“Talk to me about what?” I asked as I stepped between Stacy and Kent. She held out the coffee, and I took it with a smile. “Thanks.”

“You bet. I’ll be right back.” She ducked between us and headed for the bathroom.

Weird. I sipped my coffee and stared at Kent who was looking at Stacy as if she were his life raft.

“So?”

“Jen wants the wedding moved up. To New Year’s Eve. I told her that I wanted you as my best woman. But…”

Of course there was a but. But I wasn’t pretty enough to be in Jen’s wedding? Or Jen was too insecure in her relationship with Kent to have me stand beside him? Not that I could blame her, I was totally in love with him. I stared down into my coffee. Where the hell had that come from? Oh hell. I thought I was over him?

“She wants a traditional wedding, which would require a male to be my best man.”

I nodded as I took a sip of my coffee. I didn’t understand why this was something he needed to talk to me about. Unless he was getting to a different point. “Uh-huh,” I said, looking up, hoping he would continue.

“ … I still want you to be my best woman. But I don’t want to upset her. I want to support her. I don’t really give two craps about the wedding so long as my mom and my friends are there.”

“New Year’s Eve, that’s like less than a week away.” Way to state the obvious, Elly. I cleared my throat as I looked down at my coffee, hoping it would magically get me out of there. “Just get some men for your side and I’ll be your secret best man. Woman. Whatever.”

When I dared to look back up at him I found him grinning again. “Really?”

I shrugged, “Yeah, it’s not a big deal.” I gasped in surprise as he hugged me, his long, warm, strong arms around my body made me feel so small, safe. My heart warmed itself up a few notches.

“It’s a huge deal to me. Let me buy you some beers.”

God, he felt so good, and he smelled so good. Did he say something about beer? Or did he call me dear? I opened my mouth to ask, but he pulled away. Stacy was standing there, smiling expectantly.

“So?” she asked. “Did he tell you?”

“Uh-um…” My brain was drawing a blank, still busy playing Kent’s hug in a loop.

He laughed beside me, “Yeah, I told her. And I’m buying you both some beers to celebrate Elly’s acceptance as my best man.”