The guys all nodded at the same time.
“That’s…that’s incredible news,” I said, my voice thick with emotion.
“We thought you’d want to know right away,” Adam chimed in, his smile matching mine. “As soon as we heard about what happened, we wanted to check in, but we thought West might want some time to recover.”
I glanced at West, seeing my relief mirrored in his hazel eyes.
“You know what this means, baby?” he asked, leaning into me.
I nodded.
West glanced at the guys. “We were always uncertain about how to handle the older section of the building. I had a feeling it wasn’t up to code, which is why I went there that day. I was sorting through items and trying to come up with a plan.”
“You can knock down that part and rebuild it into something that works better for the Foundation,” Noah suggested.
“Like an events venue,” Lex said.
“Or a bookstore and coffee shop,” Emery continued. “Imagine going to a place that stocks your favorite authors’ books, and you can read and eat ice cream at the same time.” His face lit up as he described his idea. “We could take the kids from school on day trips.”
“An event venue? That could bring in some much-needed funds…” I said. “We could run a food bank too.”
“Exactly!” River exclaimed. “And you could use it for Foundation events. Win-win.”
I nodded, feeling a surge of warmth for my friends. Here they were, on a weekend night, to check in on us and show that they had our backs. “You guys are amazing, you know that?” I said, my voice softening. “I can’t believe you’ve put so much thought into this.”
“So,” he drawled, a mischievous glint in his eye, “speaking of caring… What’s the deal with you two, huh?” He waggled his eyebrows suggestively.
I felt heat rush to my face. “What do you mean?” I asked, trying to sound nonchalant and failing miserably. I glanced at West, feeling a mix of nervousness and excitement. His hazel eyes met mine, a soft smile playing on his lips. “Baby, we were in bed naked when they invaded. I think they know. They just want us to say it aloud.”
“Well,” I began, looking at the guys, unable to keep the grin off my face, “I guess you could say West and I are…officially together.”
West’s hand found mine, our fingers intertwining.
The room erupted in cheers and excited chatter. River pumped his fist in the air. “I knew it! Pay up, Noah!”
Noah groaned good-naturedly, pulling out his wallet. “Damn, I thought it’d take you guys at least another month, especially with how busy you’ve been since the fundraiser.”
“Oh my God, you were betting on us?” I laughed, shaking my head. “I don’t know whether to be flattered or offended.”
Adam raised his beer. “To Drew and West! It’s about time, you two.”
I laughed. “Says the pot to the kettle.”
River pulled Adam closer and kissed his hair. Adam sighed, leaning into his boyfriend’s touch, “Falling in love with your best friend will never not be a good idea.”
Drew raised his own glass. “I’ll toast to that.”
The celebration gradually wound down as our friends started gathering their things. River stood first. “Well, guys, it’s been a blast, but I think we should let the lovebirds have some privacy.”
“Yeah, I’m sure they have some…catching up to do,” Adam added with a wink.
I rolled my eyes but couldn’t stop the grin that spread across my face. “You’re telling me you’re not running home tocatch up?”
Adam’s face went red again as River said, “We do have a lot to catch up on. It’ll probably take us the rest of our lives.”
I felt exactly the same way.
When we closed the door behind our friends, the sudden quiet felt both strange and comforting. I turned to West, finding him already looking at me with that intense gaze that never failed to make my heart race.
