“What aren’t you saying?”
She grabs my hand. “Laney, I freaking adore you. I’m a little mad at Theo right now, but I will get over it, and in the meantime, I need you to know that I know that if this is real between you two that he will be the very, very,verybest thing to ever happen to you, no matter the hurdles you’re going to have to get over to get there.”
“That’s ominous,” Claire says.
Sabrina doesn’t flinch. “They’reverydifferent people. But see this? This glow all over Laney? That doesn’t lie.”
Claire gives me theshe’s being crypticlook while Sabrina gets up to refill her teacup.
“Your parents are gonna shit themselves when they find out you’ve been sleeping with Emma’s brother, aren’t they?” she finally says while Sabrina takes her time across the lounge.
I cringe. “Probably.”
“You gonna let that fuck up a good thing?”
“Things worth having are worth fighting for.”
She nods slowly. “Chandler’s never had to fight for Emma. She just takes him as he is, even when the rest of us wonder if he’s good enough for her. Everyone should have to fight a little for love. And everyone should be fought for.”
I stop short. “I…never considered that before.”
She grins. “You’re welcome.”
“I was really hoping at least one of us wasn’t nervous about today.”
“Emma made this choice a long time ago. But you—you’ve just found a good thing. Don’t let fear of a fight get in the way.”
“So your parents have unreasonably high expectations too?”
She laughs.
And then she cringes.
And then we’re both laughing all over again.
I lift my teacup. “To a very memorable destination wedding,” I say.
Claire clinks.
Sabrina lifts her own teacup across the room.
And when we all drink, I suspect we’re all wishing our cups were spiked.
33
Theo
I’m settingup chairs on the lanai for Emma’s wedding when Dad and Uncle Owen join me about an hour after Laney left with the bridesmaids.
“So this is where you’ve been hiding,” Dad says.
“Don’t think this is hiding,” Uncle Owen says. “Looks more like he’s doing the resort’s work.”
“Not what Emma was thinking it would be, is it?”
“Not compared to those pictures.”
Dad claps me on the back, then heads to the cart of chairs and starts helping too. “Hawaii treating you good, son?”
