Chapter 27
TUMBLING DICE
NATALIE
Iwoke up to the soft glow of morning light filtering through the curtains and the comforting warmth of Will’s body next to mine.
His arm was draped over my waist, and I could feel his slow, steady breathing against my shoulder.
For a moment, everything felt easy, like this was exactly where we were meant to be.
“You awake?” he murmured, his voice still heavy with sleep.
“Barely,” I whispered, turning my head to meet his eyes.
He smiled lazily, brushing a strand of hair from my face. “You look beautiful in the morning.”
“Liar,” I teased, laughing softly.
Will leaned in, pressing a kiss to my temple. “Not lying,” he said.
“I shouldn’t have had that much alcohol before going to this football game.” I said reluctantly. “Meredith’s probably already making coffee and judging me.”
“Fair assessment,” Will joked, pulling me closer for one more kiss.
By the time Meredith barged into my room, Will was already dressed and sitting on the edge of the bed, tying his shoes.
“Good morning, lovebirds,” she said, her tone teasing. “Natalie, you’re late for our hangover recovery session. And Will, thanks for keeping my sister company.”
Will chuckled and glanced at me. “I think she is trying to kick me out.”
When I came downstairs, I noticed Evan already out on the front porch, waiting for Will.
After a quick kiss goodbye, I made my way to the kitchen, where Meredith was pouring coffee, glowing and trying not to smile too hard.
“Why do you look so smug this morning?” I asked, eyeing her suspiciously.
“Oh, no reason,” she said with an innocent grin. “Just had a great night, that’s all.”
I raised an eyebrow. “This doesn’t have anything to do with Evan, does it?”
Her grin widened, and she took a long sip of coffee. “No comment.”
“Meredith!” I groaned. “Did you two—?”
“We just talked. It was fun.”
“Oh, my God. I don’t believe you. You just talked?”
“Maybe there was some cuddling,” she shrugged.
“Wow,” I said. “You must like him. You don’t cuddle.”
“It’s nothing serious. But…” she gave me a wink, “It was a good spoon session.”
She grabbed her Chargers jersey and said, “Now, hurry up, we have a game to catch.”
The pretzel and soda that Meredith plied me with at the stadium – “Carbs and caffeine are my cure all” – did make me feel a bit more human.
On our way to the game I’d longed for my couch.
Although I was exhausted the energy of the crowd was contagious and I was so glad we’d taken Lauren up on the tickets.
The following day, we gave into the laziness we felt and treated ourselves to a day at The Montage. The ocean view was breathtaking, and the spa treatment Meredith insisted on booking felt like the peace and serenity I needed.
“You know,” Meredith said, stretching out on the lounge chair, “I can see why Evan’s such a hit. He’s funny, charming, and way too cute for his own good. Kind of annoying, actually.”
She never talked about guys since she dated Marcus, a colleague of Jason’s. She swore off men forever after him.
“I thought he was just for fun,” I said, laughing.
“He is...”
I bit back a grin.
Meredith adjusted her sunglasses and let out a contented sigh. “This place is heavenly,” she said, taking a slow sip of her iced tea.
“It is,” I agreed, though my thoughts drifted far from the view.
She caught my expression and raised an eyebrow. “Okay, spill. You’ve been zoning out since we got here.”
I hesitated, swirling the straw in my drink. “I’ve been thinking about Thanksgiving.”
“What about it?”
"Lucas's invitation,” I said carefully. “I don’t know if we should go.”
Meredith sat up, sliding her sunglasses onto her head. “Why not? You said it’d be a good networking opportunity.”
“It is,” I admitted, “but it feels… wrong. Will and I are finally in a good place, and this feels like I’m throwing a wrench into everything.”
“Nat, you’re overthinking,” Meredith said, leaning back again. “Will isn’t going to hold it against you. And if he does, that’s on him.”
“I just don’t want to ruin things,” I murmured.
Meredith reached over to squeeze my hand. “You’re not ruining anything. Besides, it’s not like you’re going to Lucas’s to profess your undying love. You’re going for work, and for me, because I want to eat whatever amazing food that chef Jasper is making.”
I smiled reluctantly. “You’ve got a point.”
Meredith grinned. “Of course I do. And who knows? Maybe this chef will be cute enough to distract me for the evening.”
“He is very cute and has an accent,” I said.
Meredith’s eyes lit up. “I forgot he’s from Europe. Now you must go to this Thanksgiving for me.”
“Wait, what about Evan?” I teased.
“I can shop around,” Meredith said, while looking at her manicure.
We both laughed, and I felt more relaxed, letting the bliss of the day take us away.
That evening after we were home and watching an episode of, “Friends,” on the couch having the most relaxing day ever.
