It Comes In Three's

Chapter 86

Lottie’s POV

Everything was perfect!

I had spent the whole morning cleaning up, making a finger buffet for our guests, and arranging an alcohol display in the new man hut as an extra surprise for everyone!

Alex had gone off to collect my cupcake order from one of the local bakers in town while I decided to shower quickly and change into a white, floaty summer dress and sandals for the occasion.

Anna was the first to arrive at the gathering, along with her current boyfriend, Key, which only increased my excitement at having her here with me before most of the others.

“I’ll give Key a quick tour before you show us the garden!” Anna chirps, seeming just as excited as I am as Key chuckles behind her at her enthusiasm.

Key was nice enough and seemed like the perfect match for Anna—not to mention how naturally well he seemed to get along with Alex, Jace, and Del.

He fit perfectly into our lives, unlike Clara…

I cursed myself, remembering that I had, in fact, decided to extend the invitation to Clara to come over to our housewarming. Not for her, of course, but for Del, since I would hate to put him in an awkward position!

If Clara is what Del wants at this time in his life, then all we can do is support him by tolerating her as best we can! Maybe even after the event at Rinna's place, the girl will come to her senses… although I doubt it.

The doorbell rings again before I move to open it, revealing a very excited Erik as he rushes to embrace me in a warm hug.

“BITCHHH! This house is to die for!” Erik pulls back and gasps loudly at the interior before handing me a bottle of wine.

“You didn’t have to get me anything! Thank you, Erik! I’ve missed you so much. How was Hawaii?!” I ask, having missed him for the two weeks that he has been gone.

“It was incredible! You all have to come next time! You would love Hawaii so much, Lottie—pink flowers everywhere!” Erik states excitedly as I giggle and nod eagerly at the suggestion. From the videos and pictures I had seen him post, it did look amazing!

I would love to travel more, especially with my best friends!

“It sounds like a plan!” I comment before Erik claps his approval upon seeing my living area and kitchen as I give him a small tour of the downstairs.

“So where is my other favorite girl?” Erik turns to me and grabs my hands, smiling, as I can’t help the cheeky grin that forms on my face.

“Clara? Oh, she will be here soon!” I laugh out loudly, as Erik’s features fall into a hard glare.

“Don’t you dare! Is she seriously coming? After what happened the other night too?” Erik complains, having already been updated on the drama in our group chat.

I laugh and nod in confirmation as Erik groans dramatically, which causes me to laugh—clearly, he wasn’t a fan of Clara either, after meeting her only a handful of times himself.

“There he is! My bronzed Hawaiian king!” Anna’s voice fills the room, gaining our attention as Erik laps up the attention and spins around to show off his golden tan as we all laugh.

The doorbell sounds out again, but before I can make my way toward it, Jace lets himself in, taking his time to observe the new place.

“Fuck! This is way better than I expected! Alex did a good job with this place!” Jace comments as he heads through the hallway towards me, poking his head in and out of each room briefly as he passes.

Jace’s excitement and approval of the house bring another smile to my face—knowing that I can have our group around here whenever I want now!

I encourage the group to tuck into the finger buffet, which they are happy to do as we wait for the others to arrive.

“I can just predict the number of memories we will make in this place. I can sense the good vibes already!” Erik confirms, as we all smile at his statement.

Soon after, Alex enters with the boxes of fancy cupcakes in hand as we all cheer at his arrival, causing him to roll his eyes.

“What does everybody think of the place, then?” Alex asks the group smugly as he opens the boxes and displays the fancy desserts on the counter for the group to help themselves to.

“Incredible, Alex,” Erik compliments first, as he smiles in accomplishment.

“Yeah, you’ve done good!” Jace nods and smirks, glancing around at the lunch I provided.

“Anna already claimed one of the spare bedrooms! She says you guys designed it just for her! I’m guessing we will be staying over quite a bit!” Key announces as we all chuckle and Anna shrugs from beside him knowingly.

Just as I’m about to respond, the doorbell rings once more, and I glance at Alex with a knowing look. “That must be Del and Clara,” I tell them, receiving mixed looks and grumbles in return—all directed at Clara, of course.

I stand and make my way toward the door with Alex by my side, opening it to find Del standing with a forced smile plastered on his face while Clara remains eerily quiet from beside him.

“Hey!” Del speaks up as he leans forward to hug me quickly upon entering. I return the gesture.

“The place looks amazing!” he compliments next as Alex opens the door wider to allow them both to fully enter.

The tension is palpable, and I can’t help but feel a pang of sympathy for Del—he evidently feels awkward bringing Clara here after what happened the other night.

“Hey, guys! Sorry we’re a bit late,” Del says, his voice lacking its usual enthusiasm as he enters the living room, glancing around at the group briefly.

I offer him a gentle smile, trying to provide some reassurance. “You aren’t much later than Alex, here, so don’t worry about it. We’re glad you made it.” I gesture towards the others, who laugh to break the silence.

“Only late because little miss hostess over here made me go collect a million fancy cupcakes just for this day!” Alex teases, as I hold my hands up in mock defense.

Alex and I decide to lead the group around our home next on a brief tour of the whole house, showcasing the beautiful finishes and personal touches.

The excitement in everyone’s voices fills the air, momentarily alleviating the tension that hung over the room. I was actually glad Del and Clara arrived when they did. I don’t know what I would have done if they had been the first!

We eventually make our way out to the backyard, and I can’t help but feel a surge of pride as everyone’s eyes widen at the sight of the transformed garden. Alex had passionately pushed to complete it to the highest possible standard.

The lush greenery, cozy seating areas, fresh tiles, decking, large swimming pool, and the newly installed man hut all contribute to the perfect outdoor space for entertaining.

