I wince, feeling bad about what I’m about to ask. “Any chance you can keep this to yourselves for a day or so? We decided to tell him together after the gala.”
“This goes right into the sisterhood cone of secrecy,” Molly says. “And Gabe will be fine. You know him. All he wants is for both of you to be happy. Are you happy, Liv?”
Images of sitting with Brian at his kitchen island eating breakfast together, kissing him on an ice rink, and in the middle of the night in the kitchen, and in the ballroom of the football stadium fill my mind, and I smile. “I am. I’m really, really happy.”
“Look at us,” Amelia says, grinning. “Happy, all loved up and shit. This is going to be the best night ever.”
“Bet your ass, Mystery Girl.” We all turn towards the doorway as Amelia’s husband strolls in. Tall and broad in all his hot nerd professor glory, tousled dark hair falling over his forehead, and eyes only for my sister, Elliot pulls Amelia up from the bed and slides an arm around her waist, kissing her like there aren’t two other people in the room. “You look gorgeous, Ames,” he says against her lips. “Maybe we should skip this thing and go straight to our room so I can peel this dress right off of you.”
“Later,” she says, kissing him again and smoothing a hand over his tie. “We look amazing, and you promised me dancing.”
He grins, arm still firmly wrapped around her. “Baby, all my dances are for you.”
“Fuck, Rory, you’re killing me in that dress,” Gabe says, eyes full of heat as he strides in and grabs Molly’s hand, tugging her up and kissing her. “Prettiest girl at the ball,” he murmurs, brushing his knuckles down her cheek.
“Oh, I know,” she says, grinning widely. “And look at you. My guy is smoking hot.”
“Look at all of you, Jesus. You’re, like, the hottest couples on the planet.” I stand up from the bed, thinking again of Brian. About what it would be like to have him here. The way he would slide right into this group. With me. How much I want that.
“Looking good, Liv,” Elliot says with a wink.
“Doesn’t she?” Molly gives me a sly grin. “Talk about dressing to impress.”
“Who are you dressing to impress?” Gabe demands.
Molly cackles while Amelia snorts, and I roll my eyes. “Why do I have to be dressing to impress anyone? I just wanted to look good, and damn, do I ever.”
“You sure do,” Molly says, stepping over and sliding an arm through mine and one through Amelia’s, turning us so we’re all facing the mirror. “We look fucking great.”
“You do. All of you. But excuse me for having a moment where I realize my baby sisters are, like, all grown up and shit.”
Amelia turns and props a hand on her waist. “You know I’m married with a kid, right? And pregnant with another one? Can’t get more grown up than that.”
Elliot coughs out a laugh as Gabe blinks at Amelia. “You’re…huh?”
Amelia’s grin is huge as she reaches over and takes Elliot’s hand, lacing their fingers together. “Pregnant. Again. Family’s about to get a little bigger, Uncle Gabe. And I hear congratulations are in order for you, too.”
“Shit, Ames,” Gabe says thickly, wrapping his arms around her and reaching out to take one of my hands too. “Love you,” he murmurs to her. “Proud of you.” The love pouring out of him is so huge that it has my own tears welling up again, and I hear Molly sniffling behind me.
“Love you back,” Amelia whispers, pulling back a little and looking at Gabe, before turning her head to look at me, too, eyes swimming with emotion. “We did okay, didn’t we?”
“We sure did.”
For a second, the rest of the room falls away and it’s just Gabe, Amelia, and me, and somehow, I know they’re thinking of our parents just like I am. A million memories pass betweenus of love and loss and a tragedy that could have torn us apart but instead forged for us an unbreakable, unshakable kind of bond. Of big dreams and bright futures and the lives that we’re building that honor both what we’ve lost and all the amazing things that we’ve gained.
CHAPTER TEN
BRIAN
Liv
Be there in ten. And I’m warning you in advance, I look fucking amazing.
Me
You always look amazing. You gonna save me a dance, Liv?
Liv
