Page 74 of Butter My Biscuit

I move her over to the full-length mirror and stand behind her, resting my chin on her head. “We look fancy as fuck.”

“It’s semiformal. I think that’s the point.” She turns to me. “We should probably get going. If we miss your sister’s engagement, you’ll never live it down. Like RIP shit.”

“You’re right, but you wouldn’t either, and we can’t have that, now can we?” I step to the side, allowing her to move past me, and then I follow her down the hallway, where she grabs her coat.

As she puts it on, I speak up. “I can’t believe Remi is moving in with you tomorrow. Might be kinda weird, seeing my sister so much.”

The smile on her face is contagious. “It all worked out. I can’t believe it.”

“It always does,” I remind her, just as I have a million times before.

Then, I place my hand on her back, and we leave.

Neither of us has said anything about what happened on Christmas Eve. The emotions of that night stream between us, but if she wants to pretend like it never happened, then I will too. I crossed my heart for her. Made a promise I’ll keep until the grave.

The truck is still running, and I made sure it stayed warm for her since the temperature has dropped.

“Kinsley’s getting engaged,” Grace says. “That means you’re next.”

I snicker. “Is there a rule I don’t know about that we all gotta get married in order?”

“I hope not,” she says. “You seriously can’t get married before me.”

“Guess we’ll see what happens,” I tell her, smirking, and she shakes her head.

“Who knows? You could meet the man you’re gonna spend the rest of your life with tonight,” I say, and she gives me her signatureyeah, rightlook.

“Don’t tell me I’ll find love when I least expect it.” She waves me off.

There’s a car in the distance, and the headlights shine and light Grace’s face. I keep both hands on the wheel as we drive to the Horseshoe Creek Ranch, but I’m relaxed.

Silence draws on. This always happens when things get too intense between us. A never-ending friend-zoning cycle. I’m guilty of some of that, too, especially when I thought we had no chance, when things got serious with her previous boyfriends. I won’t be the man who steals her from someone else, but I’ve thought about it.

“How’re things going with Landon?”

“Well, I might’ve actually hooked him up with Haley.”

I chuckle. “Really?”

“Yeah, I mean, he’s traveling a lot right now, but I think they have potential.”

“So, what about you?”

She shrugs. “Single-girl era.”

When we turn into the long rock driveway that leads to the ranch, I see the load of cars and trucks parked in the grass. More people showed up to the Halloween party, but it was an open invite. Summer decided to keep this get together intimate after Hayden, who was dressed as Star-Lord, punched out some guy for harassing my sister. That party waswild.

The only people who should be here are locals or they’re family. Summer said to expect about sixty to be in attendance, which is still a crowd.

By some miracle, I squeeze my truck right next to Beckett’s. We’re only a short walk from the house.

“Ready to go watch my sister get engaged?”

She laughs. “Absolutely. You know I love a good proposal. Hopefully, he nails the speech. Kinsley deserves her movie moment.”

“Oh, I’m sure Hayden will give the best one any of us will have ever heard. He’s a writer. And by what Kinsley said, he’s good. She wouldn’t lie about that, not even for him.”

“I’ll be the judge of that. If you see tears, then he did. If my eyes are bone-dry”—she wiggles her hand—“so-so.”

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