“Go!”
“We climbed a lighthouse to see one in Florida.”
“Rocket.”
She switched cards. “I made one for you when I was ten.”
“Bracelet.”
New card. “These have a vendetta against you.”
“Birds.” He shuddered involuntarily.
That made her grin.
With every card she pulled out, she gave a clue that they had either seen or experienced together. When the timer finished, they had five cards answered.
“Good job, guys,” Evangeline said as she scooped up some salsa with a chip, her shoulder snuggled into Tai’s side.
Hayley also leaned into her boyfriend’s side, his arm around her shoulders. She studied Julien.
Martha set the box of Taboo words down on the coffee table and picked her plate of food back up. Julien rested his arm along the top of the couch cushion. When Martha settled back into her spot, Julien’s hand was near her neck. He gently ran the backs of his fingers along the soft curve of skin there. He loved being able to touch her whenever he wanted.
As far as the game was concerned, it was Levi’s turn. The giant man didn’t make a move toward the box of cards, contentto just sit with his plate perched on his thigh, his arm around Hayley, and munch on chicken wings that he’d put extra hot sauce on.
“So, Julien,” Hayley started.
Julien’s hand stilled for a moment at the tone in Hayley’s voice. Looked like it was time for the interrogation part of the evening. He wound one of Martha’s curls around his finger and met Hayley’s gaze, unintimidated.
“My man here”—she patted Levi’s thigh—“wrote me letters with romantic literary scavenger hunts inside. Tai immortalized Evangeline’s indomitable spirit in a piece of artwork that empowered her.” She held him with her intent gaze. “What have you done for Martha? Besides disclose your relationship to HR, which, by the way, is practical, not romantic, and no longer even relevant.”
“She’s going there, huh?” Tai muttered.
Levi grunted in response.
“Some people find practicality very romantic,” Martha argued in defense, her spine going ramrod straight.
Julien applied pressure to the muscles along her neck, massaging, but he didn’t jump in. If she had something she wanted to say, he very well was going to let her say it.
“I’ve never needed nor sought grand gestures. It’s the things that don’t fade that matter to me. A good character. Integrity. Kindness. Daily showing up, even through tough times, means more to me than a single extraordinary event.” She placed her hand on Julien’s knee while she narrowed her eyes at Hayley. “Don’t judge our relationship by your own measuring stick. Especially if you find it lacking, because I don’t.”
Julien’s heart swelled. He hadn’t needed Martha to come to his defense, but the fact that she had meant more to him than he realized it would. Overcome, he gently gripped the back of her neck and pressed a kiss to her temple. This woman. She was simply too perfect.
But he didn’t want her friends to think he lacked any sentimental bones in his body. Hayley was right. Martha did deserve grand gestures and a man who would woo her with both the practicality she appreciated but also the romantic actions of a man entirely devoted. The integrity she’d praised had held him back from displaying any of his feelings before their return from Florida, but that roadblock had been removed. Now he would romance her like she deserved.
Julien had thought to save sharing this with Martha in private, but right then seemed just as good a time. Especially since he didn’t want to say what else he was planning since he couldn’t guarantee the outcome and didn’t want anyone in the room to be disappointed if it didn’t all work out.
Shifting, he pulled his wallet out of his back pocket. Their discussion on the flight to the conference had gotten him to thinking. When they’d returned, he’d done a little digging.
Opening his wallet, he pulled out a frayed length of braided strings. Ever since finding it between the pages of an old textbook, he’d been carrying it around with him.
Martha gasped, covering her mouth with her hands. “Is that ...? You still have it?”
“What is it?” Evangeline scooted forward to look.
Julien laid his palm flat so everyone could see. “It’s a friendship bracelet Martha made me when we were kids. Somehow, even way back then, she knew we were bookmarked to be the most important person in the other’s life. I didn’t appreciate it at the time the same way that I do now, but I’m older and wiser.”
He gave her a peck on the lips, then returned the bracelet to his wallet. Shifting again, he dug into the front pocket of his pants. When he opened his fist this time, two identical woven bracelets lay in his palm.
