“Oh, Nate.” Mom reaches across and pats his hand. “We care about you no matter what. Nothing is changing.”
“Except your marital status.” Dad isstillsmiling. “Which better be soon. I have thoughts on this one.”
My jaw drops. “Dad!”
He pays me no mind. “Judy, it’s time to get out the scrapbook. I have arealwedding to plan now.”
I sink lower into my chair as Nate laughs. Mom gives me a sympathetic smile before she joins in too.
And it’s the best dinner I’ve ever had.
epilogue
ONE YEAR LATER
The hallway isdark as I tiptoe down it. No one should be awake at this hour, and my empty bed is making it impossible to sleep.
That’s when, of course, I trip over someone lying on the floor. I nearly go tumbling, but manage to catch myself before crushing whoever was stupid enough to sleep in my hallway.
“I knew it,” Quinn mutters as she sits up. “You’re trying to sneak out again.”
My face erupts into heat as I realize why she is where she is. “You told me you were sleeping on the couch.”
“That’s what I wanted you to think. I gave the couch to Scarlett. She needed it anyway.”
Quinn knew about Scarlett from my stories, but I finally got my cruise friend to come to Nashville for one major occasion. It should make me happy that they were getting along.
But I amnotin a good mood.
“Please let me pass,” I beg. “I need sleep.”
“You told me you didn’t want the bad luck.” She rubs her eyes. “It’s not even been twelve hours yet.”
“That’s way too long,” I say. “Just forget what I asked you. Who needs luck?”
“And have your dad kill you? He’s not taking chances here, Maisie. I don’t want that smoke.”
I sigh. Dad definitely isn’t playing around.
And I hate whoever told him that it was bad luck for a bride to see her groom before the wedding day.
I don’t like to think about the last time I almost got married, but Dad wasn’t as involved that time. But he’s taken center stage with Nate and me.
He threw apartywhen Nate proposed. A literal party with balloons. And now that we’re only one night away from the wedding, he’s been involved in every step.
I’m not sure who’s more excited about this.
Still, I want to sleep with my man. In both ways, preferably.
“Quinn,” I beg again.
“You’ll survive.”
It’s not like Nate and I are never apart. We get plenty of time on our own, but we both prefer being together. It’s been like that since the day we met, even when I didn’t realize it.
Being together opened more doors. To some, Nate and I moved way too quickly. But to us, it feels like we’re catching up on lost time.
I attempted to strong-arm my way past Quinn and go sleep in the same bed as my fiancé. But I’m the one who put her up to this, and I know Dad is going to check in.
