“Kimberly,” he says, snapping me out of my thoughts, and I realize he’s no longer sitting on the couch but standing in front of me with a concerned frown on his face.
“Sorry, I….”
“It’s all right,” he assures gently, stepping closer and resting his hand on my hip. Then his lips touch my forehead before he leans back, gripping the underside of my jaw in his free hand. “You gonna be okay?”
“I’m getting there,” I tell him, and his face softens. I know then just like I knew the moment I met him that I will regret it if I don’t take a chance and see what could happen between us.
“You here with me?” he questions as his thumb sweeps sweetly across my chin.
“Yes, I’m here with you.”
“Good.” He smiles then leans down to brush his lips softly over mine. “Come on.” Taking my hand, he leads me out of the room and down the hall toward the sound of Dillon and Ashlyn talking. As soon as we enter a huge kitchen, Ashlyn stands and comes around the large island in the middle of the room.
“You’re coming tomorrow, right?” she asks as soon as she’s standing in front of me, and I shake my head in confusion.
“Going where?”
“All of us are going out to dinner at Madison’s. I thought he told you already,” she says, nodding toward Sage, who drops my hand and slides his arm around my waist tucking me close to his side.
“I don’t know anything about dinner,” I state, and she frowns at me then looks at Sage.
“I thought Aunt Sophie said Kim was coming.”
“She is,” he replies, and I look at him, finding his eyes already on me. “I told my mom we would be there.”
“You did?” I ask, feeling my eyes turn squinty at his assumption.
Scanning my face, his lips twitch before he mutters, “You can yell at me later, but we’re going. My family’s been worried about you, and they want to see for themselves that you’re okay.”
“You could have asked me if I wanted to go,” I grumble, and he shrugs.
“Sage’s right. Everyone has been worried about you,” Ashlyn confirms quietly, breaking into my stare down with her cousin, and I look at her. “Everyone knew your parents were in town, so they didn’t want to bombard you, but they all want to see you.”
“Who’s all going to be there?”
“Everyone. The whole family is supposed to show up,” she says, and anxiety fills the pit of my stomach, because I know everyone also includes Sage’s parents, Nico and Sophie. “You have nothing to worry about. I promise it’s just dinner. No one is getting married,” she mutters, and I smile at that. We had told her just weeks ago that we were all having dinner, when in truth Dillon had planned a surprise vow renewal ceremony for her, since they had eloped in Vegas without anyone around. “Please say you’ll come.”
“We’ll be there,” I agree, reminding myself of my promise to be a better friend. “Are you sure it’s okay that I come?” I confirm, and Dillon chuckles.
“I don’t think you got much choice in this. I think these two bringing it up now is just a warning of what will happen tomorrow,” he says with a smile, and I smile back then look at Ashlyn.
“Thank you for having me over.”
“You’re welcome anytime,” she urges, giving me a hug before wrapping her arm around mine and leading me toward the front of the house, with Sage and Dillon following us. As soon as we reach the door, she opens it, giving me one last hug with a quiet goodbye before moving to stand under Dillon’s arm.
Sage takes my hand in his and leads me outside then down the steps to my car. “I’ll follow you to your place,” he tells me, opening my door, and I tip my head back to look up at him then shake it.
“That’s okay. I’m sure you want to get home after being gone.”
“I do, but we’ll go to my place after we stop at yours to pick you up some clothes.”
Blinking at him, I open and close my mouth like a fish out of water, trying to get my brain and mouth to work. “I’m not staying at your place,” I finally get out, while taking a seat behind the wheel and hitting the button to turn on my car. He doesn’t reply to my comment, and I wonder if he heard me, but I don’t have a chance to ask if he did before he shuts my door.
Watching him in the side mirror as he heads for his ride that is parked behind mine, I let out a breath, thinking I may be in way over my head this time.
And that’s proven true an hour later when I’m getting into his car and heading to his place with the bag I packed.