“This sounds weird. What does that mean?” Ryann interrupted.
“Yeah, like a weird sex thing?” Cami asked.
“Shut up, my god, let me get to it.” Michael grinned, looking a little wild. His hair was disheveled, and his eyes had a glint thathadn’t been there before. “He does data for a living. I don’t know what or how or care, but he’s going to help me come up with a code or problem that Naomi will have to solve. And when she does… bam. It’ll say, will you marry me?”
“Interesting… so what’s the story though? Like, hey babe, solve this riddle for me?” Ryann leaned forward and grabbed a fork. “I love the creativity, but I need more of the plan.”
“Hm, I can almost see this.” Cami nodded.
“Okay, so we often work at home after dinner, have drinks, watch TV. I figured I’d get a weird email. Ask for her help since she’s all techie. Then, when she’s working through it, I’ll get the ring out and wait for her to figure out the message.”
“Not bad.” Ryann grinned, her side smile matching her brother’s. “Okay, I love it. Cami, what do you think?”
“This has Naomi written all over it. Yes.” Cami grinned wide and hit the table. “This plan is fucking perfect.”
“Yeah?” Michael smiled back and hit me in the shoulder. “Holt, what are your thoughts?”
From what I knew about Naomi, she’d appreciate the fact he was using her language to ask her. I nodded, my throat getting tight as I my mind wandered to Elle. What would she think? Very romantic. She could write about it. “It’s great.”
“Man of many words, this one.” Ryann jutted her finger at me, winking. I’d celebrated a couple holidays with Michael and his sister, and every time she teased me, it used to make me upset that I didn’t have a sibling. But now, I had a cousin. I could tease her when she got older and make sure anyone she was with treated her right.
God, whatever human fell for Lizzie would have to deal with Charlieandme. God bless the poor soul. I smiled a little bit, and Michael saw it instantly. “Thinking about your neighbor?”
Cami wiggled her eyebrows. God, she was a pain in the ass. I felt for Coach. Twin daughters? Jesus.
“No. My cousin.”
“Charlie’s newfound child? How’s that going?” Michael took his own plate of lasagna, and we all ate Elle’s dish. It was fucking tasty, and another wave of self-pity hit me. I’d intentionally let her hurt because I wanted space from my emotions.
The worst kind of asshole, even if it was best for the future.
I focused on Lizzie and told them all about her, her room, how Charlie was already an amazing dad. Michael looked really pleased for me, and it felt good to have him on my team. He was one of the two people I liked, well… four now with Elle and Lizzie.IfElle talked to me again.
“That’s incredible. He didn’t know?” Ryann had a hand over her heart. “Wow, that’s a real story right there.”
“That’s wonderful she has you guys.” Cami’s normally flirty face softened to sympathy. “What a brave little girl.”
“I know.” I sighed, the ache in my chest getting larger and larger. “Sorry to distract, Lizzie’s just been on my mind.”
“Dude, no worries. It’s awesome you got a new family member.” Michael held out a fist, and I hit it. “I got a question for you both. Cami, you already know you’ll be involved somehow.”
“Go for it.” Ryann took another bite of the food and nodded. “God, this is good.”
“Can you call Jonah?” Michael asked.
“Oh, shit.” Ryann nodded, pulling her phone out of her pocket and putting it on speaker. Her boyfriend answered on the second ring.
“Hey, Ry.”
“Hey, sunshine, so Michael asked me to call you. We’re sitting with him, Naomi’s sister, and Cal Holt.”
“Alright.” His tone sounded as confused as I did. Ryann and I shared a look before glancing at Michael.
“I want the three of you to stand up with me at my wedding.”
“That wasn’t a question,” Jonah Daniels said, almost making me laugh.
“J.D., I swear to god,” Michael said, chuckling. Jonah laughed too, and Ryann already stood up and hugged her brother.
