Page 113 of You Belong With Me

‘It’s gotYou Make Me Meltwritten on the side.’

Elliot’s face was completely straight, and Edie didn’t dare let herself believe. Was he …? Were they … going to be all right?Oh my God …

‘What do you want?’ she said, heart in throat.

Elliot put his hands in his pockets. ‘Although I didn’t know it until a minute ago, I wanted to hear every last thing you said.’ He paused. ‘Thank you.’

The night was starless and blowy, but no longer cold away from the patio heaters.

‘Including your proposal.’

‘I proposed?’ Edie said, feeling weightless. ‘Fuck, I suppose I did?’

‘I’m afraid so, and even worse, I accept it. My answer is yes.’

Elliot was looking at her from under his brow, smiling, and Edie thought she was smiling – she wasn’t sure.

‘Where the hell is Elliot? Has anyone seen my other best man? I’m downgrading him to Merely Adequate Man,’ came Fraser’s voice, from the din in the tent.

‘We better go back,’ Elliot said, reaching forward and putting his hand in hers.

‘Sure,’ Edie said.

They walked a few steps.

‘Edie.’

He stopped her, spun her round, and kissed her. Edie threw her arms around his neck. Since their first kiss, none had meant quite as much as this one. Elliot had this way of expressing so much in the way that—

‘UNBELIEVABLE!’ came a male voice.

They broke apart to see Fraser right by them.

‘I’ve met some filthy shits in my time, but you two are a class apart. You couldn’t last myreception? Seek medical help.’

‘We’ve beentalking, Fraz,’ Elliot said, faux-wearily. ‘Grownups were talking.’

‘Yeah, it looked like it,’ Fraser said. He looked from Edie’s rapturous expression to Elliot’s guarded one. ‘You were talking? Really? About what? Something’s gone on here. Edie’s pregnant, isn’t she?’

‘I’m not pregnant!’ Edie said. ‘I’ve been drinking like a sailor on shore leave.’

‘Well, something’s up,’ Fraser said. ‘Elliot’s got his Mr Important Decision Maker face on. There’s a feverish mood, like I threw water over mating cats.’

‘OK, look. We got engaged,’ Elliot said, under his breath, looking at Edie for her approval. She’d thought it was more of a private pact between them about the intended direction of travel, rather than an official decision. Elliot really meant it? Enough to tell his family? Her heart might burst.

‘DO NOT tell anyone tonight,no one, promise? When everyone’s pissed, it’ll spread like wildfire, and you’ll give our parents’ nervous system dysregulation after your antics,’ Elliot said.

‘At our wedding?! OH MY GOD, THIS IS THE COOLEST THING TO …’

Molly appeared at Fraser’s side, white dress making her a moth in the late twilight. ‘What’s happened?’ she said, agog.

Fraser looked panicked by the pressure to dissemble. ‘Erm … they shagged on the swing.’

Elliot made a disapproving exhalation. ‘We did not shag on the swing!’

‘I used to play on that as a child,’ Molly said, dismayed.

‘Fraz, really!’ Elliot said.

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