Room for You(66)

The rest of the evening was full of pizza, nachos and gabbing … the best impromptu bachelorette party ever.





Today was the big day.

Not mine, but Lauren and Tommy’s. I was up early, running around my condo like an idiot trying to get all my stuff together. Last night, I was supposed to stay at Kacie’s but she called last minute and said she had decided to spend the night at a hotel with Lauren and Alexa. I couldn’t fault her for that and normally it wouldn’t bother me, but she’s been so distant since the Wild Kids dinner, it just seemed like another excuse not to see me. She blamed it on the wedding and trying to get caught up with school before the new semester started, but something just didn’t feel right. Regardless, I was excited to see her tonight and she did say that she was looking forward to having me stay at her place after the wedding. Maybe I was reading too far into things.

A few hours later as I pulled into the driveway at the inn, my phone chirped. I looked at the text, it was from Kendall.



K: HEY STRANGER, I’D LIKE TO TALK TO YOU. DINNER NEXT WEEK?



I deleted the message without a second thought and gathered up my things from the truck. I walked up on the front porch, surprised to see Lucy sitting on the wicker couch with her hands folded in her lap.

“Hey, kiddo. What’s going on?” I went over and sat down next to her. She had on a pale yellow dress and her normally straight blonde hair was half pulled-up in loose curls.

“I told Mom I wanted to go outside so she said I had to sit here and not move.”

“Well, you look very pretty.”

“Are you coming to the wedding?”

“Yep.”

“Are you gonna dance with my mom?”

“Um, maybe. Would that be okay with you?”

She furrowed her little blonde brow and thought about that for a minute.

“Yeah. My mom smiles a lot when she talks about you. I think she would be happy to dance with you.”

I grinned like a fifteen-year-old kid who just got told in the lunchroom by a friend of a friend that his crush liked him back.

“Hey Lucy?”

Her innocent, deep brown eyes looked up at me and I was suddenly overcome with the urge to protect Lucy and Piper, and their mom. Call it being macho, call it possessive, but these three were mine and I would tear apart anyone who messed with them.

“Do you think I can dance with you too?” I asked her.

A giant grin lit up her entire face. It was her mom’s grin, crinkled nose and all.

She didn’t say yes, but she laid her head on my arm and giggled, so I was pretty sure that was the equivalent of a smiley face on a text from her mom.



“Lucyyyy! Come in here, please.” We heard Kacie call a few minutes later.

We stood up together and she charged ahead of me through the front door. I rounded the corner and stopped.

Kacie was sitting at the kitchen table with her back to me, curling Piper’s hair. She had on a yellow dress, a little darker than the girls and strapless. She was mesmerizing, the silhouette of her sitting at the table taking care of her children was visually overwhelming.

“Quit moving, goofball,” Kacie said to Piper.

“This dress is itchy.”

“Well, you look adorable in it. I’m the luckiest mommy in the world to have to two of you,” she said as Lucy parked it in the chair next to her.

“Brody said I looked pretty.” Lucy announced.

“Brody?” Kacie looked at Lucy. “He’s here?” She followed Lucy’s little finger that pointed in my direction.

She spun around and our eyes locked. It was there, whatever it was. God, she was stunning. She had on a little more makeup than usual and while I normally loved her natural look, she was nothing short of magnificent.

“Hi.” I grinned at her.

“Hi.” She repeated quietly.

“You … look fantastic,” I said, as she bit her lip shyly and looked down at herself.

“Thanks. I wasn’t sure what I thought of the color at first, but I guess it’s okay, huh?”

My eyes inspected the length of her whole body before returning her gaze. “Way better than okay.”

I strolled over and wrapped my arms around her, knowing damn well that the girls were sitting right there and most likely staring at us. I didn’t care though, things between us were strained for some reason and right then, I needed to hold her against me. When she didn’t resist my hug, I wanted to do a backflip, though someone would have to teach me how first.

After a minute of us just breathing together, she pulled back and gazed at me from under her long lashes.

“Why do you have to be so damn irresistible?” She sighed.

“Why are you trying to resist me?”

“Why are you answering my question with a question?”

I grinned down at her, and the urge to kiss those sassy lips was almost unbearable.

“You guys just about ready?” Sophia called out as she came into the kitchen. “Oh, hi Brody, don’t you look handsome.”

“What about me, Gigi?” Lucy said, jumping up from the table proudly.

“Oh, my precious babies!” Sophia’s voice cracked as she clapped her hands together.

Kacie grabbed her camera off the counter and handed it to her mom. “Would you mind taking a picture of the four of us?”