Page 49 of The Perfect Deal
Thankfully, Poppy and Landon were all wrapped up in one another because I couldn’t control myself. I went right toward her before Ethan or anyone else had a chance to seek her out. “You look beautiful,” I told her.
“Thank you. You look nice as well.” She smiled at me, and my knees went weak. I was going to be the same consistency as an oyster by the time this night was over.
“I saved you a seat,” I told her, and then, without a thought, I took her hand and led her over to the table, to the two seats my brother and sister had been protecting for me, not that anyone was dying to sit there. Still, it was nice to have their cooperation.
“This is nice.” Liberty thanked my brother and sat down next to him, and I took the seat on her other side next to Luke. He gave me a bit of a questioning look, as if to ask if I was sure I wanted to do this, but I ignored him. With any luck, Landon wouldn’t notice that the two of us were sitting next to each other, and since I was still holding her hand under the table, I had to hope he wouldn’t notice that either.
We had to let go of one another to order, but I was very much aware of Liberty’s knee pressing up against mine as we both ordered lobster and drinks. She went with a margarita while I ordered a specialty beer. Our drinks were served quickly, as were the appetizers, and before long, the entire table was full of laughter and storytelling as good friends got reacquainted and strangers built friendships.
“The sunset is so beautiful this evening,” Liberty noted as we waited for our food. “I wonder what it would be like to live here.”
“Did you like living in California?” I asked. “I know you weren’t right on the ocean, but didn’t you get to visit some?”
“We went to the ocean a few times a month, but it’s not the same as living on it. And I’m not sure the view was this breathtaking anywhere I ever went. I liked living in California, but it never felt like home.” She sighed, and I wondered if I’d made a mistake asking about that part of her life.
I had no plans of ever leaving Franklin. I loved my house, my job, my friends, but I would like to be able to afford to take more time off work so I could travel. I found myself saying, “West Palm Beach would be a nice place for a summer vacation home.”
Liberty’s face lit up. “It would be. Are you thinking of buying one someday?”
Shrugging, I said, “I don’t know. Maybe. I’d love to work a little less and spend more time with the people I care about, especially once I have a wife and kids. I mean, what’s the point in earning a bunch of money if you can never enjoy it?”
She nodded. “I totally agree with you. I’m so happy for my parents that they get to live in Hawaii now. They finally get to enjoy everything they’ve worked so hard for over the years, even if they are far away. I love Franklin, too, and I’m really excited that my house will be done in a few months, so I’m not planning on moving, but it would be nice to have someplace to go with views like this.” I felt her hand drop down on my leg, and a pulse of electricity shot through my entire body at the sensation.
Taking a deep breath, I did my best to regain my composure. I felt like we were talking about our future—together—as we were celebrating our best friends’ union. Someday soon, would all of our friends be gathered around to celebrate the two of us getting married?
I had no idea if that was even a possibility since Landon was still such a huge obstacle to us, but I liked the idea of it. All I knew was, sitting here talking to her, nothing else in the world mattered. I didn’t care what anyone else was talking about. The food was delicious, but we could’ve been eating bologna sandwiches for all I cared. At the moment, the only other person in the world was Liberty.
We enjoyed an amazing meal of lobster with decadent chocolate mousse for dessert. The entire time, Liberty and I talked to one another, rarely even speaking to anyone else. As the sun faded and the stars came out to illuminate the heavens, I could begin to see everything I would be giving up if I didn’t find a way to tell Landon how I felt about his sister. Was it worth it to keep a friendship if it meant giving up the woman I loved?
I still wasn’t certain but I was beginning to think it wasn’t.
30
LIBERTY
Laughter rang out from the back porch of the mansion as two different drinking games were happening at the same time. I wasn’t sure which, if either of them, I was allegedly playing since I was situated in the middle between the two groups, but at the moment, I didn’t care. I’d had a couple of margaritas over dinner, and I was definitely feeling a buzz now that I had a wine spritzer in my hand.
Joshua had sat next to me during dinner. My brother was so wrapped up in Poppy, as he was right now, the man was oblivious to the hushed conversation Joshua and I were having. Rather than talking about our everyday lives, the mundane, we’d gone deeper, exploring what we really wanted out of life. I’d enjoyed speaking to him about what it might be like someday to own a beach house.
Not that either of us had said it would be our beach house, a place we owned together. But it was pretty obvious, at least to me, that we were both thinking about it. Hearing him say he wanted kids one day was no surprise. He was so great with the athletes at camp, he would definitely want that. I just wondered, when he closed his eyes at night and pictured the woman he’d share that life with, was it my face he was seeing?
Now, he was sitting on the other side of the porch, drinking a beer, laughing at something William was saying. We weren’t physically seated next to one another anymore, but we kept making eye contact. God, I wanted him so badly, I didn’t know how I was going to make it through the night.
“Liberty, do you want a turn?” Hannah was asking. “It’s not that hard.”
They were playing beer pong, something Joshua’s little sister had always been great at. Maybe it was because she was such a good athlete. “Oh, uh, sure.” I got up and walked over to the table. “Who am I playing?”
“Me.” Sophia narrowed her eyes at me, as if she were trying to be menacing, and we both laughed.
It’d been a while since I’d played the game, so my first shot was wide, but after a bit of warming up, I got the hang of it, and I was able to sink a ball into Sophia’s cup with ease. She growled at me, having to drink whatever was in there. I glanced down at the cup in front of me, but I couldn’t tell what it was. It looked like it might be straight-up vodka.
After our game, Vanessa faced off against one of her friends from college, and I navigated over to the other game but quickly backed away when someone shouted, “Let’s play spin the bottle.” I was too old for that sort of activity in my life. A roar of laughter shot up as others protested, and then I heard my brother’s booming voice cut through the crowd.
“As much fun as this is, it is time for me to take my blushing bride off to our honeymoon suite.” He was swaying slightly as he spoke, obviously drunk off his ass. Poppy stood next to him, bouncing up and down as she giggled.
“You’re not married yet,” Arlo reminded them.
Landon glowered at him but didn’t make a verbal response. Instead, he picked Poppy up, bridal style, as she continued to laugh, and clumsily carried her into the house. For a moment, I was afraid he might drop her, but I figured no matter how drunk my brother was, he knew when he was carrying precious cargo.