Page 131 of One Small Spark
“You’re right,” Ian says to him. “We need to eat some of your mama’s decadent creation first.”
August nods. “Then you can throw her over your shoulder.”
All these happy, sappy couples. So where’s my man?
Finally, Shepherd walks in from the yard trailing behind Leo and Charlie. Surprising no one, Leo and Griffin have become fast friends. Leo’s such an easy-going guy, he’s sort of the litmus test for people around Sunshine now. If Leo doesn’t like you, you need to reevaluate your life’s choices.
Leo joins our crowded circle around the fireplace. “Is this where we’re placing bets on who gets marriednext?”
He’s got his eyes trained on me, which is not cool. “Look at that one.” I point at Lila, who’s snuggled up to Grant. “They’re clearly the next marriageable couple.”
Ian huffs. “I want to take offense to that, but I’m not sure if I should.”
“Let it slide,” Tess says. “If you start taking offense to things Wren says, you’ll never be happy again.”
“Plus, that just makes you an easier target.” I shrug as if there’s nothing I can do about it.
“I think it goes Charlie and me,” Leo says, earning a swift shake of the head from his intended. “Then Lila and Grant.” He points at each couple in turn. “Then Ian and Tess. Then you.”
He points straight at me, which is honestly rude. I’m dead last? Seriously?
Also, why am Iupsetabout that prediction?
Shepherd takes his place next to me, sliding his arm around my waist and snugging me to him. As far as comfort from weird insults goes, it’s my favorite.
“For the record, Leo predicts Super Bowl matchups at the start of every season, which is arguably the thing he knows the most about.” Shepherd shoots him an innocent look. “You’ve gotten how many right?”
“Not really relevant at this juncture,” Leo mumbles.
Charlie does him a solid and kisses his cheek. “We probably shouldn’t put bets on other people’s love lives.”
From the way this group of guys is sizing each other up, I’m pretty sure they’re going to do exactly that the next time they’re alone.
Now I kind of need to know the odds Shepherd puts on us.
Hope and Griffin walk in from a back room. They lift their joined hands in triumph, their joy radiating through the house with the brightness of a thousand suns. We applaud for them,everyone from Mom and Daniel, who are with the other parental types, down to August, who’s the most enthusiastic clapper.
“Thank you for joining us today,” Hope says when we finally quiet down. “You know we wanted something small and low-key. But we didn’t want to get married without all of you with us.”
“I did,” Griffin says. His brother wolf-whistles.
“You’re the most important people in our lives.” Hope’s voice breaks, and Griffin holds her close. She looks at each of us around the room. “Our parents. Our honorary aunts. Our siblings. Our very best friends in the whole wide world.”
Dammit, she had to get me crying again. Shepherd pulls me tighter to him, but that just squeezes out more tears.
Hope leans forward, pointing at August. “And, obviously, our little buddies who make everybody’s lives better just by being them.”
August cheers while Griffin’s brother raises his small son’s fist.
Hope dabs beneath her eyes with the backs of her index fingers. “We wouldn’t be who we are without you guys. We love you so much.”
“And there’s cake in the kitchen, let’s eat.” If Griffin had a mic, he’d drop it.
I like him for a lot of reasons, but we’re on the same page when it comes to getting mushy: not with an audience.
The crowd slowly moves from being too much for Hope’s parents’ living room to being way too much for their kitchen. I stay by the fireplace, still warming my ice-cold legs.
“Okay there, Krause?”
