She plunked into the seat we’d left for her and picked up the mocha I’d bought—her favorite. “This mine? I’m guessing you didn’t drag me out here to tell me you guys have become best friends.”
“We’re dating,” I admitted, her behavior still confusing the fuck out of me.
“And we understand if you’re angry,” August rushed in. “I know it’s got to be a bit odd, considering, well…”
“What, the fact we dated?” Serena said. “No offense, but I’m not the relationship type. And even if I was, after a month or two, it felt more like dating my brother, which was just weird. But it did give me the idea.”
“The idea for what?” I asked, even though the pieces were slotting together at a rapid pace.
“To get you two to meet,” Serena said, arching her brow. “Why do you think I gave you my ticket?”
“Because you know I love the Dropkick Murphys and wanted to see that concert?” I said, even though based on her smug smile, I’d figured it out. Relief saturated through me in a fast sweep.
“Yeah, but we started dating, not just being friends,” August insisted, a seriousness in his gaze that was utterly adorable.
“Baby, she was playing matchmaker,” I said, reaching over to squeeze his hand. “She wanted us to date.”
“Whoa, what?” August glanced between us. His brows rose an inch.
Serena let out a bark of a laugh. “My brother needs some sunshine in his life. You’re easygoing enough that I knew you wouldn’t have an issue with his work schedule like past boyfriends did, and you’re both into the worst fucking music.”
“No accounting for taste,” I commented. “Rich, coming from someone who likes stoner jam bands.”
“I want to unwind on my downtime, not get amped up with a bunch of sweaty assholes,” Serena said, taking another sip from her mocha.
“You really don’t care?” August asked, his leg slowing down from the nervous movement.
“I’m glad,” she said. “You’re a good person, and I think you’ll be great for Drake. He’s been lonely, even if he’d never admit it.”
“I’m right here,” I grumbled, even though affection bubbled up inside me. She wasn’t wrong. Meeting August and falling for him had made me realize how much I’d given up on trying to find love. How much I’d walled myself off.
And how much I’d secretly craved someone to come home to. To call my own.
“I know you are, little brother,” Serena said, reaching out to pinch my cheek. I swatted at her, and she swatted back, and the years melted away, as if we were still teens and not in our late twenties.
“Well, damn, that’s a huge relief,” August said as he rested his ankle over mine, as if he couldn’t bear for us to not be connected skin to skin. I loved every second of his neediness, as it soothed the need to be first for someone that had hounded me my entire life. I hadn’t realized until I’d started dating him just how much my past relationships had been lacking.
“Did you think I’d be mad?” Serena asked.
“Yeah, a little,” I admitted. “I felt super guilty at first. You have to admit, it looks bad on paper.”
“I broke up with August though,” Serena pointed out. “We’d barely been dating.”
“Six months isn’t anything to scoff at,” he said.
Serena shook her head, a grin on her lips. “I wasn’t aware we were dating past the initial hookup. For like three of those months.”
“My whole world is a lie.” August flung an arm over his forehead, faking drama.
“You’re going to hold this over me, aren’t you.” I eyed Serena suspiciously.
“Oh, fuck yeah,” she said with a toothy grin. “When it’s time to give speeches at your wedding, you best bet I’m takingallthe credit.”
Heat rushed through me at the thought. With anyone else, I would’ve run screaming or wouldn’t believe it could last. August’s eyes sparked at the mention of wedding, and my chest squeezed tight. Yeah, he was definitely it for me.
I didn’t care that we hadn’t been together long. I knew, deep in my gut, that he was my forever guy.
“That’s a deal,” I said, and Serena’s eyes widened.
