“I did baby, just signed on the dotted line.”
Her eyes widen and she squeals, wrapping her arms around Dex as I slip back and take my seat and pride blooms in my chest.
“Laced Promises is yours.”
“And you’re happy for me to make it more… not, strip club like?”
“Yes, Little One, whatever you want to do with it.”
“Love you,” she kisses him softly before he kisses her back as if he has been starved of her for too long.
She sits down, Dex dragging a chair from a vacant table to sit next to us as we start eating our nachos.
“Will you still have your garages?”
“The ones at home I signed over to Hugo.” I watch as Dex stiffens and sits a little taller in his seat. “Calm down,” she rolls her eyes.
I stare between the both of them.
“Mr Possessive over here getting all territorial over someone from years ago.”
“Me? Possessive?” He places his hand on his chest as if he she has offended him.
“Was you not then?” She smirks.
“Okay fine,” he rolls his eyes now and shakes his head from side to side.
“Was you?” I laugh, taking a sip of my tea.
“So bad. Used to…” he looks around before leaning into the table and lowering his voice, “stalk her.”
“No, you did not!” and I am shook to my core.
“True story.”
“Dex Rutherford,” I shake my head in a playful manner.
“I know I know, but look, I couldn’t not be with her. I knew she was meant for me, but she decided to date my dad instead until I stole her away.”
“Thief.”
“Only the best kind,” he throws me a wink and a giggle slips from me.
“I’m glad you stole me away,” she sighs blissfully, as he scoops her hand into his and brings the back of it to his lips as he plants a soft kiss.
The waitress clears our plates and Dex settles the bill before we all leave and walk back towards our hotel.
“Where are you meeting Keaton?”
“Somewhere called Fat Tuesdays?” I scrunch my nose up.
“Okay, let’s head there. You okay with us tagging along?” Dex asks as he stops walking for a moment.
“Oh my god, of course. We wouldn’t have been here if it wasn’t for you,” my voice is soft, “and I wouldn’t have married my dad’s best friend, but hey, look, I’m not blaming you for that,” I laugh.
“You couldn’t blame me even if you wanted to, it was nothing to do with me, that was all you and Keaton.”
“Shhhh,” I cover my ears as I begin to walk again and I hear Dex and Sage let out a loud laugh and honestly, I have never, ever, been more grateful for two people coming into my life when they did.
They were so much more than friends. They were family.