This wasn’t a conversation I had to have with Lee. It was one I had to have with Noah.

So before he could open his mouth, I said, “What’s going on when Rachel gets here, anyway? Where’s she sleeping?”

“My bed,” Lee told me. “I’m camping out on the floor in Noah’s room for a couple of nights.”

“Oh, right. Okay then.”

“You don’t mind, do you? Sharing a room with Rachel, I mean? You’re okay with it?”

I looked at him over the top of my mug and smiled. Even if I’d hated Rachel’s guts (which was totally impossible, as she was really nice), I’d have put up with her for Lee. “Of course I don’t mind, Lee. Seriously. It’s going to be fine.”

Wasn’t it?

Chapter 4

The next couple of days passed before I could blink. We’d get up late, go to the beach and bodyboard or swim, maybe play some Frisbee, have some lunch, and then either head back to the beach or stay around our little pool for the afternoon.

And Noah and I managed to steal a few moments alone together. Although, the one time we thought we finally had the house to ourselves, his parents had come home early. We’d barely managed to grab our clothes from around the pool before they came through the house to say hi.

By Sunday, Lee was acting like an excited puppy. Rachel was arriving the next day, and he was all over the place. He told us he was going to get ice creams but came back with a pair of flippers.

I didn’t even ask.

Lee was texting Rachel so much, I got totally exasperated with his phone bleeping every four seconds and eventually snapped, “For God’s sake, Lee, just call her! Jeez!”

Noah chuckled, but Lee chirpily said, “Okay!” and was already pressing her number as he walked off.

“He is so in love, it’s almost stopped being funny,” Noah told me gravely. “How long do you think it’ll be until I have to put on a penguin suit for the wedding?”

I laughed. “Hmm…I’d say two years.”

“That long? Really?”

“Oh, come on. You know Lee. He’ll want to make sure the flowers and the food and the cake are just perfect. And he’ll want the perfect bachelor party too.”

“Which, of course, I’ll be in charge of planning.”

“You think you’ll be his best man?”

“Who else? I’m his big brother. I’ve got plenty of embarrassing stories about him. I’m the obvious choice.”

“I think you’ll find the position of best woman is already taken.”

Noah laughed. “Of course it is. I’m really thirsty,” he said suddenly. “Do you want to grab a Coke from the bar?”