Marrying Ember(22)

I nodded in approval. “Score one for Georgia.”

“Right? Anyway, I guess since Monica had already talked to you and Ember, they knew what was going on …” Regan looked up reluctantly.

“What …”

“See … Monica told Georgia that she thinks you’re going to marry Ember like asap. Maybe even before Napa. And I couldn’t deny it, even though I don’t know what the hell is going on ever, so Georgia told me she wasn’t missing any of this for the world, the girls arranged their flights and … well … here we are.” He gave an overstated, toothy smile at the end of his sentence.

I leaned forward and put my head in my hands. “Can Georgia keep a secret?” I realized how ridiculous the question was right when it came out of my mouth.

“Dude …”

“Dumb question, I know … None of this is going to happen until I can: A. Get Ember on speaking terms with her dad again, B. I ask him for permission to marry her. According to Monica I can’t do till right before because he can’t keep a secret. Which, by the way is the most ironic statement of the year, and C. Ember has to say yes and go through with it.” I wiped my hands over my shorts a million times, but couldn’t dry them as panic rose.

“Let’s, uh, slow it down … shall we?” Regan left the table and ran into one of the RVs, returning with two miraculously chilled bottles of beer.

I took a few large gulps and sighed my relief. “Thanks, man. Sorry.”

“We know she’s going to say yes. We know her dad is going to say yes. One of them is ordained, right?”

“One of who?”

“The Six. Isn’t Journey ordained?”

I pulled my eyebrows in. “How the hell do you know that?”

“I was trapped in an RV with them the other day, remember? I know more than I’ll ever repeat, dude.” He lifted his eyes to the sky and shook his head with a comical grin on his face.

“The only problem with involving her is it’s one more person who needs to keep it a secret—” I cut myself off and stood, slapping Regan upside his head.

Regan ducked back and put his hand to his head. “What the hell, bro?”

“I’ve got it!” My heart raced as I formed the plan in my head. “Tonight. It’s happening tonight. Text Georgia, tell her to keep them all away until its dark. Like … stars out, dark.”

Regan pulled his cell from his pocket and typed out a quick text. “Done.”

As if I needed more proof that what I was doing was right in the perfect time, Journey, and the rest of The Six returned from their hike.

“Bo? What’s up? You look … hyper.” Raven studied me curiously.

I took a deep breath, looked to Regan who gave me a thumbs up, then I addressed the group.

“Journey, we need to talk. Walk with me?”





Ember





“Guys, come on, we’ve been out all day. Can we please go back now.” After a full afternoon in the sun with Georgia and Monica, including drinks on the pier, I was exhausted.

“I guess, but I’ve never been here before. Cut me some slack.” Monica looped her arm through mine as we made our way through the streets heading back to the campground.

Georgia was on my other side, and I linked arms with her, too. She shot me a surprised look, then took a step closer to me as we continued our walk.

When Georgia spoke, her voice was softer around the edges than I was used to. “Thanks for including me.”

I nudged her with my shoulder. “Of course. You’ve been a huge part of my life for the last several months, and you make one my best friends wicked happy—“

“I know,” she smiled, “but I’ve also never had close girlfriends before. And we didn’t really get off to the best start.”

“The good news is, it doesn’t end where you start, unless you quit. We didn’t quit each other.”

Monica stopped in her tracks and tugged my wrist.

“What?” I asked, studying her serious expression.

“Unless you quit …”

“Yeah?” I drew out, looking around.

Monica shot a look to Georgia before addressing me. “Look, Em … I wasn’t going to bring this up right now, but …” She looked down, biting her lip in an uncharacteristic show of restraint.

“Spit it out, Monica.”

“Don’t quit your dad.” She finally looked up and I immediately wished she’d look away, but she wouldn’t.

My cheeks heated and I felt dizzy. I leaned against a nearby stone wall.

“So you have a sister …” Monica shrugged and sat next to me.

“Half sister,” I corrected.

Georgia rolled her eyes and sat on the other side of me. “Fine. Half sister. There are worse things in life than having extra family.” Her eyes fell along with her shoulders.

“Yeah,” Monica continued, “Willow was the only person from your childhood I ever heard you mention with any frequency while we were in college. You said it was like you were sisters. Turns out you actually are.”

I stood, facing my girlfriends. “I can’t believe you two. My dad lied to me. And not about Santa Clause or the Tooth Fairy. Not only did he lie, but so did my mom and Willow’s par—whatever.”