Liam shoots him a glare. “I look like a LinkedIn profile.”
I bite back a smile.
“I will never forgive you guys for this,” he adds.
Noah shrugs. “Happy wife—”
“—happy life,” I finish.
Liam sighs dramatically and right then Noah’s phone buzzes. We both glance down at the screen.
KIARA: cue the boys. time for the big moment.
“Alright, they’re coming down,” Noah announces.
Luke claps his hands once. “Alright. Straight line, boys.”
We shuffle around until we’re standing in something that roughly resembles one. Noah tugs at his blue tie again, adjusting it while looking down at it. Luke, meanwhile, is patting his pockets like he’s searching for something important. “My camera,” he says under his breath. “Where the hell did I—”
And then we hear the sound of heels on the stairs. Every single one of us looks up at the same time.
Mel appears at the top of the stairs in soft yellow, and for a second the entire room pauses. Her long blonde curls fall past her shoulders. The dress flows around her like it was designed with her in mind, warm and bright and effortless. Her full name is Melody for a reason.
Liam’s eyes go wide. He’s staring at her like he’s falling in love all over again.
Mel reaches the bottom of the stairs and grins at all of us. “Wow,” she says, looking around. “You guys clean up pretty well.”
Then her gaze lands on Liam. She walks straight up to him, placing a hand on his chest before pressing a quick kiss to his cheek. “The suit fits you, honey.”
Liam looks like he might actually forget how to speak and Mel leans in slightly, just enough for Noah and me to hear. “I owe you.” She winks.
Then the sound of heels follow down the stairs again.
Kiara appears in a red dress. Of course. High slit, her curly hair bouncing with every step, and her brown skin glowing like always. At the last step, she stops abruptly and sighs, holding her arms out. Noah and I move at the same time, grabbing her hands to help her down.
“Honestly,” she says, shaking her head. “Who raised you?”
Then her eyes narrow. “Oh no,” she says, already stepping toward me. “Absolutely not.”
“What…?” I ask, immediately suspicious.
She’s in front of me in two seconds, digging into one of her bags. “Your hair. It looks… lazy.”
“My hair is fine.”
“It is not,” she replies as she grabs gel and a comb.
“No,” I protest.
“Yes,” she says cheerfully, already pushing my head forward. “Hold still.”
I sigh and let it happen. She smooths everything into place, neat and controlled.
“There,” she says, satisfied. “Oh wait, those top buttons—”
I interrupt her by grabbing her arm lightly. “You’ve done enough damage.”
She rolls her eyes and I let go of her hand, laughing softly under my breath when I catch a silhouette. I turn my head—andimmediately forget how to fucking breathe. Maddy steps into view at the top of the stairs.
