Page 174 of Forever

I nodded. “You want to come say hi?”

“Yessie.” He slid out from underneath the table and followed me down the hall. “Hi, Mr. Donnelley!”

Donnelley leaned down and hugged him. “Hey, little man.”

“Do you want to play hide-and-seek with us?”

“Oh, um…” Donnelley looked up at me.

I nodded. “It’s okay. I can keep a look out.” It honestly put me at ease to keep an eye on Mr. Pruitt. I wanted to trust him. I just wasn’t totally convinced yet.

Donnelley followed Jacob into the main room and I could hear him counting.

“Go on outside with your groomsmen,” Kennedy said as she walked up to me. “I won’t let anything happen to Brooklyn. Besides, James’ bodyguards are patrolling the place. No one is coming in or leaving without them knowing. Plus Penny is on high alert because of what happened at her wedding. Trust me, we’ve all got this.” She leaned against the wall beside me and folded her arms across her chest, looking very much the part of a bodyguard.

I laughed. “You look very intimidating.”

“My pepper spray is even more intimidating.” She smiled up at me. “It’s strange isn’t it? For everything in the world to suddenly feel right again?”

I smiled down at her. “It really does.”

“Now go.” She waved her arms through the air. “Brooklyn will kill me if I let you see her dress before she walks down the aisle.”

“Thanks, Kennedy.” I went back out into the cold. My friends had abandoned their line and were standing in a circle talking. I jogged down the aisle and joined them.

“He came,” I said.

Rob scrunched up his nose. “Who came? And where? And why were you watching?”

“That’s not what I meant. I’m talking about Mr. Pruitt.”

“You watched Mr. Pruitt cum? Gross man.”

I hit Rob in the back of the head.

“Fuck yes,” Tanner said. “I knew I’d finally get through to him. I saved the day!”

I smiled. “You really did. Thanks, man.”

“I mean…I kind of saved the day too,” Rob said. “Well, Daphne did. She got these little hand warmers.” He tossed me one. It was already warm. “Thanks, Rob,” I said.

“Totally saved the day too,” he said.

“Not.” Tanner faked coughed. “As.” Cough. “Much.” Cough. “As.” Cough. “Me.”

I laughed. Tanner was actually correct. But I wasn’t going to take sides. And this hand warmer really was nice. I’d have to thank Daphne.

“So are they coming out soon?” Nigel asked. “Or should I go serve them refreshments? If you want I can be Francois again and…”

“That’s okay, they’ll be out soon.” We did not need handsy Francois in attendance today.

Nigel started jumping up and down to stay warm. “I’m so excited about our wedding.”

“Our?” I stared at him.

“Yes. Since we basically live in the same house, it’s our wedding.” He winked at me.

“You don’t live in my house.”

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