Page 74 of Hang the Moon
“Yeah?”
She nodded. “It’s... it’s a date.”
One date. That was hardly promising anything. It wasn’t like she’d agreed to move here and marry him or anything absurd like that. Just a date.
Brendon’s tongue darted out, wetting his lips as he leaned in, arching over her. His fingers bit into the skin of her thighs, pleasant pressure that made her stomach clench in anticipation.
Yes. The moment she’d been dying for since their almost-kiss in the foyer. Before that, if she was being honest. Since their last kiss, their first kiss, what was supposed to have been their only kiss, because she had a mantra. A list of reasons that right now she couldn’t have given less of a fuck about.
“We’ve got wine!”
Brendon swore quietly under his breath, tearing himself away quickly, regret shining in his dark eyes. Eyes that remained locked on hers as he reached down, adjusting himself in his jeans, not bothering to hide what he was doing.
She bit back a whimper.
Tearing herself from Brendon was becoming increasingly difficult, the ache between her thighs so intense she could hardlylook Darcy in the eye when she stepped inside the kitchen, brown paper bag of wine in hand.
***
An hour later, after every last scrap of takeout had been devoured, game night had turned into less of a vicious competition and more of a lazy evening of chatting, music playing quietly in the background. Annie ducked out to use the restroom and when she stepped back into the hall, she nearly collided with Elle. “Whoops. Sorry.”
Elle shook her head. “I was waiting for you.”
Annie’s brows rose. “Oh. Okay?”
“I was thinking, if you don’t already have plans tomorrow, we could hang out? I have a few calls I have to make in the morning, but I’m free after noon if you want to grab lunch and maybe go shopping.” Elle offered her a smile. “I know a great antique market, if that sounds like something you might be interested in.”
Her lips twisted in a genuine apology, touched by the offer. “I’d love to, but I already promised Brendon I’d spent the afternoon with him.”
“No worries. Next week, maybe?”
“I’m in.”
Elle beamed at her before her eyes darted briefly to the living room. “This has been nice. All of us. I’m happy you’re here.”
“So am I. Aside from, you know, the total humiliation of having to act outdoggy stylein front of everyone, it was fun.”
She was happier than she could remember being in a long,long time. She didn’t feel particularly compelled to do the math—any kind of math, but especially math this depressing—but it had been too long since she’d had friends who included her in any of their plans. Friends who bothered to remember when she was in town or where she was when she wasn’t. True friends.
One night with Darcy, Elle, Margot, and Brendon and Annie already felt more welcome than she had the last five times she’d been out with her “friends” in Philadelphia. Even if Darcy had put them all up to their littlelet’s sell Annie on the virtues of Seattle spiel, they’d obviously cared enough to go along with it.
These were people who wanted her around, and that was new. New and not something Annie was thrilled to leave behind.
She paused in the entryway of the hall, watching as Elle returned to her place on the couch behind Darcy. Brendon looked over his shoulder and smiled at Annie, gesturing to the space beside him.
Her chest grew tight.
In less than a week, she’d be on a plane to Philadelphia, a pitstop where she’d pack her apartment up and continue on to London.
Unless...
She pressed the heel of her hand to her chest, trying and failing to alleviate the pressure squeezing her, making her feel like the room was suddenly too small for five people plus all her tangled-up feelings.
Chapter Fourteen
Saturday, June 5
Early showers had cooled the air considerably, the temperatures hovering in the midseventies. Rays of sunshine had broken through the cloud cover during the ceremony, right as Katie and Jian exchanged vows. Now the sun hovered at the horizon, streaking the blue sky with shades of sherbet orange and pink. Golden light reflected off the placid surface of Lake Washington, and a gentle breeze ruffled the crisp white tablecloths beneath the pavilion as Annie took a sip of champagne and admired the view.
