I call a cab to meet the girls. No way am I driving tonight. I walk into the restaurant and find Katie waiting at our table. She and I order appetizers while we wait for Christina and Tania.
“So, Katie, something going on with you and Shane?” I ask, catching her completely off guard, as I planned.
She chokes on a cheese stick and takes a drink of water before answering.
“Why would you ask that?”
Oh, isn’t she trying to be coy with me?
"You know, people only say that when they're stalling and getting out of answering the direct question. That doesn't work on me. I’m a lawyer, remember?” I say wryly.
Her face turns red, and we both know she's caught. "I don't know what's going on yet. We’ll see.”
That’s as much of an admission as I’m going to get right now, so I’ll take it. And keep an eye on them. And embarrass them until they answer my questions. That’s just what friends are for.
Christina and Tania arrive, fashionably late, and we talk and laugh over dinner. I fill them in on my karaoke status. I made it through another round of cuts and have another week to practice my next song, since a band is playing at the club this weekend.
“Tell me something, Andi,” Christina taps her bottom lip with the stick of her umbrella out of her drink. “Why is this karaoke thing so important to you? I mean, it’s not like you need the win for a singing career or anything. Your voice already is amazing.”
“It’s my artistic release, I suppose. I can sing, act, and be anyone I want for four minutes in a song. Nothing else is expected of me once the song ends, but it gives me all the benefits of being in the spotlight for a short time.”
They ask whether the guys will be there tonight, too. From their excessive questioning, it appears that I’m not theonly one who’s interested in the guys’ whereabouts this evening. Interesting.
We settle the bill, meaning I insist on treating my girls, and we make our way to our usual hangout. The guys are already there and have saved our seats. Funny how we split up and take up the vacant seats. I’m with Luke, of course, but I watch with amusement as Tania sits with Brandon. Then Christina sits with Will. And, finally, Katie sits with Shane. But it’s the look on each of their faces that tells the real story. There’s something good going on with my little family here.
The band isn't playing yet, so the music isn't too loud but gives enough background noise for a little privacy in conversations. I feel Luke's hand on my face, and I eagerly turn to face him. He kisses me like he hadn't seen me in a month, even though he left my house when I did this morning.
“I want to tell you something, Luke. Don’t freak out on me, okay?” I ask, never taking my eyes off his and silently willing him to be okay with my declaration.
“Okay," he says slowly, drawing the word out and apparently ready to freak out on me.
I take a deep breath and cup his cheek in my hand. “I love you. I just wanted to tell you.”
His hand suddenly goes to the nape of my neck, and he pulls me close to him, his lips barely hovering above mine. He sounds breathless when he says, “I love you, Andi. So much.” Then he kisses me so sweetly and completely, I am literally melting into a boneless pile of hot lava in my seat.
“If I hadn’t promised the guys that I would stay and listen to this band, we would be going home right now,” his deep voice reverberates from my ear to the very core of me.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
LUKE
I'm standing in the backyard at my parents' house, and my bottom jaw is resting on the ground in front of me. Brandon takes the opportunity to provoke me.
“You’re going to catch flies in that big hole of yours if you don’t shut your mouth,” Brandon says dryly.
I close my mouth, though I still can’t quite believe what I’m seeing. Andi stands there looking endearingly shy, clearly unsure of what to do with all the attention. My mother, meanwhile, is fawning over her—pulling her into one hug after another, each one tighter than the last. I halfexpect Mom to crack a rib at this rate. Andi doesn’t seem to mind the affection, but the sheer focus of it all has her a little flustered, her embarrassment evident as she endures my mother’s enthusiastic approval.
“Andi, I just can’t believe you did this! I just can’t get over it!” Mom has said that at least ten times since we got here a few minutes ago.
“It’s nothing. Really. I just wanted to do something for you, and this is the only thing I knew you wanted." Andi tries to explain, hoping my mom will just drop it already.
No such luck. Mom is gushing and running around the backyard, touching everything at least once.
Dad called Brandon, Greg, and me over to their house early this morning because not only has Andi ordered the patio furniture my mom wanted from the catalog, but she’s also ordered the whole backyard scene that Mom wanted to create.
Everything’s here—the hot tub with a waterfall that creates the illusion that it’s spilling over into the pool, the outdoor kitchen area with appliances, the matching furniture that goes all around the backyard, and all the brick pavers needed for the walkways and retaining walls. She also arranged for several workers to be here to help set everything up.
Andi smiles at me sheepishly. “It’s nice, isn’t it?”
