Page 65 of Bad Boy Crush

“I’m just saying, now that you and Ant are over the friendship hump—”

“Because they’re humping.” Brady breezed by with a full cooler.

“Don’t be an ass,” Elli admonished.

“Even though I have a great one!” He opened the back door with one foot and closed it the same way, making sure the dog was outside first.

“He does have a nice ass, though,” Lou said.

“He really does.” Rather than finish her earlier thought, her friend said, “The future arrives whether you are planning for it or not. What you and Ant have physically could turn into more.”

“Or less.” Lou munched the carrot. “Sometimes the physical part dissipates and you’re left with two people who don’t have much in common.”

“Is that a thing?” Elli purposely looked confused.

“Don’t make me hate you.” Lou grinned.

“You know Ant better than I do. From what you’ve told me about him, he’s obviously no Liam. Could you imagine Ant cheating on you?”

“God, no.” She didn’t have to think about her answer. Which had to count for something, didn’t it? There wasn’t a single bone in her body worried he might look elsewhere for a woman.

They walked outside with glasses of iced tea as Ant arrived with his own cooler of beer. Brady joked that Ant would have to stay the night with Lou if he drank all of it, and Ant said he’d planned on staying with her either way.

Was it her, or did all of their friends talk to them like they were a foregone conclusion? As if the future had been foretold, and Ant and Lou would live happily ever after. Part of her wanted that certainty. She’d fantasized on a few occasions about waking next to him every morning or sipping coffee in her sunroom while they chatted about life.

But she also had to acknowledge the niggling doubt that always interrupted those fantasies. Would it, could it, last? She’d thought when she’d married Liam that they’d stay married forever. Instead, he’d made a fool out of her and walked away without so much as a backward glance.

Bottom line: No one knew what the future would bring. Not Elli and Brady, not Lisa or May, and definitely not Lou.

They ate and drank, chatting about the events in town coming up and Brady’s hectic schedule. He was once again considering pursuing the detective position he’d thought about last year, but was unsure. Elli encouraged him, telling him he could do whatever was in his heart.

So. Stinking. Sweet.

After dinner, the men cleared the plates, Lila on their heels in pursuit of scraps. Lou watched the boats on the lake troll by. It was early evening, with plenty of sunshine left—hours, in fact.

A few minutes later, Brady came outside, rubbed his hands together, and blew out a breath. He looked nervous. Almost nauseous. Lou exchanged a questioning look with Ant, who answered with a wink.

Then Brady lowered to one knee in front of Elliott’s chair. Her face was a mask of surprise, her eyebrows raised, her lips parted as Ant lifted a cell phone to capture the moment.

“Elli Bean,” Brady started. “Last year, I saved your life when you had a flat tire. Finding your car broken down in that gym parking lot changed my life. I love you. Lila loves you. I want to be your husband and I want you to be my wife. I’m asking in front of Ant and Lou because they were a big part of us staying together.” He looked over his shoulder, raw emotion in his voice when he said, “Thanks, guys.”

Lou rested her hand over her heart, nearly moved to tears by the scene.

Brady pulled a ring from his pocket. “What do you say? Be my wife?”

“Yes!” Elli threw her arms around his neck, bypassing the ring and diving in for a kiss. After a mini make-out sesh, she let him slip the ring onto her finger.

Lou and Ant applauded as Elli swiped the tears from her eyes. Brady stood and cracked open a beer. He took a long drink. “Damn. That was stressful.”

“Like I’d say no? I can’t believe you planned this whole thing without me knowing!” Elli admired the diamond on her hand and then looked at Lou. “Did you know?”

“I swear I didn’t.”

“I knew you’d prefer something low-key as opposed to me climbing on stage during a Knight Time concert and asking you there.”

Elli blanched. Brady knew her well.

“And like I said, I wanted them to be here.” Brady dipped his chin at Ant and then Lou.