“I can’t believe I get to marry you,” he says in a flat, humorless tone.
“You love me. Shut up.” I almost choke on a laugh, cheeks still full of donut.
Liam studies the donut. “Did you try piping cream through the hole and then squishing it?”
I snort.
“Really?” Liam smirks.
“Cream, hole, and squish were all mentioned in the same sentence. Don’t judge me.” But he’s right. I pipe some more cream into the donut and stick the hat on top. It stays. I study it approvingly and then put it on the display tray.
“Seriously? That’s all you had to do?” Liam side-eyes me. “And you ate—”
“I will not apologize for eating those four donuts. I had to make sure they were delicious.” I brush a crumb off my cheek. “I am happy to report they were. I can now sell them with confidence.”
Liam shakes his head, stalking away.
The bell perched above the door rings and Clare Williams runs into the café, a little one-and-a-half-year-old in her arms, followed by a stroller and Holly O’Shea. “Look who I have!” she shouts.
My head shoots up, and I beam. Clare and Holly went to pick up Eli, Maria, Declan, and Fionn at the airport. We have hotel rooms in Portsmouth for them; the wedding is set for a week from now, March 24.Our lucky day.
It’s an obscure nod toSingin’ in the Rainthat only Liam and I will get, but that’s the beauty of it, isn’t it?
We’ve seen the crew once since I moved back home. Liam lied and said he needed to help Eli out with something, and honestly, maybe he did, but I blacked out everything after he dropped down on one knee in front of the sparkling Eiffel Tower and asked me to marry him, so I can’t be sure it wasn’t a ruse.
I brush off my hands, giving Maria the biggest freakin’ hug. Not having Maria in my life every day is different. We FaceTime weekly and text daily. But still. Judging by the massive bear hug Liam has Eli in right now, he feels the same way.
“You’re crushing me,” Eli manages.
Liam’s arms tighten.
“Not. Helping.”
Liam releases him, and the two cough and adjust their shirts, looking around. “So uh, the Bruins, am I right?” Liam says in a deeper-than-necessary voice.
“Could see them making a run for the cup.”
I shake my head, coming over and giving Eli a big hug, and Liam works his way through the rest of the crew.
A black and white tattoo on Eli’s wrist catches my eye.
“Oh, what’s this?” I grab his wrist, studying it. It’s a Claddagh. The heart in the middle has “Fionn” written in cursive on the outside edge. Fionn has a similar one that reads “Eli.”
“Are they new?”
Eli nods, cheeks pink.
“We’re getting married.” Fionn smiles.
“Is that why you were getting squeezed to death?” I squeal.
“Yeah.” Eli laughs. “It was.”
“Well, prepare to get squeezed again!” I wrap my arms around him as tight as I can.
But I should have known better than to challenge the master, and Eli returns the hug, threatening to rupture my chest. Too tight, going to die.
“You win, you win,” I choke out.
