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David ordered drinks for us and settled into a seat pulled up beside me The music was really too loud for conversation Soon afterward, Nate and Lauren arrived A fragile peace had eed between rateful

David shuffled closer “I wanna ask you so”

“What?”

He slipped a hand aroundmyself in his lap With a warht “Hey”

“Hey,” I said “What did you want to ask… would you like to hear one of the songs I wrote for you?”

“Really? I’d love to”

“Excellent,” he said, his hand s over the back of my simple black dress Worn because it was his favorite color, of course Also, I’d strongly suspected the v-neck would appeal to hi my husband There’d no doubt be times in the future e needed to kick each other’s asses, but not tonight We were here to celebrate

Lauren led Nate out onto the dance floor and A us to our private talk I honest-to-God had the best brother and friends in the whole orld All of the booed e in direction had been voiced When Lauren recounted her version of how David stood besidehireat hope

I’d even called lad I had We were still faht before Turned out his list of things to do toHe fed ht ever

It felt right having the ring back on ht and fit of it were perfect As pro it to his brother when I’d stumbled out in search of coffee at midday Once I’d been caffeinated, David and Jimmy had moved me into the condo Mal and Ben had been busy at the studio Nate and Lauren had helpedDivers-related she could find Despite her protestations that she’dthe apartether

“I’ve got so else I want to ask you, too,” he said

“The answer is yes to everything and anything with you”

“Good, because I want you to co at the café, I mean” His hand rubbed down my back “’Cause I know you wanna do that”

“David …”

“Or you could just let eover your head”

“No,” I said, my voice determined “Thank you But I need to do that And I thinkthat”

“That’s what I figured you’d say But that’s a lot of money for you toto see each other”