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“Hello everyone.” I smile and walk into the room. They cheer loudly, making me laugh.
“Liam!!” Sean yells happily. “It’s been so long since I saw your face, you rascal!”
“Hey, bro.” I wave at him before hugging Jess and walking around the table to hug Evie. “How are you guys? I came to grab some doughnuts and decided to stop by to say hello.”
“Oh, come on over here.” Jess grabs my arm and pulls me down onto the chair beside her. “Let’s catch up for a minute. How are you?”
“I’m doing good.” I smile at her. “How are you? Wedding planning?”
“Not yet, but soon.” Her gaze roams my face in the way she usually does. If you don’t know Jess well, it can feel a bit invasive. If she wasn’t someone I’ve known my entire life, I’d be extremely uncomfortable with her scrutiny, but Jess is like family. When she marries Sean, she will be family.
“You look good,” she says, with a slow smile creeping across her face. “Unlike the last time I saw you.”
“Really?” Sean shouts. “Come closer. Let me take a look at your face.”
“Oh, my gosh,” I groan, shaking my head at him while grinning. “Sean!”
“Come closer,” he insists. “Please, let me look at you.”
“Fine.” I lean closer to the screen, preening for the camera, as he peers into my face. “You’re right, babe,” he says to Jess. “He looks good.”
I roll my eyes and lean back in my seat.
“Is it work?” Sean asks. “You’re having a good time?”
“Work?” Evie scoffs. “Come on, Sean. Who do you think makes Liam look this happy? It rhymes with Lenny.”
Jess laughs when I glare at my sister.
“Noooo.” Sean perks up. “It can’t be!”
“Oh, but it is!” Evie insists.
“Ugh.” I drop my head in my hands and rub my hands up and down my face as Evie and Sean are having the time of their lives teasing me.
“Penny,” he whispers. “Penny Miller.
“Exactly.” Evie chuckles like they are having a private conversation without me in the room.
“What the heck!” He yells. “Liam! You scoundrel!”
“Ignore her, Sean.” I sigh. “She doesn’t know what she’s talking about.”
“I think she does,” Sean laughs. “You’ve always liked her. I remember all your escapades.”
Jess narrows her eyes. “I know Penny Miller. Stacy’s sister.” She asks. “Liam likes her?”
“Likes?” Sean howls. “He’s in love with her. She’s the only girl Liam has ever dated. Tell her, Liam.”
“There’s nothing to tell.” I glance at Jess. “We’re just friends.”
“She's a pretty girl, Liam.” Jess smiles and nudges me with her elbow. Great! Now she’s going to tease me too. She continues. “I saw her the other day.”
“We used to tease them that they were connected at the hip. Anywhere Penny was, you were sure to find Liam and vice versa. We thought they would be one of those couples that spent their entire childhood together and get married right out of school.”
“Oh, now I remember. What happened?” She asks Sean, but Evie butts in.
“They broke up when Liam enlisted in the Army,” she says. “It was really sad. They were both so miserable after.”
