Chapter 36

The next May – Nashville - Ellie

Moving to Nashville turned out to be fantastic. Oh, I didn't go right away. I made Luke stay in Milwaukee and properly court me for a couple of months until he had to go on tour again. He even crashed on Meg's couch like old times for a while. But I wanted to ensure he had staying power before I uprooted my whole life for him.

Turns out I probably would have uprooted it anyway because after the charity gala, Meg admitted that she and Jeremy were moving to Nashville too after the school year ended. She was finally going to take the plunge and write romance novels full time, and Jeremy was moving his woodworking business to Nashville where Luke's rich friends would keep him in business outfitting their mansions for probably years to come.

In addition to her planned move, I'd learned some other very interesting things from my bestie. Meg had admitted that Mrs. Timms had not been sick last summer when she and Jeremy left Nashville to go see to her. Apparently, Meg had guessed that it would only be a matter of time before Luke and I couldn't keep our hands off each other if we were left alone, so she'd orchestrated the whole going-back-to-Milwaukee thing. And if that wasn't egregious enough, according to Meg, it had been Mrs. Timms' idea to pretend to be hospitalized. Some next-level scamming by a ninety-year-old lady, right?

Meg had gone on to admit that she'd purposely been super casual about the whole "kiss each other or don't" advice because she knew we would both freak out if she was too pushy about us getting together. Of course we weren't angry with her. How could we be? Meg knew us both too well, and of course now she was nothing but proud of what she'd done and insisted that she'd always known we would end up together. I loved my Meggie.

In addition to Luke turning out to be a sensational boyfriend who brought me flowers every time he came home and rubbed my feet after a long day at the hospital, Nashville's weather was a sight better than Milwaukee's, I had to admit. I'd gotten a job I loved at a hospital not far from where we lived. Because of course I moved into the mansion. My grandma was thinking about moving down too, but for the time being, I settled for visiting her regularly via private jet. Not too shabby.

Oh, and Mindy and I still talked every Thursday, even though she was out of the hospital and in remission. She'd finally been able to afford the bone marrow transplant she desperately needed due to an anonymous donor who I strongly suspected was one Mr. Luke Knightley. Though he still refused to admit it. The day after the gala, Luke and the band went to the children's wing and played for the kids, and I had tears in my eyes seeing how thrilled Mindy and her friends were. The whole thing had been live-streamed on social media with links to give donations to the children's wing, and we made another quarter of a million dollars off that alone. It was wild, but wonderful.

Now that the tour was over, Luke was about to come back home any minute, and I couldn't wait to see him. I'd flown out to join him several times, but it hadn't been the easiest being in a long-distance relationship. Only I never once worried about him cheating on me because my man video-called me every single night. He was head over heels for me according to Meg, and I was head over heels for him too.

And I even had a new event to plan all winter to keep busy. Namely, Meg and Jeremy's wedding, which was coming up in June.

The happy couple was sitting on the patio in a somewhat heated discussion with both dogs lounging at their feet when I found them. "What's the problem, lovebirds?"

"We're still trying to work out the seating chart," Meg said in a huff.

"And?" I put my hands on my hips. I'd been the one pushing for them to finish the dang seating chart.

"And Jeremy doesn't seem to understand why Christopher Wentworth can't sit at the table directly in front of the wedding party," Meg replied.

"Why can't he?" Jeremy asked.

"Because Ariana will be sitting three feet away," Meg replied.

"Ooooh," I said, drawing out the word and knowing full well what the problem was. "Yep, that's no good."

"What?" Jeremy said. "I still don't get it."

"Your sister and Christopher had a hideous break-up. If you don't see the issue, I can't explain it to you," Meg insisted, shaking her head.

"I know but that was what like ten years ago?" Jeremy replied.

Meg and I both gave Jeremy matching patronizing looks. "Just like a man to think everything is okay even ten years later," I breathed.

"It's not?" Jeremy frowned.

"Of course it's not," Meg retorted. "Christopher broke Ariana's heart. If you sit him right in front of her, she won't be happy. Especially if he's married or brings a girlfriend. Ariana is still single, after all. Are you sure you even have to invite him?"

Jeremy raised his eyes skyward and shook his head. "We've been over this a dozen times, Meg. Wentworth is one of mine and Luke's best friends. He's in Luke's band, for heaven's sake. I have to invite him."

Meg shrugged one shoulder as she continued to stare at the seating chart. "Fine. Invite him if you must, but the least you can do is keep his seat far away from Ariana's."

"Okay, I guess," Jeremy replied with a shrug. "But where should we put Wentworth then?"

"In the far, far back, of course. I'm thinking a corner. As far away from Ariana as you can get him," Meg replied.

I couldn't help but laugh, but my laughter was abruptly interrupted when both dogs jumped up and sprinted toward the French doors. I turned to see Luke stepping outside.

"I'm back," Luke announced.

He looked as hot as ever, and I ran directly into his arms. He picked me up and spun me around. He'd been doing that a lot now that his arm had healed, which was fun. And let me tell you, there were lots of things we'd been doing since his arm had healed. One of my favorites being when I wrap my legs around his waist, and he carries me to bed. Oh, and if I'd thought the kissing was good… I just had not been prepared for Luke in bed.

I kissed him silly before he gave Meg a hug and Jeremy some kind of a bro pat-back thing.

"You're just in time to weigh in on the seating arrangements," I said with a laugh as I wandered back over to where the seating chart lay on the table.

After petting both dogs, Luke stood and waved his hands in the air. "Oh, no. I'm paying for this shindig. That's the only involvement I want."

I knew from Meg that Jeremy and Luke had gone several rounds in heated debate about Luke paying for the wedding. Luke had tried to make the argument that it was his sister's wedding, and her family was responsible for footing the bill. Jeremy had responded that it wasn't the 1950's and in the end, they'd agreed to play a game of poker with the winner paying the wedding tab. Luke had won of course. He always did. But after Meg had begged Jeremy to allow her to have the wedding of her dreams on Luke's tab, Jeremy had relented. Now it was just a joke between all of us.

"I can't believe the wedding is in less than a month," Meg said with a sigh, sitting back down in front of the seating chart.

"Yes, but first we're going to Vegas, baby," Jeremy said, rubbing his hands together. That's where the joint bachelor/bachelorette party would be held next weekend. It had been Jeremy's idea and Meg, no longer the rule-following stress bucket she'd once been, had readily agreed. Even if Vegas was where she and Luke's gambling-addicted father lived.

Luke and I weren't necessarily looking forward to gambling, but he'd been there on tour and had assured me there was good shopping and nice restaurants. Sounded fun to me. Mebbe we'd even do some tequila shots!

I made my way back toward the French doors. "Hey, Luke, come upstairs with me. I want to show you the suit you'll be wearing to the wedding." Luke and I were set to be the maid of honor and best man. We'd been looking forward to it all winter and spring.

"Oh, yeah. I'm sure you want to ‘show him his suit,'" Meg said, using air quotes.

I waved at our friends. "Don't wait dinner on us," I said with a wink as I grabbed Luke's hand and led him back into our house.

* * *