Ready or Not (Ready #4)(60)

“What?”

“Introduced a guy I’m dating to my friends.”

His grin widened. “Really? Never?”

“No. You’re the first.”

“Well then, I’d better use my best Southern manners,” he said, playing up his accent. “I’m going to be the last, too.”

I laughed as he held out his arm in a ridiculously formal gesture. I took it, and we walked the rest of the way to the front steps. Just as I was about to press the doorbell, the door opened, and Clare, Leah, and Mia, greeted us.

“Took you long enough,” Leah said, her black-and-white sequins dress shimmering under the lights. “We had a bet on whether or not you were going to run back to the car.”

“Oh, yeah? Who won?” I asked, raising an eyebrow at my best friends.

“Clare,” they all said.

“Figures.”

Jackson and I followed everyone in, making our way toward the formal dining room. Clare had gone all out, decorating the entire house to create a look that was thematic yet not overdone. Black and white pearls hung from the chandelier. Black and white candles floated in tiny glass bowls, and hot pink roses were set in vases throughout the house for a pop of color.

I looked around the room and watched as everyone mingled and greeted Jackson.

Damn, I had good-looking friends.

Leah and Declan looked like Hollywood royalty. His black-on-black suit fit his body like a glove as he held his wife tightly by his side.

Clare was just beginning to show, her black dress rounding slightly where her third child was growing safely in her womb. Logan dressed in a pinstripe suite entered the room, carrying a glass of water for his wife.

Then, there was Mia and Garrett. Mia, always understated and demure, was wearing a black-and-white A-line dress and red Mary Jane heels.

Little rebel.

Everyone introduced themselves to Jackson. Each female gave me a little thumbs-up behind his back.

I’d spent years on my own until I found this group of friends. Their approval of Jackson meant more to me than I could put into words. I never thought I’d care for anyone enough to take this step. Seeing them meet was like watching two parts of myself intertwine and meld together.

“Clare, where are Colin and Ella?” Leah asked, taking a sip of wine as she nuzzled into Declan.

“They aren’t ready to detach themselves from the new baby just yet,” Clare answered.

“How old is she now?” I asked, trying to remember the last time I’d seen Logan’s best friend Colin and his wife.

“Four months,” she replied. “Their parents were busy and they didn’t feel right asking my mom to watch a newborn on top of all the other kids she had tonight.”

“Your mom probably could have handled it,” I laughed.

“Garrett and Clare, you really must thank your mother for me. I can’t believe she volunteered to watch all the kids tonight. Should we have someone deliver a bottle of wine later?” Jackson asked jokingly.

Clare waved her hand dismissively. “She loves having a houseful of children. Ever since our father passed away, it seems to be her favorite thing to do. I keep telling her that she can take them one at a time, but she insists on having all of them at once. And Noah was a welcome addition.”

“Plus, my dad is there to help,” Mia added.

Logan reappeared from the kitchen where he’d vanished to minutes earlier to uncork a bottle of wine, and he began giving out filled glasses. Jackson took two and handed one to me.

“So, I’ve been avoiding this for a while, but I can’t any longer,” I said before taking a sip of my merlot. “What the heck is going on between your parents?”

All eyes focused in on Mia and Garrett and then over to Clare. We were obviously all wondering the same thing.

“We think they’re dating,” Garrett said.

“You think?” Leah echoed.

“Well, neither one has outwardly said it. I’m guessing they’re afraid of how we will react,” Mia chimed in.

“And how will you react?” Leah asked, leaning back against her husband’s large frame.

“Honestly, the thought of it bothered us at first, but as long as they’re happy, we really don’t care,” Clare confessed.

“You should tell them,” I suggested.

“Is that your clinical opinion?” Garrett asked, grinning.

“No, you’d have to pay for that. This is my opinion as a friend. All that hiding can’t be easy on them. Give them your blessing.”

“We will, but it has been fun watching them sneak around.” Mia laughed. “Yesterday, I swung by to bring some cookies as a little treat for my dad, and I found Laura there. He told me she was dropping off some dry-cleaning for him.”

“Maybe she was—along with sex,” Leah quipped.

“Gross, Leah! That’s my mom!” Garrett yelled.

“I might never sleep again,” Mia uttered.

“Well, on that note, I think dinner might be ready. Anyone hungry?” Clare said, obviously trying to change the subject.

The room erupted into laughter.

Clare had wanted to serve everyone, but we quickly threw that idea out the window. Instead of the dining room, we all headed toward the kitchen.

“Did you really think we were going to sit around your dining table and allow you to serve us?” Mia asked.