AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Is that because you want easy access to me?” she said, pulling them away from her face and cocking an eyebrow.
“Perhaps,” I said.
She seemed to mull that over for a moment.
“Fair enough.”
I grinned as she put the other outfit away and hung the dress up over the door, reaching into the dresser drawer that had become her own over the last few weeks and pulling out a bra and panties. I finished getting dressed, stealing glances over at her as much as I could without feeling like I was creeping on her, and then looked at the clock.
“Oh, damn,” I said. “It’s almost six-thirty. Carmela will be here any minute.”
“Go, go, go,” she said, her eyes wide. “I still have to do my face!”
I debated making a comment about that and decided to let it be, turning and going through the door and into the living room. Sure enough, seconds later, Carmela and Mark’s car pulled into the driveway, and I opened the front door to greet them.
My sister was carrying a cake, which made perfect sense. She was the type of girl who would order a specialty cake from somewhere weeks in advance if she could, and if she couldn’t, would somehow talk a shop into making one at the last minute. Cassie was a toddler now and carried a balloon that was loosely tied over her wrist. Even though the balloon said ‘congratulations’ I knew it was likely never coming out of Cassie’s possession, and I was fine with that.
“Brother!” Carmela said as she approached, opening her arms for a hug. “I’m so excited for tonight. I brought a cake from the little shop up in Ashland.”
“Cool, come on in,” I said, giving Mark a hug as well and poking Cassie’s nose. She giggled delightfully and buried her head into Mark’s shoulder, the balloon bouncing against the doorframe.
We were in the house only a few moments before the bedroom door opened, and Kristen entered, having perfectly done her makeup in record time. I was amazed by her ability to do that, especially growing up with Carmela, who took half an hour just to get her eyes not looking completely uneven.
Carmela and Kristen hugged, and Kristen instinctively swept Cassie up and propped her on her hip. It was a movement that I had noticed she did every time she could with Cassie, sweeping her up and holding her like she was her own. Cassie, for her part, never struggled against it or seemed bothered. As soon as she was up in the air, she leaned her head down on Kristen’s shoulder and looked back at her mama, sticking her pinky finger in her mouth.
Kristen and Carmela disappeared into the kitchen with the cake while Mark produced a bottle of my favorite whiskey and handed it over.
“Nice,” I said. “We can have a glass of this now before things get going if you want.”
“That’s up to you,” he said. “I didn’t really mean for that to be for the party. That’s just for you in general. Graham said he is buying the beer.”
“Oh God,” I said. “He’s not getting that lime stuff, is he?”
“I think he and Ryan debated that, but no,” he said. “I saw them up at Brewer’s picking up that Flat Tire or whatever that beer is called that you like so much.”
“Fat Tire,” I said. “And good. I wondered if it was too late to call Vic and make sure someone brought something I could get down.”
“Speaking of too late, cutting it a little close, aren’t we?” Mark joked.
“Har, har,” I said. “I’m sure that won’t be the last time I hear that tonight.”
“Something like it at least,” he said grinning. “You know we have to tease you being the last one.”
“I know, I know,” I said. “But in my defense, I was making sure all four of you shmucks got married off first. I always have to be the responsible one.”
“Uh huh,” Mark said. “Well, Carmela and I are stupidly happy for you, regardless of how ancient you are. Kristen is great.”
I laughed.
“We’re the same age, Mark,” I pointed out.
“You have me by three weeks,” he said. “Don’t think I forgot it. Your birthday party was always three weeks before mine.”
“And I always got whatever you wanted three weeks before you got it,” I laughed.
“Except the Super Soaker,” he laughed.
“Except the Super Soaker,” I agreed. “Speaking of, did I tell you the whole story about how I proposed?”
