Page 83 of If This is Love

Skye was pretending to notice invisible dust on Brennan’s lapel and brushed it with her hand before she looked at me. “He-ey, y’all!” she chirped. Her smile was stiff like she was restraining excitement. “Ruth, yourdress.”

I picked at the side of it, swishing the slinky skirt a little while I gave a self-deprecating laugh. “Yeah, this dress is kind of…”

“Amazing,” Gabe finished so quietly next to my ear that only I heard him.

I couldn’t help glancing at him with what were probably big, puffy-heart eyes, and then I managed to look at Skye again. “Uh…something.”

“It’sgorgeous,” Skye gushed, absently tugging at the long, green lace sleeves of her dress. Her dress was pretty gorgeous, too, and made me feel better about how slinky mine was because hers had a completely open back. She stared at Gabe and me, blue eyes alight with mischief and glee. “Gabe, you lookamazing, too.” Her voice was getting a bit higher-pitched and more excited with every sentence. “Did you guys…like…just get here, or…?”

“We did,” I answered for both of us, loving being able to answer acouple’squestion like that again. Not that Gabe and I were anofficialcouple or anything, but it was the small, ordinary things about being one half of a whole that I missed sometimes. “We were just looking at the centerpieces. The flowers are beautiful.”

Skye was practically bouncing up and down. “Oh yeah, they really are.” She fidgeted with her sleeves for another second before she abruptly gripped Brennan’s bicep and squeezed so hard that her knuckles were white. “And did y’all… like… come in the same car,orrr…?”

Connor immediately turned away from us and snorted into his fist, his broad shoulders shaking with a chuckle, and Brennan pressed his lips together as he cast an enamored gaze down at her.

I had to laugh, glancing at Gabe, who was biting back a smirk but didn’t look bothered by the mischievous glances and semi third-degree from Skye. “Yes, we came in the same car.”

“Like… like… like…” Skye’s face was turning pink from excitement, and she squeaked, “Together?”

“Yes, friend,together.” I laughed again, reaching with my free hand to squeeze the side of her lace-clad arm, and then I whispered, “Like a date.”

And then she finally squealed, hastily turning away and into Brennan’s chest, muffling the sound at the tail end of it.

“Oh, baby girl.” Brennan chuckled, rubbing her bare back as he kissed the side of her head and briefly pressed his cheek against her smooth, shiny red updo. “Every time you’re excited like this, you just breathe new life into me.” He nodded at Gabe and me. “Good to see y’all.” A dashing but knowing smile broke across his face. “You both look fantastic.”

Gabe offered his free hand, and they shook. “Thanks, Riley.” He nodded at Brennan, then at Connor. “Deneau.” His gaze flitted around the space. “Y’all seen my baby brother yet?”

Connor lifted his index finger and tilted it past where Gabe and I were standing. “He’s on that side of the room talking to Chloe and Scott’s work peeps, but they put y’all at the same—”

“Lizaaa…”Skye was whisper-hissing, her head turned away from us. “Liii-zaaa…!” She frantically waved her hand toward herself.

“Y’all are…” Connor was still saying, cutting a glance at Skye before looking at Gabe and me again. “They put both of y’all at their table over by the front there.”

Liza suddenly appeared at Connor’s side, looking completely smoldering in a slinky, black dress with swirls of glittering purple beads that plunged deep in a V to between her small breasts. My sexy gold dress I was worrying so much about suddenly seemed pretty perfect for a party like this, and it honestly fit like a glove with my two beautiful friends’ dresses, and this evening just kept getting better and better.

“Hey!” Liza chirped, looking at Gabe and me. “Y’all are here. Did you—”

Skye’s hand darted forward to grab her wrist, and she pulled Liza through the center of the group and off to the side. Skye whispered in her ear for about a second and a half before Liza flicked her eyes to my hand wrapped around Gabe’s arm, and she immediately held back a smile.

Liza stood up straight, her eyes homing in on mine for a second. “It’s so,sogood to see y’all.” She cleared her throat quietly. “Together.”

Connor snorted into his fist again without bothering to turn around this time, and Brennan dipped his face low, clutching the bridge of his nose as his shoulders silently shook.

“Oh mygod.” Skye huffed, dropping Liza’s hand. “Why do y’all keep laughing like that? You’re making it awkward for them when it’snotawkward.”

Connor shrugged guiltily, his shoulders shaking as he laughed louder. “We’re not laughing atthem. We’re laughing atyou two.” He took a staggering step backward, slapping his thigh with more laughter. “The only awkward thing is how y’all are so excited about them being on a date that you’re basically doing the peepee dance.”

Liza scoffed. “Con-nor.” She gestured in a wide arc at the room. “You can’t talk about thepeepeedanceright now. We’re child-freefor about four hours, and I don’t want to think about potty training for that whole time.”

“Y’all are so funny.” I waved my free hand. “It’s all fine.”

“Yep,” Gabe chimed in contently, not putting any space between his side and mine.

“Are y’all planning to come out afterward?” Liza asked us both, then looked directly at me as she explained, “Anytime we have a big celebration like this, we always do an after-after party with just the group.”

“And because it’sLuke,” Skye cut in, full of snark, just as Sabrina appeared at my side and stepped in between Liza and me, “we’re just going to the Old Point. So it’s casual.”

“Yeah,” Liza echoed, her eyes drifting to Sabrina as she smiled. “Hey, Brina. Oh my gosh, that necklace isamazing.”

---