My Prince Next Door & Seven Reasons Why Not - #OnceUponNow

Chapter 8 - Just Desserts!

Blair: Meet me at the square.

Me: An hour okay?

Blair: See you then.

I pocket my phone and walk to the center of town. It's been a few days since I gave the speech to my brothers—it was quiet at first, but today is as close to normal as it has been in the past two weeks. Summer is in full swing. It's supposed to be hot enough to swim at the lake this weekend, and Blair is overjoyed I'm out of my cat lady funk.

The fountain in the center of the grass is our usual meeting spot for the square, but when I arrive she's not there. I check my watch. Nope, between us, she's not the late one.

Me: Where are you?

Blair: Running late. Meet me at the swim shop.

I scrunch up my nose and walk to our new meeting place. It's on the other side of the gazebo—a sour memory for me. One that didn't end with a kiss from Parker. But I don't have time to take the long way around and avoid the embarrassing reminder. It's late afternoon, and the summer sun is finally making its descent, coloring the sky in lovely oranges and mauves.

It's not unusual for the gazebo to be full at this hour, but the people clustered around the steps aren't socializing they're just standing there. Waiting. And staring at me. Totally strange. And kind of creepy. I slow my pace...

All seven of my brothers wait at the base of the steps. And standing in the middle of the gazebo is Parker. "W-what's going on?"

David steps forward. "You're right."

I look at each one of them and they all nod.

"Look, Gwen, we're proud of you and you deserve the best. We want you to be happy and if that means stepping back and letting our sister have her way..." Elijah says. He nods his head towards Parker before he continues. "Plus we talked to him, and he's alright."

I am both amazed and horrified. I want to cry—it wasn't easy for them to do this for me. But what in the world did they say to Parker. Each of my brothers steps forward and gives me a hug before they leave.

"Thank you," I say to each one.

"I'll kick his ass if he does anything wrong," David says, squeezing me the hardest.

"You better not. And I'm certain you won't have to."

Parker comes up behind David, a small white dog in his hands. I blanche. Why would he have Lindsey's dog?

"Oh, and I told you so," David says.

"About what?"

David nods behind me and I find Blair walking towards us holding a platter. "We have a date this weekend."

"Now it's your turn to be nice." I wag my finger at him. But by the smile on his face, I have no doubt he'll be a perfect gentleman.

"Parker," someone calls from across the square. I glance from Blair to a girl in a pink sundress coming towards us. Lindsey. I frown.

David pats my arm, leans in, and whispers, "This was Blair's idea." Then he shrugs.

Lindsey is all perfect pink flushed cheeks and shiny smiles. "Thanks for watching Teensy," she coos, scooping up the white fluff ball of a dog and hugging it to her chest.

"So sorry I'm late," Blair calls. I recognize the plate in her hand—it's my Mom's and a pristine caramel-colored flan jiggles on it.

"Why are all these people here?" I overhear Lindsey say to Parker next to us.

Blair hurries up to us as Alex steps around David and trips her. The plate flies from her hands, sending a spray of flan and caramel sauce all over Lindsey and Teensy. Shrieks erupt and Lindsey's sweet demeanor crumbles under a sheen of custard and sugar.

"You klutz! Look what you did," Lindsey cries. She gapes at everyone, her eyes wide with disbelief.

"It was an accident," David says, helping Blair to her feet.

With nothing left to say, Lindsey glares at all of us and stomps off. In a matter of minutes, my brothers say their goodbyes and Blair hugs me tight.

"Mission accomplished," she whispers in my ear before she walks off with David. I watch them go, and when I turn back around, Parker stands on the gazebo watching the sun set.

"Still think the city is more exciting than here?" he asks once I join him.

"Maybe we have a few things worth hanging around for."

Parker chuckles and his right dimple winks at me. "I think you might be right." He pulls me into his arms and the tingles find their way back into my body every place we touch. "So about your brothers..."

"Yeah, I am so sorry. I didn't know they were going to do that. Did they do anything to you?"

"No. Not anything I wouldn't do for my own sister—if I had one." Parker smiles. "But with them on your side, I don't think you'll have anything to worry about."

"Good." Before the frantic butterflies in my stomach can tell me to think or my heart jumps out of my chest, I wrap my arms around Parker's neck and pull him into a kiss. He pulls me closer to him, and we melt into each other.

I have the best brothers any girl could have—seven wonderful reasons why I got my Prince Charming.

THE END.