I can find you an awesome therapist there.”
“I’m using the team one. I may actually start in this program for athletes with anxiety.”
I cock my head. “Wait. Isn’t Lucy and Benji’s daughter, Angie, a part of that?”
“Oh, I don’t know. I just asked to join it.”
“Wow, that’s awesome. I’m very proud of you.”
He smiles. “Don’t know if it will work, but I’m hopeful.”
“Me too,” I say, squeezing his wrist. “Aiden is going to talk to you.”
He rolls his eyes. “At least it ain’t Mom.”
“That’s what Aiden said.”
Evan laughs, showing his gorgeous smile and squinty eyes, along with some adorable dimples. “That’s why I like that guy.”
“Good. I’m in love with him.”
“No shit, Shell. Everyone knows,” he teases, pulling me in for a close hug. “Don’t worry about me,” he whispers in my ear. “I got this.”
“I know, but as your older sister, I worry.”
“I know, which is why I love you so damn much.”
“Same here.”
We part, and I feel so much better. But then Evan makes a face. “Please tell me there are carbs here.”
I snort. “Yes. Dying at Mom’s?”
“Yes. Can I come stay with y’all?”
“No. We’re having a lot of sex right now.”
“Ew,” he says, walking away quickly, my laughter following him.
I turn to go find Aiden, when I come toe-to-toe with my grandma. She squeals my name as she wraps me up in her arms. “Oh, my Shelli, always so stunning.”
She lifts my arm so that I’ll do a twirl. I have to admit, I do look pretty good. I picked a long lace number that flows against my skin, almost like the wind. It’s a halter, leaving my back open, and Aiden told me it was the hottest thing ever. I’m pretty excited to get back home with him. “Thank you, Grandma. Are you having fun?”
“Yes. Thank God Aiden’s family believes in carbs.”
I giggle. “Fallon tried to go carb-free, but her daughters revolted.”
“Because God gave us carbs.”
I grin. “Agreed.”
She wraps an arm around me, and I gaze up at her happily. If I can age like my grandma, that would be awesome. She’s over seventy but looks twenty years younger. “Another wedding. My sweet girls are all getting married left and right.”
“Yeah. Crazy, huh?”
“No, not at all. It’s beautiful to see that my girls know their worth and find men who honor that.”
I nod. “Aiden does just that.”
“I know. He’s wonderful—and extremely handsome. You’re the winner in the husband lottery.” I laugh out loud, my whole body making the motion, until she gets really close to me. Her voice drops as she locks her eyes to mine intently. “Listen to me, Shelli Grace.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“It’s going to take more than keeping him fed and drained. You might have to add some ass play in there.”
I seriously cannot compute what she just said. “I’m sorry…what?”
“Ass play. You know, fingering it, licking it, doing it—I’ve read some incredible books lately.”
I think I just died. “I may throw up.”
“No, listen. This one book…I’ll find you the title, but Grandpa loved it. I didn’t walk—”
“Grandma!”
“What? I’m serious. That’s a good-looking man right there!”
“Oh my God, my ears are bleeding,” I complain as I rush away, despite her calling my name and cackling like the crazy lady she is. I thought she’d shocked me when she told me to keep Aiden fed and drained, but nothing compares to what she just said to me. Thankfully, I run right into my soon-to-be groom, and I look up at him, completely and utterly disgusted.
“What?”
“My grandma just traumatized me.”
He grimaces. “Do I want to know?”
“I will save you from that.”
“You’re a good woman, Shelli Adler.”
I nod as I lay my head on his chest.
He wraps his arms around my back, clasping his hands at my lower back as we look out at the party. “Hey.”
I glance up as he moves his hand to cup the back of my neck. “Yeah?”
“Jessie called.”
My eyes widen as I grin. “We got it?”
We had put an offer in on the house as soon as we walked through it. It is perfect, everything we want, and hell, we may not have thought we were boat people, but we’re about to be! But then I notice Aiden isn’t grinning.
“No, baby. We didn’t. Someone outbid us. By a lot.”
I make a face, my stomach dropping. “Well, that sucks.”
“I know. I’m sorry.”
I shrug, not allowing that to bother me. I’m about to marry the man of my dreams. Nothing can take me off my high. “It’s fine. It wasn’t the house for us.”
“It wasn’t,”