“Not yet.” Danielle waves her hand in the air, not meaning to flash the big—fake—ring through the air. She looks at me again, eyes shining. “We’re in no rush and really, this is Diana’s weekend. That’s why I didn’t announce anything on social media yet.”
“Then why didn’t you just wait to ask her?” Diana smiles sweetly. “I can’t imagine not shouting it from the rooftops the moment I got engaged.”
Danielle’s shoulders bunch up, and she laughs nervously, eyes going to me.
“It wasn’t about letting the world know,” I start before she has a chance to start rambling. I run my fingers down Danielle’s arm, and my heart speeds up. Angling my body toward hers, I reach out with my other hand and push her messy hair over her shoulder. “It was about not being able to wait another day to let Danielle know how much she means to me.”
The words come out easily but leave a bad taste in my mouth. I’m acting, yet I’m not, and the weird disassociation from the truth is enough to make me dizzy.
“I had a whole big thing planned,” I go on. “I was going to ask during our town’s annual Fourth of July fireworks show. But like I said, I got impatient. I knew from the moment she walked into my bar at one AM on a Thursday that she was perfect for me.” I let my hand drop, and I take both her hands in mine, getting lost in her sea-green eyes. She gives my hands a squeeze and blinks rapidly, almost as if she’s trying not to cry.
I don’t know if she’s acting or not.
“Oh, how romantic,” Peter’s mother swoons. “And how thoughtful of you two to keep the news to yourselves until after the wedding.”
“I try.” Danielle nervously laughs. I lace my fingers through hers and give her hands a squeeze. She has nothing to be nervous about. I’ll make sure we get through this. “Are you going down for breakfast already? I thought it was later.”
“It is, but we were on our way down to get mimosas and get some sun before our reservation and thought we’d see if you’d like to join,” her mother says. “I called.”
“You did? We must have slept right through it.”
“Up late?” Diana slightly narrows her eyes, and I can’t tell if she’s trying to be condescending or make a joke. There’s a good chance not even she knows the difference between the two.
“We got in at like two or three AM. Yeah, we were up late.”
“And then up a little later. I can’t keep my hands off this one.” I pull Danielle close to me, and her eyes widen as she tries not to laugh. Her mother looks at us disapprovingly and Diana’s eyes narrow again.
“Try to keep it classy, Danielle. We’ll be downstairs whenever you’re ready. Don’t be late to breakfast,” her mother says. “It was nice to meet you, Logan. I look forward to getting to know you better before you become part of the family. Danielle’s father does too.”
They turn and filter out of the hotel room, shutting the door behind them.
“I can’t keep my hands off this one?” Danielle hisses, shaking her head as she goes back to the bed. “Seriously?”
I shrug. “We’re very much in love. Though really it would be the other way around.” I turn to the mirror and flex the muscles in my chest. “I mean, look at me. How you’re resisting me right now, I’ll never know.”
Danielle’s cheeks flush, and she looks away. “I…I should get ready.” She grabs her stuff and goes into the bathroom. I grab my phone and go onto the balcony, taking a few pictures to send to Owen so I can remind him that I’m here on a mini vacation while he’s stuck at home working double shifts to fill in for Danielle and me. He responds right away.
Owen: You woke me up, cocksucker.
Me: Just “me”? You’re alone tonight?
Owen: Fuck no. Wendy. Or Wanda? Hell if I know. Is still passed out. Did you fuck Danielle yet?
Me: How’s Dexter? Did you remember to feed him?
Owen: You measured his food in baggies and left them on the counter. And labeled them for each day.
Me: Is that too hard for you?
Owen: Fuck you. And you didn’t answer me. Did you put the P in the V??
Me: You need to grow the fuck up. And no.
Owen: Make me proud. Get out of the friendzone.
I lock the screen on my phone and set it down, looking out at the beach. It’s early, but a lot of people are out there already.
“I’ll do my makeup out here,” Danielle says from inside the room. “So I’m not hogging the bathroom.”
I get up and go back inside. “Wow.” It’s all I can do to keep my jaw from dropping. “You look beautiful.”