“I do.” Kari smiles. “I want to hear about all the things Max wants to do to me.”
Cane narrows his eyes playfully and slams his suitcase closed. “You, my beautiful sister-in-law, and I have some things to discuss.”
“Oh, do we now?”
“Yeah, we do. You about fuckin’ killed me yesterday with your lack of fucking texts. I was sweating balls up here, going outta my mind, waiting on some indication of how things were going downstairs.”
Kari tosses her head back and laughs. “Yeah, well, my nails were wet. Sue me.”
“I would,” Cane says, coming up behind me, “but I forgive you. You called me amazing in your speech last night.”
“Oh, I surely didn’t.”
“No. You did. I heard it.”
“It was the champagne talking.”
“It’s a win for me. I’ll take it.” Cane kisses the top of my head. “You ready to go?”
“Depends on where we’re going,” I huff.
“Rome. He’s taking you to Rome,” Max blurts out, wincing as Kari elbows him in the stomach again.
I whirl around, my pulse rapid-firing. “Rome? Is he joking, Cane?”
He pulls me into him, winding my hair in his hands. “No, beautiful girl, he’s not. We’re going to Rome in a couple of hours.”
I squeal, much to my embarrassment, but I can’t help it. I bounce up and down and kiss him on the lips. “I’ve always wanted to go to Rome! Oh, my God! Cane! Thank you!”
“Someonetold me that one night at a restaurant. Right before they told me they didn’t see me enough. So I’m taking you there and you can see me the entire time.”
“You’re amazing. Absolutely amazing.”
“It’s my job to make sure you keep thinking that.” He winks.
“Wait,” I say, pivoting on my heel, “I can’t go to Rome. I don’t have any clothes for a trip like that.”
Panic ensues. I do a quick mental recap of everything in my suitcase, of the things I packed away in the box to UPS back home with my wedding dress.
I have nothing that will work.
“I don’t have—”
Out of nowhere, Kari scoots a large orange suitcase across the floor. “You have everything you need in here.”
“What?”
“Our little shopping trip the other day? That was your honeymoon shopping expedition. You’re welcome.”
I’m shocked in the very best way. I walk across the room and hug my sister, my heart filled with more love than I’ve ever felt in my life. She pulls back, and I head to Max, wrapping my arms around his waist and hugging him, too.
“Thank you, too, Max. I can only imagine what you’ve put up with over the last few weeks.”
“You have no idea, darlin’.”
I laugh. “I do. I do.”
“Well, I’d do anything for you. You know that. We’re family now.”
