Page 195 of The Friend Situation

“Oh no.” I burst into laughter, knowing the two of us nearly finished the bottle.

I glance at Weston, whose eyes are as wide as saucers.

“Please tell me you’re joking.” His voice is low. “I’m physically prepared.”

A big grin touches her lips. “I’m jokin’. But seriously, that’s the worst moonshine on this side of the Mississippi. I’ve got the good stuff in the cabinet.”

Mawmaw moves to the kitchen while we stay in the living room.

Weston’s mouth brushes against mine. “You’re so fucking pretty.”

“I want you again,” I whisper, breaking away from him when my grandma returns with a bottle full of liquid the color of honey.

“After a while, the cinnamon burns your throat until you can’t taste a thing,” I tell her with a hiccup.

She hands me a fresh bottle of booze. “If you’re gonna drink, drink the good stuff. Life is too short to consume nasty alcohol and sleep on cheap pillows.” She glances between us, green eyes sparkling. “Okay, what’s going on with you two? Something’s different.”

I meet Weston’s eyes. Thingsaredifferent.

“I’ve stopped being in denial,” I admit. “No more fighting my feelings.”

She smiles. “Wait, you were fighting feelings?”

Weston chuckles and then happily announces, “We’ve decided to get married tomorrow.”

It feels right, like an adventure.

She glances between us. “You gotta get your marriage certificate, and then you have to wait for seventy-two hours, sweeties. Unless you already filed your paperwork down at the courthouse and I didn’t know about it.”

My smile fades. “Three days? That’sridiculous.”

“That’s the law, honey,” Mawmaw says.

Weston interlocks his fingers with mine. “We can wait seventy-two hours. Gives us a little time to prepare.”

“Or we can fly to New York and get married in the morning,” I suggest.

Mawmaw shakes her head. “Absolutely not.”

I stare at her.

“What’s the hurry? Are you pregnant?” she blurts out.

“Absolutely not,” I state matter-of-factly. “And it wouldn’t matter if I were.”

“Okay, don’t get worked up. Three days is hardly enough time for me to plan to go grocery shopping. And you’re gonna get together a whole wedding? Out of the question.”

“Mawmaw, a courthouse thing would be fine. I don’t need a production.”

She sighs. “Location won’t matter if you don’t get your butts down there today and fill out the paperwork. Y’all aren’t in any position to drive.” Mawmaw shakes her head. “I’ll take ya. I was just gettin’ ready to return some books. You’re gonna need your birth certificate, Social Security card, and driver’s license. We leave in ten minutes.”

Weston smiles. “Luckily, I have everything I need.”

“You do? You were prepared for this?”

He shoots me a wink. “Always prepared, gorgeous.”

Mawmaw turns to me. “What about you?”

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