Lexie chuckled at the use of her full name, but nodded for him to proceed.
“Do you think youcouldlove me?”
Her head whipped up, gaze locking on his. She clearly had not been expecting that question.
“Yes,” she whispered after several tense moments. “I’m falling so hard, so fast, and it terrifies me.”
Once again, he pulled her onto his lap and leaned them back into the couch cushions. “I know it does, honey. But as long as you’re in this with me, and willing to try, it’ll all be alright. Can you do that?”
She met his eyes again, a small smile tipping up the corners of that beautiful mouth of hers. “Yes, Mitch. I can try.”
They both leaned forward at the same time, mouths crashing together. And soon, they lost themselves in each other right there on the couch, Mitch thinking over and over as he drowned himself in her warmth that he loved her, that she was falling for him, and that everything was going to be okay.
Now...
Theholidayseasonhadcome and gone, and they were in that exhausting phase of late-March Michigan weather where Mother Nature couldn’t make up her mind on whether or not she wanted to keep them in winter’s clutches a little longer or let go and allow spring to bloom.
The night before she was set to leave for Seattle, Lexie had dinner and drinks with Berkley and Amelia. It had been a bit since they caught up, with Lexie constantly out of the state and Berkley back in school, on top of preparing for a wedding. Lexie wrapped her cardigan tighter around her, giving into a shiver as she stared at her friends across the table.
“Speaking of the wedding,” Berkley said when Lexie mentioned how soon it was, “you guys need to pick out your bridesmaids dresses. I’m not having one style for everyone because I don’t want anyone to be uncomfortable. So Lexie, you’re wearing burgundy and Ames, you and the rest of the bridesmaids will be wearing navy.”
“Warriors colors?” Lexie asked. “Seriously?”
“Burgundy and navy are hardly Warriors colors,” Berkley scoffed.
“Close enough,” Amelia muttered, and Berkley threw a half-chewed piece of garlic bread at her.
“Who all is in this wedding, anyway?”
“You guys, Jess, and Mackenzie.”
“What about Kimber?” Lexie asked, surprised the fourth member of their tight-knit college crew wouldn’t be standing up for Berkley.
“She’s just…not really in my life anymore, you know? We catch up on occasion, mostly communicating through Instagram story replies and reactions, but it’s not like it was before. I love her dearly, but I want my family up there with me, and she doesn’t really fit the bill anymore.”
Lexie couldn’t help but be proud of Berkley at that moment. She knew her little blonde friend well enough to know that Berkley had most likely agonized over this decision, and had not come to it lightly. Still, the fact that she was sticking up for herself and getting exactly what she wanted when it came to her wedding was impressive for the girl who typically liked to keep the peace at all costs.
“What about groomsmen?” Lexie asked.
“Mitch, Nate, Logan, and Cole.”
“Wow, Lex,” Amelia said after she chewed and swallowed a mouthful of salad. “You’ve slept with half of the groomsmen. That’s impressive.”
“Not nearly as impressive as the black eye I’m about to give you will be if you don’t shut your mouth,” Lexie said.
Amelia rolled her eyes but didn’t argue.
Berkley, however, didn’t let Lexie’s attitude go unchecked. “What is wrong with you lately?”
“Nothing,” Lexie said with a shrug, downing the rest of her wine and signaling their waitress for a refill.
“No, there’s obviously something. You’ve been acting like a colossal bitch for the last three months. Ever since you found out Mitch was back.”
“Mitch has nothing to do with this,” Lexie growled. “Mind your own fucking business.”
“Youaremy business, Lex. You’re my best friend, my fucking maid of honor. I can’t have you acting like this when I’m only a few months away from getting married. I need you on top of your game.”
“And what exactly makes you think I’m not on top of my game?”
