Help Me Remember (Rose Canyon, #1)(91)

“We should at least put pants on.” Brie smiles. “I am sure Holden and Emmett will appreciate that.”

I groan and flop onto my back. “If we must.”

She slides out of bed and pulls her robe on. I really liked the view without it, but when I see the clock, I get my ass moving. Emmett is always respectful of time. He is never late, which means I have three minutes before he’s knocking on the door.

“Did you get food delivered?” Brie asks from the bathroom.

“I didn’t.”

“There is probably nothing here then.”

“Probably not, but do we really want to feed them? They may never leave.”

Brie pops her head out. “Yes, we are going to be nice to them and allow them whatever interrogation is required. Then you need to take me into Portland so I can do some shopping.”

That is news to me. “When did I agree to that?”

She grins. “You didn’t, but it’s necessary.”

There is something I selfishly want to do while we’re there, so I am not going to buck against this request. “Where do you want to shop?”

“I’m not sure yet, so maybe we can spend the night,” she suggests.

“You want to spend the night in Portland?” She fucking hates that city. It’s not at all Brielle’s style.

“We’ll see how late we are. Can you turn the coffee pot on? Someone kept me up most of the night.”

I throw on my hoodie and head out to the kitchen with a smug smile. Damn right someone did. After hitting the button, I grab my phone and scan my emails. I have one from my editor, asking if I am ever planning to work again, one from Jackson, letting me know they found nothing on Bill’s whereabouts, and one from Addison, letting me know her flight details.

I don’t know how long she’s going to stay, but I know it’s not permanent. This is a visit so she’s here for the party, and she was pretty clear that she wasn’t ready to fully return.

Even though we’re all pretty sure Addison and Elodie aren’t in any danger since Brielle is who he was after, she was informed of Bill being a suspect. Since we still have no idea where he is, her security team in Sugarloaf was given his photo so they could keep an eye out for him.

Brie exits the bedroom just as someone knocks on the door, and I sigh. “Well, here we go.”

I open the door and in walk my two best friends. We do the customary hugs, and they both kiss Brie on the cheek.

“You look much better,” Holden notes.

“I feel better,” Brie explains.

I walk over, wrap my arm around her waist, and look at them. “We asked you both here to tell you that we’re engaged. We were engaged before, in fact. I am the mystery ring giver, and Brielle is my fiancée.”

She slaps my chest. “Seriously?”

“I told you, no more waiting. We’re not going to shoot the shit when we have stuff to do. So, here it is.”

Brie lets out a long sigh and walks to them. “Isaac didn’t know, and . . . it’s one of many regrets I have about that day, so we want you guys to know.”

Emmett looks to Spencer. “I already knew.”

“Yes, but now you know in the way we wanted you to.” I look at Holden, who hasn’t really moved. “Sorry, bro, I forgot you didn’t know any of this.”

“You guys were together before?” he asks.

“Yes.”

“And you didn’t tell me?”

“We didn’t tell anyone, and I wasn’t going to tell you before she remembered. I just . . . I couldn’t.”

Holden turns his attention to Brie. “And you’re sure you like this idiot?”

She smiles. “I love him. I always have.”

“Yeah, I guess that’s true. I’m happy for you both. Engaged . . . wow.”

Emmett snorts. “Seriously, you guys could’ve clued everyone in a little sooner than before you walk down the aisle.”

She moves back to me, wrapping her arms around my middle. “We kept it a secret for all the right reasons, I hope you know that.”

Emmett shrugs. “Far be it from me to understand the workings of his mind. He’s a mess, and I won’t pretend otherwise. I am happy that the mystery ring person isn’t a loser—well, not a total one.”

I flip him off.

Holden clears his throat. “Why did you put the ring in her kitchen and not take it? I’m assuming you did it when you and Em came here to clean up before she got discharged?”

“I knew where she kept it when she wasn’t wearing it, so I moved it.”

“But why not take it?” Holden asks.

“I couldn’t. I just couldn’t fucking take it back. It was like I was giving up and losing her again. So, I put it where I thought she’d never go.”

Brie tightens her arms. “You never lost me, Spencer. Not even when I was lost.”

I look down at the gorgeous woman I love. “Maybe not, but you were gone in a way. That ring was all the proof I had that you were mine. We didn’t tell anyone, and I . . . just hoped that, if you saw it, the ring would trigger something.”

She lifts up on her toes. “I always wanted it to be you.”

Holden makes a gagging noise. “Seriously. You could ease us all in a little.”