𝗣 𝗬 𝗥 𝗢 𝗠 𝗔 𝗡 𝗜 𝗔 | BOOK THREE

T H I R T Y - E I G H T

[graham eaton]

"Eaton, Eaton, you've got some company here to speak with you both." Chief Williams says.

I turn from my locker and raise an eyebrow at Atticus. We both close our lockers and walk towards the large bay door where the fire engine sits. I cross my arms and squeeze past the fire engine, leading the way to the bay door. I step into the light and squint minimally before adjusting to the light. I look down and spot Jolene and Lillian leaning against the brick wall. I smile and approach them, an eyebrow raised.

"When did you lovely ladies get into town?" I ask, hugging Lillian, then wrapping my arms around Jolene.

She smiles, kissing my cheek.

"We wanted to stop by and say hello before we went out to finish some errands." She says. "We're gonna stop by the bank just across from the mall and grab some cash and then I'm going to take Lillian shopping for some things for their new house. I was thinking about buying them a few house warming gifts, seeing as they helped re-furbish my entire studio when I got the place."

I nod, smiling at her. Atticus' hand finds its way to Lillian's hip comfortably, and carelessly. His leans down and kisses her, passionately. I look at Jolene and smile.

"Have a good day, Love," I whisper, brushing her hair out of her eyes. "Be safe, in all that you do."

She smiles and stands on her tip toes, raising her mouth to my own.

"I love you," She says quietly, cupping my cheek with her hand. "More than life itself."

I smile, kissing her gingerly.

"I love you more," I say.

I release her from my vice grip and watch as she and Lillian retreat to her car. The climb in, wave to Atticus and I, and drive away. I look back over at him and cross my arms.

"Did we pick absolute babes or what?" I ask, an eyebrow raised at him.

"Not that the body matters, Graham." He says, smiling at me.

"Right, right, not that the body matters and the personality is their greatest feature, but did we pick absolute babes or what?" I ask.

[jolene hale]

"Damn, those boys look good in their gear," Lillian says, looking back at the road ahead of us.

I smile, turning the wheel of the car. Ever since Lillian and Atticus moves back, we've gotten a lot closer. Lillian is a teacher for second grade classes at the school just a few blocks from my studio. So, around lunch time, I drive up to see her and we talk. She's sort of become one of my best friends, other than Graham, Atticus, Jaxon and a few of their family-members-turned-friends.

"How did you and Atticus meet?" I ask, stopping at a red light, parked behind a large line of traffic.

"Well, we met up at NYU. We had a few of the same classes so we got to actually talk more often and eventually became good friends. We studied together and went out to lunch, unaware that it was sort of a date. We dated for the entirety of College, pretty much, except for the first few months, and had a long distance relationship when he moved back to Chicago. Then, when he moved to New York for six months, we got to see each other in person again and that's when he proposed." She says.

I smile, pressing lightly on the gas as the cars ahead of me move.

"What about you and Graham?" She asks. "How did you two meet?"

"Well, he came into my shop by mistake. He was looking for Livia who was in the café just next door and we just kinda hit it off from there." I say.

She smiles, reaching into her purse.

"Have you started working on your vows yet?" I ask, an eyebrow raised as I pull into an alleyway, a short cut to the bank.

She shakes her head, smiling at me.

"No, not really. I mean, the wedding isn't for another year and a half, we've decided, and you know how things can change so much in one year." She says. "Have you started working on yours?"

I shake my head, shrugging as we pull into the parking lot of the bank.

"Not really. I still have tons of time, I feel, plus, that's exactly it. You don't know what can happen in a year. I mean, I have a start—Graham, my dearest love, I promise to always remember that you are indeed human, even when it seems you are anything but and you insist that you are in-fact, not Clark Kent." I say. "I want to take a sweet, loving approach to this, but also keep it fun. I don't want to cry at my wedding, and I sure as hell don't want my guests to cry either. They cry, I cry."

She laughs and we climb out of my car. I grab my purse from the back seat and walk around the car, linking arms with her.

"You and I are going to have the best weddings ever. And, we're gonna be sister in laws, so that means we need to hang out even more!" I exclaim.

She laughs as I drag her inside the bank, our arms still linked at the elbow. I approach a clerk counter and smile at the woman sitting behind the desk.

"Hi, I'd like to withdraw some cash." I say, reaching into my purse. "Yeah, from my joint checking account with my Fiancé."

A man approaches the counter just beside mine and nods to another woman at the desk.

"Hi, I called yesterday about withdrawing some cash from my Daughter's account on her behalf."