Find Me (The Found Duet #2)(60)
Author: Laurelin Paige

“I have done impulsive things, and that’s why I’m the perfect person to say it doesn’t usually work out in your favor.” She shot her husband a conciliatory glance. “You’re the exception, H, of course.”

“Of course.” He smiled tightly.

“So, see? How do you know that JC isn’t my Hudson? It worked out for you two, and it will work out for JC and me too.” It was funny how being on the defensive bolstered my position. I did have doubts about our engagement, but I certainly wasn’t going to share that now. “Trust me, Laynie.”

“I do trust you.” She sighed, her brown eyes softening. I realized then that she was speaking out of love, which made her objections a little easier to swallow. “Just.”

“Just what?”

“Two days ago you were also still considering Chandler.” Her eyes darted to her husband and back to me.

Was that what this was about? Chandler? She hadn’t expressed partiality to him before when I’d lamented about my love life. Maybe I hadn’t been the only one to notice how downtrodden he’d become at my news.

And Chandler was Hudson’s brother. Some loyalty to him was to be expected.

But I had to set the record straight. “I wasn’t really considering Chandler. No offense, Hudson.”

“Absolutely no offense taken.”

“I mean, he’s a nice guy. He is. And if I were available, yeah, maybe we could make that work. But I’m not available. I never was. I shouldn’t have ever gotten involved with him because I was always holding out for JC. Now JC’s back and he still loves me and I’m ridiculously happy with him. Can’t you be happy for me too?”

It took a few seconds, but eventually she smiled. “Yes. I can. I am. That’s all I want for you and you know it.”

She reached out to hug me, and I let her, which was a little strange for both of us since neither of us were huggers. It also felt really good. “Thank you for worrying,” I said at her ear. “You’re a great friend.”

“Anytime.” We parted and a silent beat passed, both of us wondering what to say next. She found words first. “Chandler, though. Man.” She giggled. “Did you see him sizing JC up when he realized who he was?”

Laynie rarely giggled, and when she did, it was contagious. “I totally did. I had to look away because I was laughing too hard.” More somberly, I added, “He’s been a total dick all night.”

“He’s just hurting.” She said it in a way that let me know she understood that Chandler’s pain wasn’t something I was responsible for. It was just the way things were.

“I know he’s hurting. I feel bad.”

“He’s fine,” Hudson scoffed, walking over to us. “That kid has had everything handed to him. He’s spoiled. A little heartache will do him good.”

Alayna slipped her arm around his waist. “Says the man who also had everything handed to him.”

“I worked my ass off—” She cut him off with a kiss that turned into the kind that I didn’t want to be present for.

I turned away from the display of affection. “I’ll be leaving now.”

Alayna broke off to ask, “Not leaving leaving, right?

“Just leaving the kitchen. Carry on.” I left them to their make-out session, relieved to have my friend on my side, but also a little irked that she hadn’t been on my side from the beginning, and ran straight into Norma.

“Can we talk for a minute?” she asked.

“Oh, God. Not you too.” Reluctantly, I let her tug me into the library. “Let me guess. You’re concerned I’m jumping into things too fast. I should think about this more. You think I should wait. There’s no need to rush.”

“With JC? That’s not what I was going to say at all. I wanted to tell you congratulations. And that I’m proud of you.”

Though the city’s ambient light streamed in through the full-length windows, it didn’t reach us where we were in the dark room, and it was difficult to read Norma’s expression. But her tone sounded sincere.

Still, after Laynie’s reaction, I had to be sure. “You are?”

“I am. I see a change in you when he’s around, and I think it’s for the better. You seem happier. Definitely not as uptight.”

“I am happier, thank you.” Maybe it was because of the darkness or maybe because she was my sister or maybe just because I needed to ask someone and she was the person I trusted most. Whichever it was, I was able to voice the question that had niggled at me since I’d accepted the ring. “You really don’t think it’s a mistake?”