Page 103 of My Secret to Protect

Three months later

‘You’relate,’Zoesaysas I rush into Cara’s house to find all the women in my family in the living room, from Lottie all the way up to Grandma. Lucas is here, too, because here is where Zoe’s boobs are. Caterers and decorators mill around like worker bees getting everything ready.

‘Five minutes.’ I shrug, and Missy points at me, her sage green dress hanging over her now very prominent baby bump.

‘Late is late, Breanne.’

‘Oh, shut up.’ I smile as I head over to hug my friend, then my twin, then, well, everybody else.

‘Why are you late?’ Cara asks as she applies my mom’s makeup, and I snatch up a glass of champagne.

‘I just lost track of time.’

They all laugh and make jokes about Arlo and me at the exact same time, and I roll my eyes.

‘A healthy sex life is very important,’ Mama says, and I smile.

‘Thank you, Mama. I think so, too.’

‘What’s a sex life?’ Bowie’s question has us all grimacing.

‘Oh, Doug’s going to kill me,’ Cara grimaces, and I bend down to scoop up Bowie into a hug.

‘Never you mind, young lady. Shall we go upstairs and do something about this hair?’

Nodding, she takes my hand and pulls me upstairs to her bedroom. Her bridesmaid dress hangs on the door, her brand-new little Converse ready and waiting to spend the day pounding around Cara’s house and backyard.

‘Auntie Bree,’ Bowie says sweetly into the mirror as she sits at her dressing table, and I stand behind her, my hands on her shoulders.

‘Yes, Bo Bo?’

‘You know how auntie Missy and Uncle Nick are not really my auntie and uncle?’ Smiling, I pick up her brush and spray some detangling spray on her hair. What the hell does this child do for her hair to end up like this? You know what, never mind, my little wild child can keep her secrets. ‘Auntie Bree?’

‘Sorry, honey, yes, I know.’

‘Well, you’re really my auntie, right?’

‘Yes, sweetheart, your daddy is my baby brother.’ She giggles at me, calling Doug a baby.

‘So, when you marry Arlo, he’ll be my uncle.’

My stomach flips at her words—whenyou marry Arlo, like she’s so sure that will happen.

‘Yes, sweetheart. If I get married to Arlo, he’ll be your uncle.’

‘Do you think he would mind if I called him uncle now?’ I meet her eye once more and swallow around the lump in my throat. ‘Because he’s always kind to me, and he gives me free doughnuts at the diner, and he teaches me how to train Harley and Beans, and when he gives me shoulder rides, it’s so high up, I’m like a giant.’

I laugh lightly at that, but mostly so I don’t cry. Watching Arlo slot into small-town life this past couple of months has been beautiful. He’s been relaxed and full of joy and watching him with my whole family brings me a peace I didn’t know I’d ever find.

‘You know, Bo, I don’t think he would mind that at all, but why don’t you have a little talk with him, you know, one-on-one, friend to friend? I think he would appreciate that.’

‘You do?’

Nodding I lean down to press a kiss on the top of her head.

‘I do, honey.’

MymommarriedMervin a beautiful ceremony, officiated by Missy, inside Cara and Doug’s house. The last-minute change of ceremony location from the backyard was a rush thanks to the un-forecast downpour, but we made it work, and now I’m a little tipsy and feeling mischievous.

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