June makes a dramatic face.
“Look at you giggling,” she says. “Yuck. Who are you and what have you done with my sister?”
I’m about to respond when both of our phones ring at the same time.
We glance at each other through the screen.
“That’s him,” June says.
I tap accept, and Max’s face appears on the call. His wavy brown hair is perfectly styled as usual, his calm expression the very definition of billionaire CEO composure.
“Hey, girls,” he says with an easy smile.
“Hey, Max,” June and I answer at the same time.
“Thank you for taking the time to talk to me,” he says. “Give me one moment. I need to add one more person to the call.”
Within seconds, a fourth screen appears, and after a brief pause, Nico’s face pops up, grinning widely.
“Hey, girls.”
“Nico!” June exclaims.
I wave at him.
“Congratulations on your engagement, May,” he says warmly.
“Thank you,” I answer, feeling myself blush a little.
We’ve only met Nico through video calls before, usually when he happens to be around during one of our calls with April, but he has quickly become one of our favorite people. Not only is he funny as hell, but he’s taken April under his wing like an older brother ever since she and Max started dating, and according to what we’ve heard, he was huge in helping Max go out of his comfort zone to win April during the road trip that started their relationship.
“The reason I wanted to get you all on the same call,” Max begins, “is because April’s birthday is coming up in just a couple of months, and I’m starting to plan a trip for us to go back to Cloudcroft.”
June’s eyebrows shoot up.
“I’m going to ask her to marry me there.”
All three of us react at the same time.
“Oh my God!” June exclaims.
“That’s amazing,” I say, already smiling, while Nico lifts his hands in the air, celebrating.
“I’ve already talked to Fred and Lori,” Max continues. “The whole town is on board with helping me surprise her, and I know she would really love it if you both could be there with us.”
“Absolutely,” I say, the smile on my face growing even bigger. “You can count us in.”
I already know exactly how much April will love that idea—having all the people she loves in one place for such an important moment in her life.
“I’m so happy for you guys,” June says, tears in her eyes, the same way she cried the day I called them on Memorial Day to tell them Aiden had proposed to me.
“We’re going to officially become siblings,” Nico adds with a huge grin.
We all laugh.
Nico leans a little closer to the camera.
“Well, this is it then,” he says. “The official expansion of the family, this is either going to be amazing or incredibly expensive.”
