“If you ask me to redo your tattoo?” He pulls my arm up and flips it around until that disaster etched over my flesh is exposed. “Of course, I’m going to fix this for you. Why would you ever be worried that I was upset?”
My entire body relaxes all at once. Daisy covered for me. I glance over and offer a guilty smile her way, and she gives a wink and wave right back. A part of me demands I mouthI’m sorryfor the mental tirade I just undertook. Daisy is a good person, and I never want to jump to the wrong conclusion again.
“Yes, you can fix it for me.” I pull my brother into a heartfelt hug. “Now, go out there and mingle with your adoring public. I’ll man the fort.” I give a little wink as I head behind the counter.
No sooner does a half hour pass than Ava and Grant squeeze through the door. Ava is gorgeous with that lion’s mane of hair of hers stealing the show, and, of course, Grant looks dapper and handsome as hell in his button-down shirt and dark inky jeans. And just as I’m about to lunge in their direction, I spot another dapper, handsome as hell young stud in a button-down shirt and jeans that hug that rock-hard ass in all the right places.
A breath gets locked in my throat, and I freeze. My head pulsates right along with my heart, and my adrenaline kicks in—it’s fight-or-flight.
Lawson Kent is here. The last person I expected to see, and the very person I was looking for. I could spend a small eternity just trying to number all of the ironies that plague us, but this one right here just might do us in.
The three of them head in my direction.
Perfect. I can’t ignore him.
I certainly can’t tell him how I feel—that Ilovehim—not with both Jet and a half dozen cameramen running around on the loose.
No, this is not going to end well.
One thing I know for certain, a disaster is headed in my direction.
Lawson Kent has stolen my heart, and if I’d like to keep both his heart and his body intact around my rabid older brother, I’ll have to pretend that I’m not the least bit interested.
Back to square one.
Lawson
Lucky Madden isa work of living, breathing beauty in its truest form. I think it’s fitting that I let her know just that—just how deeply I feel for her right in the very place I’ve wounded her. I swear on all that is holy, if she comes in for a hug, she’s getting one back this time. If she comes in for a kiss, I’m kissing right back, and I won’t be the first to stop. But judging by that highly pissed expression, something has Lucky irritated right about now, and I’d venture to guess it’s me.
“What’s up?” Jet appears with Rex by his side, and I spot Scarlett and Daisy across the room.
Grant and I give them five as Ava excuses herself and heads over to Lucky.
Jet pulls Grant and me in by the shoulders. “Load up on the grub. The feast is on the network. I’ve got drinks in the coolers lining the hall. Take what you need, and have a good time.” He pats me on the shoulder. “You have a date?”
“No, actually”—I glance past him at Lucky, and my mouth contracts as if trying to figure out the truth for itself—“I’m working on it.”
“Lots of hot chicks, dude.” He pulls me to the side and dips in close. “I’ve got the back room locked off—protecting the equipment from getting tweaked, but if you gotta do what you gotta do, make yourself at home.”
I pull back and wince at him. Does he honestly think I’m going to find some chick within the next few minutes and bang her in the back? I know Jet was a player before he met Daisy. It’s clear he’s transposing his good old days right onto me. Maybe it’s his guilt shining through for compensating me to keep an eye on his baby sister to begin with.
On second thought—I think I just found the perfect location to have that one-on-one with Lucky.
“It’s on, man.” I shake his hand as I dive into the crowd. The food smells good, the entire back of the store is lined with silver chaffing dishes, and in the corner I spot a carving station with prime rib that’s making my mouth melt.
My appetite may be revved up, but food isn’t that high on the priority list. I push through the crowd, desperate to find Lucky—or Ava for that matter. But with each brunette that turns my way and doesn’t bear those lavender eyes, it guts me. I’m half-afraid Lucky got spooked. Last night about sawed my balls off to see her with Eli. I nearly beat the shit out of him back at the house, but he assured me that kiss was nothing short of Mustang spirit. I told him to shower someone else with school spirit next time. Even if she did strike first, he shouldn’t have taken advantage of the situation. Lucky is pissed at me. And I’m betting, deep down, she’s not exactly sure why. Her walls are so high up not even Lucky herself can scale them—unless of course she’s come to her senses.
A dull smile rides over my face, and I smack into a familiar redhead and my stepbrother.
“What’s up?” I glance over the two of them and keep searching for all my wishes to come true in the form of Lucky Madden. And if I am indeed lucky, they will. I can’t wait to tell her how I feel—tell her that she’s been holding my heart all along. And here’s the kicker. I’m delusional enough to hope that she’ll tell me that I’m holding hers, too, that I have been for a while. What I’m feeling is powerful. I could light up all of New York City with the affection coursing through me for that girl.
“What’s up with you?” Scarlett rustles her fingers through my hair the way she used to when we were growing up, and, coincidentally, it bugs the shit out of me just the way it did back then.
“Don’t do that. You’re messing it up.” I can’t take my gaze off the crowd. Lucky has been MIA for so long I’m starting to case the exit in the event she’s got an escape plan hatched.
“What do you care if your hair is messed up?” she teases, jumping up on her tiptoes to further create follicular chaos.
“He cares because there are chicks around.” Rex reels my sister in with a shit-eating grin. “And if his hair looks like crap, they’ll run the other way. It’s a well-known fact. Isn’t that right?”
