Page 77 of Friends with Benefits

I set her on the ground and press my forehead to hers. ‘I’m never taking it back, babe. This is forever.’

21

JAKE

It is dark by the time we pull into Drew’s driveway. I lead Jess by the hand out to the yard, where we hear the popping of corks before we see the others, sitting out on the decking by the pool.

‘Hey, hey, hey! Hold the celebrations!’ I shout.

We get cheers from the group and Jess and I head down to them. I make sure I’m on the right page by taking a sly look at Becky’s ring finger. Happy to see a huge rock sparkling there, I pick her up and swing her around until she squeals.

‘Congratulations, sis!’

‘Thank you,’ she giggles, clearly ecstatic.

I pull my brother into a hug. ‘I’m glad you grew some balls, at last.’

He pats my back too hard in return. ‘I should say the same,’ he says, nodding to Jess.

I glance back at my girl as Sarah pulls her into a hug and I tell Drew, ‘Yeah, you haven’t heard the half of it.’

What I’m about to say is that I have some news to share with him another time, since Jess and I have decided not to trample the celebrations with our own announcement.

But…

‘Oh my God! What is on your left hand?’ Sarah shouts.

All attention, including mine, swings to Jess. Her cheeks burn red and she looks at Becky. ‘I’m sorry, we weren’t going to mention it.’

‘Are you?’ Becky runs to Jess and takes her hand. ‘We’re going to be sisters?’ she squeals.

Jess laughs. ‘I guess we are.’

‘Show me the ring!’ Madge says, running to Jess. Izzy follows suit and pretty soon the decibels coming from all the girls are seriously freaking painful.

But I’d be lying if I said I’m not bursting with happiness inside. Jess glances at me and shrugs, making me laugh, somewhere between delirium and serious damn happiness.

‘You proposed?’ Drew asks, humor lacing his eyes and voice. ‘I thought you were just going to ask to date her, kid.’

‘What can I say? If you want something, show some conviction, right?’

Laughing, he pulls me into a tight hug. ‘I’m happy for you, baby brother.’

‘Ah, Drew, our baby boy is all grown up,’ Brooks says, throwing his arms around both mine and Drew’s shoulders.

Kit shakes my hand. ‘She’s a catch, man. And she’s willing to put up with your brooding shit. Keep her. But between us, she isn’t knocked up, is she?’

‘Christ, Kit, what the hell is wrong with you?’ Brooks asks, clipping him on the shoulder.

Marty comes over, popping another bottle of Dom. ‘Congratulations, both of you. Looks like it’s the year of the Harrington brothers. In all honesty though, it was my car, wasn’t it? Chicks dig the car.’

I shake my head as I fish in my pocket for his keys. ‘Here. Thanks for the ride. I’ll need to borrow her again tomorrow to get the scratch buffed out.’

‘The… What the… Oh, no, man, you did not bump the lady.’

I shrug as I sip from my glass of champagne then set it down on the coffee table. ‘It’s only a scratch, Marty. It’ll rub right out.’

‘No, no, no. You mother…’ He dives at me, hurtling both of us back into the pool. The girls scream as water splashes up over them.

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