Chapter 9 #2
I let out a breath, feeling lighter now that my secret is out.
“It’s been amazing. He’s amazing. And not just in bed, although, wow, best sex of my life and all that.
But everywhere. He’s so much fun to be around.
We have the best time together, and he listens to me, you know?
He hears what I say and what I don’t say, and he gets me.
Aside from you guys and Gabe, I don’t think I’ve ever felt as deeply myself as I do when I’m around him.
It’s like I can just be me, and who I am is enough for him.
He sees me, and he likes that person, and I like who I am when I’m around him.
He told me he’s had a thing for me for, like, three years, and I don’t know how I didn’t see it before, but I sure see him now.
He’s been through so much, and he’s still this amazing guy who loves his brother and his friends and all of their kids, and he built himself this whole new family that he’s so caring and protective over, and it’s incredible to see.
It’s just…” I pause, trying to figure out how to sum up all of my feelings, and all I can think to say is, “It’s been a really good month. ”
“You’re in love with him,” Molly says.
It’s a statement, not a question, and my heart beats wildly at her words.
“No,” I say immediately, even though everything inside me screams yes. “I can’t be. It’s only been a few weeks. That’s way too fast. Isn’t it?”
Molly shrugs. “It took me less than two weeks to fall in love with Gabe. I was eighteen years old, and I didn’t know anything, but I did know that he was it for me.”
Amelia grins. “I fell in love with Elliot in the time it took to fly from San Francisco to Boston. Took me some time to realize what had happened, but those six hours changed my entire life.”
“Love doesn’t operate on a timeline, Liv,” Molly says quietly. “It happens when it happens, and when it’s right, you know.”
I take a deep breath and let it out slowly. “Nothing in my life has ever felt this right.”
“And Italy?” Amelia asks.
I shrug. “It’s my dream. Nothing in the world could make me give it up. The timing sucks, but we’re going to try to make it work. The distance is a little daunting, and six months is a long time, but he wants to figure it out and so do I.”
“Then you will,” Molly says firmly, squeezing my hand. “You will absolutely make it work, and then you’ll come back here and have the hottest of all age gap romances. I love everything about this so much.”
I roll my eyes. “It’s ten years, not decades.”
Molly waves that away. “Let me have my fun. My baby sister, in love with an older man. A really, really good man. Nothing in the entire world could make this night any better.”
“Not to be the wet blanket over all of this or anything, but when are you planning on telling Gabe?” Amelia asks.
I wince, feeling bad about what I’m about to ask. “Any chance you can keep this to yourselves for a day or so? We decided to tell him together after the gala.”
“This goes right into the sisterhood cone of secrecy,” Molly says. “And Gabe will be fine. You know him. All he wants is for both of you to be happy. Are you happy, Liv?”
Images of sitting with Brian at his kitchen island eating breakfast together, kissing him on an ice rink, and in the middle of the night in the kitchen, and in the ballroom of the football stadium fill my mind, and I smile. “I am. I’m really, really happy.”
“Look at us,” Amelia says, grinning. “Happy, all loved up and shit. This is going to be the best night ever.”
“Bet your ass, Mystery Girl.” We all turn towards the doorway as Amelia’s husband strolls in.
Tall and broad in all his hot nerd professor glory, tousled dark hair falling over his forehead, and eyes only for my sister, Elliot pulls Amelia up from the bed and slides an arm around her waist, kissing her like there aren’t two other people in the room.
“You look gorgeous, Ames,” he says against her lips.
“Maybe we should skip this thing and go straight to our room so I can peel this dress right off of you.”
“Later,” she says, kissing him again and smoothing a hand over his tie. “We look amazing, and you promised me dancing.”
He grins, arm still firmly wrapped around her. “Baby, all my dances are for you.”
“Fuck, Rory, you’re killing me in that dress,” Gabe says, eyes full of heat as he strides in and grabs Molly’s hand, tugging her up and kissing her. “Prettiest girl at the ball,” he murmurs, brushing his knuckles down her cheek.
“Oh, I know,” she says, grinning widely. “And look at you. My guy is smoking hot.”
“Look at all of you, Jesus. You’re, like, the hottest couples on the planet.” I stand up from the bed, thinking again of Brian. About what it would be like to have him here. The way he would slide right into this group. With me. How much I want that.
“Looking good, Liv,” Elliot says with a wink.
“Doesn’t she?” Molly gives me a sly grin. “Talk about dressing to impress.”
“Who are you dressing to impress?” Gabe demands.
Molly cackles while Amelia snorts, and I roll my eyes. “Why do I have to be dressing to impress anyone? I just wanted to look good, and damn, do I ever.”
“You sure do,” Molly says, stepping over and sliding an arm through mine and one through Amelia’s, turning us so we’re all facing the mirror. “We look fucking great.”
“You do. All of you. But excuse me for having a moment where I realize my baby sisters are, like, all grown up and shit.”
Amelia turns and props a hand on her waist. “You know I’m married with a kid, right? And pregnant with another one? Can’t get more grown up than that.”
Elliot coughs out a laugh as Gabe blinks at Amelia. “You’re…huh?”
Amelia’s grin is huge as she reaches over and takes Elliot’s hand, lacing their fingers together. “Pregnant. Again. Family’s about to get a little bigger, Uncle Gabe. And I hear congratulations are in order for you, too.”
“Shit, Ames,” Gabe says thickly, wrapping his arms around her and reaching out to take one of my hands too. “Love you,” he murmurs to her. “Proud of you.” The love pouring out of him is so huge that it has my own tears welling up again, and I hear Molly sniffling behind me.
“Love you back,” Amelia whispers, pulling back a little and looking at Gabe, before turning her head to look at me, too, eyes swimming with emotion. “We did okay, didn’t we?”
“We sure did.”
For a second, the rest of the room falls away and it’s just Gabe, Amelia, and me, and somehow, I know they’re thinking of our parents just like I am.
A million memories pass between us of love and loss and a tragedy that could have torn us apart but instead forged for us an unbreakable, unshakable kind of bond.
Of big dreams and bright futures and the lives that we’re building that honor both what we’ve lost and all the amazing things that we’ve gained.