I’d made progress on my list, and Jake and I started adding things to a new one together with the myriad of changes we made at work, me earning tenure, Jake’s traveling, and more weekend trips between Chicago and Raleigh than I ever would have thought manageable. We’d gone to Seattle to see his family at Christmas. I’d fretted over the third degree I was sure I would receive from his four sisters, but they welcomed me into their circle like I’d always been there. After the new year, we went to my small hometown in Iowa to see my family, and we’d visited my grandfather, and I told him I was done auditioning. I was signed up for an intensive Spanish-language course for the spring, and couldn’t believe I’d waited so long. I was excited.
With as much as he traveled anyway, Jake decided to work based out of Chicago, and that plan was finally coming to fruition. I never got better at flirting, but it seemed I’d never have to do it with anyone else, so I stopped worrying. We’d spent the last three days packing up his house on the lake to prepare for his move to join me at our new place.
Buy a house. Check.
My phone buzzed, and I pulled it from my clutch.
Felicia: The boys and Emily want to know when Jake can come over to play.
Felicia: Aaron does, too.
Naya: Aww . . . he has a crush on my boyfriend.
Aaron: I only asked if he’d be back in time for poker this week.
Naya: There’s nothing to be embarrassed about. He’s cute.
Arms wrapped around me from behind as I stood at a high-top table, sipping a mimosa. “If that’s Felicia, can she tell Aaron I’ll be back in time for the game?”
I grinned and tapped out the reply assuring Aaron he’d have his date for poker. Jake fit into our group like he’d always been there. He’d won over Felicia immediately, clinching it when he volunteered to babysit. Aaron and he just clicked. I think Aaron liked having another guy around. Felicia’s trainer, Wes, had started hanging out with us more often as well, and all of a sudden, I had this widening circle of people. It was kind of amazing.
“You know, day drinking is a great idea for a wedding,” Jake whispered into my neck, pulling me to him. My blue chiffon sundress caught in a slight breeze and swirled around me as I set my phone down and faced him.
“Agreed.” I laughed, and he took the glass, planting a playful kiss along my jawline. “How is the happy couple?”
“Eric loves having his photo taken—he’s in heaven. Tyson loves Eric and is tolerating it. I was released into your care,” he said breezily, and I wondered if some alcohol was part of the wedding planner’s technique for cajoling wedding parties.
“I’ll do my best to keep an eye on you.”
“I’ll keep an eye on you, too,” Jake said with a boyish grin, setting the glass aside and wrapping his arms around my waist.
“Worried I’ll get ornery?” I asked, wrapping my other arm around him.
“I like it when you’re ornery.” He planted a quick kiss on my lips and tasted like champagne. We swayed to the music playing from across the lawn, and his grip tightened on my waist. “But I like you all the time.” He flashed a smile again. “Except when you leave dishes in the sink instead of putting them in the dishwasher right away. We’re gonna fight about that.”
“That, and how you squeeze from the middle of the toothpaste tube.” I rubbed my hands over his shoulders.
“And the toilet paper should roll from the top—”
“You’re always going to be wrong about this. Bottom.”
“I can’t wait.”
“You can’t wait to fight?”
Jake gripped me tighter and lowered me into a playful dip. “I like making up with you.”
I can’t wait, either.
“Hey, cut it out. Way too much PDA,” Tyson said from behind us as he and Eric approached, hands clasped.
“That’s impossible,” Jake returned, smiling at the couple and dropping his lips to mine. “How can I not publicly display my affection for this beautiful woman?”
I gave both grooms hugs. Tyson had warmed up to me once Jake and I reconnected, though I was back on thin ice for taking his best friend a thousand miles away. I kissed him on the cheek.
I gestured around the space. “The ceremony was so beautiful. I cried.”
“I knew you would,” Jake said, pulling me to his side.
“It turned out well,” Eric said in a rare moment of humility about this event he’d been planning for a year. “And the cake looks good,” he said, taking Tyson’s hand.