“Wow, what a difference from when I last saw it the other day! This is a dream!” Anna exclaims, her eyes sparkling with delight. “You guys really outdid yourselves!”

Alex chuckles, looking pleased with the reaction, as I speak up next. “Thanks, Anna, but I can’t take any of the credit for this place. I just wanted to create a space where we can all relax, have fun, and make amazing memories.” I state, as everyone walks around the garden in awe.

We lead the group towards the man hut, sliding open the doors to reveal a well-stocked bar, comfortable sofas, and various games awaiting us.

Everyone settles in, grabbing drinks and engaging in lively conversations as I turn on the built-in speakers to play some music.

As the evening progresses, I notice Alex trying to pry Del away from Clara for a private chat. However, Clara seems determined to keep Del by her side, constantly engaging him in conversation and preventing any opportunity for them to speak privately.

What has gotten into her now…

I catch Alex’s frustrated expression from across the room, and I make my way over to him. “Is everything okay, Alex? I noticed that she’s totally hogging him!” I whisper, as he glares in their direction.

He sighs, his eyes flickering with slight concern next. “I wanted to talk to Del about something important, but Clara seems to be doing everything possible to keep him close. It’s pissing me off now, Lottie,” he complains.

I place a comforting hand on his arm. “Maybe I can help? I can ask Clara to come have a chat with me? Give you some time?” I tell him my idea, as he eyes me warily for a moment.

“Yeah, maybe that would work… do you mind? I know she’s brutal to endure,” Alex states bluntly, as I shake my head.

I can do this… maybe it will be good for us to talk anyway…

I nod slowly before turning on my heels, approaching Del and Clara with caution. Del’s gaze notices me first, his expression flat and unreadable.

“Uhh, I wanted to ask Clara if she would help me in the kitchen? We could have a girl talk?” I make my presence known, as Clara turns around to glance over me from head to toe.

“It’s the decent thing to do, Clara… you’ve been invited to her home at the end of the day…” Del makes his opinion known before Clara can protest, which surprisingly causes her to sigh and nod.

“Fine!” she states, standing up to follow me toward the door.

It worked! Alex can eventually have a moment to speak to his friend! Find out what’s gotten into him today!

Even I can sense that Del isn’t himself….

I lead Clara towards the kitchen, doing my best to keep the atmosphere light. The last thing I wanted was any unnecessary tension, especially today.

As we reach the kitchen, I turn to Clara, trying to put on a friendly smile. “So, Clara, what do you think of the house?” I ask, trying to ease into a conversation.

She shrugs, looking around nonchalantly. “It’s nice, I guess,” she replies curtly.

I suppress a sigh, knowing this wasn’t going to be easy. “I know things have been a bit awkward between us lately, but I’m hoping we can start fresh. Del is really important to us all, and I want to make sure everyone is comfortable,” I say sincerely.

Clara crosses her arms, eyeing me with skepticism. “Look, Lottie, I know I haven’t made the best impression, but I really do care about Del. I just… I don’t know how to fit in with you guys,” she admits, her voice softening slightly.

I nod, appreciating her honesty. “I get that. It’s not easy coming into a tight-knit group, but we really do want to get to know you better. Maybe this can be a fresh start for all of us?”

She seems to consider my words, her posture relaxing a bit. “I suppose it couldn’t hurt to try,” she finally says, offering a tentative smile.

“Great! Let’s grab some drinks and head back to join the others,” I suggest, feeling relieved that the conversation didn’t go south.All text © NôvelD(r)a'ma.Org.

We return to the group, and I notice Alex catching my eye with a grateful nod. It seems he managed to have his talk with Del while I was keeping Clara occupied.

The evening continues to unfold smoothly, laughter and chatter filling the air as we all settle into the man hut. The music plays softly in the background, and I find myself finally relaxing, content with how everything turned out.

I watch as Alex and Del share a moment by the bar, both deep in conversation but looking much more at ease. It’s a relief to see Del smiling again, the earlier tension between him and Clara seemingly dissipated for now.

As the night goes on, everyone mingles and shares stories, the camaraderie among us growing stronger with each passing hour. Even Clara seems to be letting her guard down, engaging more with the group and even laughing at a few of Erik’s ridiculous jokes.

By the time the stars are twinkling in the sky, we’re all lounging around the garden, basking in the cool evening breeze. I snuggle up next to Alex, feeling his arm wrap around my shoulders as he kisses my temple.

“Today was perfect,” I murmur, leaning into him with a content sigh.

“It was. I’m glad everyone could make it. And I’m proud of you for reaching out to Clara. I know that wasn’t easy,” Alex replies, his voice warm with admiration.

“Yeah, I’m glad I did. It’s important to keep the peace, right?” I say with a smile, glancing over at Clara and Del, who seem to be in good spirits as they chat with Anna and Key.

Alex nods, squeezing me gently. “Exactly. Here’s to many more nights like this,” he says, raising his glass in a toast.

“To many more,” I echo, clinking my glass against his.

As the night draws to a close, I can’t help but feel grateful for the people around me. The housewarming was a success, and despite a few bumps, it turned out to be a wonderful day filled with laughter, love, and a sense of belonging.

I watch as our friends begin to gather their things, exchanging goodbyes and promises to meet up again soon. The garden is left in a gentle glow from the string lights, a reminder of the joy shared tonight.

Alex and I stand together, watching as the last of our guests disappear down the driveway. I lean my head against his shoulder, feeling a sense of peace settle over me.

“Home sweet home,” I whisper, knowing that we’ve created something special here.

Alex smiles, pressing a kiss to my forehead. “Home sweet home,” he agrees, pulling me close as we turn to head back inside, ready to make more memories in this beautiful new chapter of our lives.