Page 19 of The Wedding Crush

The second she’s gone, though, I light into Dante.

“Are you serious?” I whisper. “I called you three times this week to confirm we were meeting. I figured you knew I meantalone.”

In the other room, Morgan’s shrill scream is matched by a familiar feminine voice I can’t quite place.

Then again, I’m not trying to.

My focus is centered on the way Dante’s features tighten as if calming himself for what he’ll say next, and I’m all ears. Because why not just invite me for dinner rather than let me believe it’d be just us?

“You’re forgetting I know how you operate, Stef.” Dante’s tone hardens with challenge as his attention darts between me and the living room off the foyer. “Do you really think I don’t know what you want todiscuss?” He throws up air quotes.

“Look, I’m not against your engagement if that’s what you’re insinuating. Believe it or not, I’m happy for you.”

“You could’ve fooled me,” he scoffs.

“Well, I am.” I stay the course, determined to get this out. “After what I’ve been through, is it so ridiculous that I’d want to protect you from suffering the same fate?”

“You don’t know what you’re talking about!” he snaps. “And contrary to what you think, you don’t always know what’s best for me.”

I nod, giving him his moment.

How many times has he used some version of that statement with me, only to come pleading for advice later?You’ve got a superiority complex; you don’t know me…but how do I get her to notice me? Don’t comment on my relationship…but she left me, and it hurts, so how do I get her back?

I’ve got half a dozen years on him, and I’ve saved his ass too many times to count. That’s what I do. I look out for my family. I spare them by letting them learn from my mistakes.

“Don’t I, though?” I chew the inside of my cheek. “Look, there’s nothing wrong with an engagement. I’m simply saying take some time. Learn each other. Learn what’s important to you as individuals and as a couple. Consider the benefits of giving yourselves the necessary time to embrace your union before the actual wedding day. That’s all.”

“That’s all,” he parrots.

Dante sighs, his frustration clearly mounting. “Jesus, can you just stop and listen to yourself for a second? A union? We’re in a relationship.”

I shrug. “Semantics.”

“Whatever, you sound like some abstinence brochure listing the features and benefits of waiting. Time is an illusion.” He scratches his temple. “Morgan and I have been through enough in life to understand the risks and value of what we have. We don’t take it for granted.”

“Again, that’s not what I’m saying.” I huff out a frustrated breath. “You’re young.”

“And therefore, inexperienced, right?” Dante scoffs. “You’re not that much older than me.”

The volume in the foyer grows louder.

Dante lowers his voice, leaning in. “Let’s be clear, you’re my brother, and like I said, I’d love your support. But if that’s not something you can bring yourself to give—”

“Look what the San Francisco air blew in!” Morgan announces, breaking into my brother’s unveiled threat as she ambles into the dining room with Avery Ellis on her heels.

Immediately, Avery sets her dark brown eyes on me, annoyance clouding over her mainstay sunny disposition.

“What are you doing here?” she asks, visibly as put out about my presence as I was by the fourth place setting. When I wordlessly fan out my hand to the table in explanation, she turns back to Morgan. “What is he doing here? I thought we were relaxing over wine and that Tia Williams movie while you catch me up on what I missed Tuesday…”

Ah yes, their weekly girls’ night. How could she have passed up a wine-fueled happy hour to gossip?

The air is charged with tension.

Surprisingly, Morgan ignores her question and claps her hands together, pasting on a cheery smile instead.

“We will absolutely be doing the movie…aftera nice sit-down dinner,” she clarifies as if this was the plan all along.

Except, suddenly, I suspect it was.

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