I heard my phone buzz near me, it was Will, I loved seeing his name.
Will: Hi babe, how was The Montage? Do you and your sister want to come over for dinner tomorrow? Evan will be here as well.
I loved that he was referring to me as babe. It felt like girlfriend material. I forgot how to date but, this sure felt like it.
“Mere, want to go to Will’s tomorrow night? Evan will be there,” I said teasingly.
“We can make time for that, “she said with a sly smile.
The next evening, we headed over to Will’s for dinner and were greeted at the door by Evan, and a sleek brown lab.
“Who is this?” I asked, kneeling to pet him.
“This is Bear. He loves the ladies,” Evan said with a grin.
“I bet he does! And I love him,” I cooed, switching to a baby voice as I scratched behind Bear’s ears.
Inside, the house smelled incredible. Will was in the kitchen, working on steaks, roasted potatoes, and a fresh salad.
“I didn’t know you were so domesticated, William,” Meredith teased, leaning on the counter.
“When I became a bachelor, I had to learn a few things,” he replied, smirking. “Cereal and takeout every night gets old fast. Now, what can I get you ladies to drink?”
I loved how thoughtful he was—not just with me, but with my sister and friends too. He had this way of making everyone feel comfortable and taken care of.
“I’ll take a glass of whatever you’ve already opened,” I said.
Meredith grinned mischievously. “I’m going to need something stronger.”
Evan jumped in, clearly eager to impress. “I can make an old fashioned, a dirty martini, margarita—whatever you like.”
“I’ll take a dirty martini. Extra dirty,” Meredith said with a playful tone that made Evan stand a little straighter.
She had an effect on men—gorgeous and confident, she radiated charisma. It was impossible not to notice.
Dinner was lovely, filled with laughter and stories, the kind of evening where everything felt easy. Will seemed relaxed, smiling at me across the table, and I felt that same pull I always did when he looked at me like that.
By the time we moved to the couch for a nightcap, the Rolling Stones were playing softly in the background, and Bear had claimed a spot between Meredith and Evan.
“So,” Will said casually, “what are you two doing for Thanksgiving?”
The question hit like a jolt, but before I could answer, Meredith jumped in. “Something with one of Natalie’s clients. It’s just a casual thing—nothing fancy.”
Will’s gaze shifted to me, his smile fading slightly. “Which client?”
“Lucas and Jasper,” I admitted, feeling the weight of the words.
Meredith jumped back in, trying to soften the blow. “We didn’t have any other offers, so we’re really just going for the food.” She grinned. “Chefs’ tables are hard to pass up, you know?”
Will’s jaw tightened, and the easy energy of the evening vanished.
“That’s…nice,” he said, his tone neutral but clipped.
Meredith, sensing the tension, quickly turned to Evan. “So, what about you guys? Any exciting plans?”
Evan shrugged. “We go to Will’s parents’ place.”
“Should we crash?” Meredith joked, trying to lighten the mood.
Evan chuckled, but Will stayed silent, his gaze fixed on the drink in his hand.
I felt the knot in my stomach tighten. I knew exactly what was the problem.
Will’s phone buzzed, cutting through the silence. He glanced at the screen and sighed. “Excuse me,” he said, standing and walking into the next room.
Evan stood up, breaking the silence. “Can I freshen anyone’s drinks?”
“Yes, I would love another,” Meredith said.
“Sure, thanks Evan,” I said.
I turned to Meredith, who raised an eyebrow. “That was tense,” she whispered.
“It’s my fault,” I admitted quietly.
When Will returned, his expression was hard. “It’s Madison,” he said tightly. “She got caught drinking at a party. The police were called.”
“Oh no,” I said, standing instinctively. “Is she okay?”
“She’s fine, but I need to deal with this,” he said, already reaching for his keys.
“Thanks for dinner,” Meredith said quickly, sensing his urgency.
I followed Will to the mudroom, my heart sinking. “Will, I’m so sorry,” I said softly. “About Madison, and about… everything. Please let me know if there’s anything I can do.”
He turned to me, his gaze sharp. “You can’t fix this, Natalie. You don’t want this part of my life, and it feels like you don’t even know what part you do want.”
His words cut deeply, and before I could respond, he was gone.
Back in the living room, Meredith gave me a look. “That didn’t go well.”
Evan stood and walked us to the door. “Sorry about the buzzkill,” he said.
Before we stepped outside, Evan turned to me, his expression serious. “Natalie, Will really cares about you. Please don’t hurt him.”
The words stung, and I couldn’t bring myself to reply.
As we drove away, the weight of the evening settled over me like a heavy cloud. I felt like I had no idea how to fix what felt so close to being right.
Why did it keep going wrong?