I wasn’t sure I agreed with her but nodded anyway.
“It’s my heads-up. When Beau tries to fuck things up ‘for your own good’ or whatever the fuck, don’t let him. You’re stronger than him. Women always are.”
She roared off before I could reply, leaving me to stew on it for the rest of the drive.
I followed Beau’s instructions and got drunk.
Not that it was hard. My glass was never empty, as there was always someone around to fill it.
Most notably Fiona, who wasn’t drinking herself—because she was pregnant and had indeed done it “the old-fashioned way.”
It hadn’t happened the night I was drinking with them; it took a little longer, and she was very early but quite obviously excited.
And fielding texts from her quite obviously overprotective husband all night.
All the husbands were overprotective, from the stories I’d heard. And man, were they some stories. Overprotective, yes. But not controlling.
It was clear that I was invited tonight because everyone, like Calliope, had seen the writing on the wall with Beau and I, and had, apparently, been quietly rooting for us.
The attention, while good-natured, felt overwhelming. I was not used to being in the spotlight, so getting pleasantly buzzed on champagne felt like the right call.
Not that the night was purely about me—thank god. There was Fiona’s pregnancy announcement, Nora’s bakery being featured in a huge magazine spread, and Avery’s restaurant being awarded a Michelin star. All the women celebrated each other passionately and without effort.
It felt nice to be a part of it.
I still felt on the outside, though. Like I didn’t quite belong. It was one place Ididfeel the age gap that Beau was so focused on. They weren’t quite Beau’s age, but they were all more accomplished than me, both personally and professionally.
Lori’s absence didn’t help any. She’d told me she was on a “retreat” away from her family drama and Finn drama. She needed it. But I selfishly wanted her here.
I was amused to learn from the women that Finn had been all but stomping around town with a scowl since she left.
“He even tried to give me aspeeding ticket,” Calliope snickered.
I didn’t doubt she’d deserved it.
“Tried?” Nora questioned.
Calliope sipped her champagne. “I mean, I tore it up the second he handed it to me. That didn’t help his mood either.”
The women erupted in laughter, which I felt myself doing too, without effort.
Champagne made it easy to laugh, to push away my doubts about whether I belonged.
Which meant I did arrive home more or less in the same state than I had months ago.
Though Elliot, as promised, had driven me home with Calliope in the front. I’d been happy to listen to them speak the whole drive, their banter amusing and obviously well honed.
Elliot even walked me to the front door, graciously helping me with my keys so I didn’t have the same debacle as last time.
“Night.” He kissed me on the cheek in a way that felt fraternal—even though my own brother had never engaged in such displays of affection in our adulthood. “Thank you.” Elliot squeezed my hands. “Thank you for helping make my brother happy.”
“You’re … welcome?” I replied, instead of trying to argue with him. I wasn’t equipped for the emotion of that moment. I’d never been part of a true family. I didn’t know how to act.
Elliot gave me a knowing smile before he jogged back to the car.
The house was dim when I entered. Beau had left the porch light on for me, and faint luminescence from the lamp in the corner spilled into the living room.
Slowly, without falling, I deposited my keys and jacket at the door. My heart crashed when I felt rather than saw Beau’s presence.
