Emma closes her eyes. “It wasn’t. I’m afraid she was merely a means to an end. But I’m determined to find true love for him. I’ve gone as far as enlisting Demetri in an attempt to bring the perfect woman to him. Gage is a king, as you know, and kings deserve nothing but the best.”
“Oh?” I’m almost amused by this. “And has Demetri tried uploading his son’s profile onto the latest Villains Only dating app?”
She takes a quick breath, her orange lips writhing as if they were trying to inch themselves off her face. I wouldn’t blame them. I wouldn’t want to be stuck on her face either.
She shrugs. “He’s put out the feelers. But Gage is picky. I’m afraid this is going to take some time. But she’s out there. I’m guessing she’s young. I’ve always thought of him being with a much younger woman. Forty-twenty, something like that. So it will take time. He’ll have to kiss a lot of”—she grabs Barron by the arm—“what’s the female equivalent of a frog?”
“A frog.” Barron nods into her lunacy.
“Well, frogs”—she tosses her hands in the air—“but it happens. I’m hoping it’ll be sooner than later. And you’re wrong, you know. Sure, he has the boys, but he’ll be a father again. And it will be even sweeter the next time around because his family will be nuclear,together. I’m betting he gets girls in the next round.”
Next round?Chloe and I muse at the very same time.
Logan pops up between us. “What’s going on?” He scowls at Emma first then me.
Way to keep it genuine.
Emma chortles. “Just talking about Gage. You know, Chloe. The obsession never ends.”
My mouth falls open. “I did not bring up Gage. You brought him up yourself. I couldn’t care less who you were trying to breed him with.”
See?Chloe chides.She gaslights at every turn.We should set her on fire, Skyla. Literally. It’s only fair.
I nod.It’s not off the table.
Logan rubs my back a moment before withdrawing his hand.
“Let’s try to get along tonight,” he says it low. “We’ve all got a big day tomorrow.”
“That’s right.” I offer up one of Chloe’s signature sarcastic smiles. “You’re marrying the love of your life.”
Bree honks out a laugh. “And the love of Gage Oliver’s life.” She takes a sip of her margarita. “I heard you, Emma. But face it, you’re not getting any granddaughters from that boy. Logan is your best bet. Gage is stuck in the past. No matter how hard he fights it, no matter how fast he burns the world to the ground, he’s still stuck on Skyla. There won’t be anyone else for him. You can throw a twenty-year-old at him for the next sixty years and he still wouldn’t be satisfied.” She nods across the table at Wes. “Just like that guy. He’s stuck onLaken.” She draws out her name like a childish offense. “But who cares about any of that stuff? We’ve got the food coming soon. Listen up!” she barks and manages to get the attention of the entire table. Bree stands and holds up her drink, encouraging the rest of us to pick up the water glasses sweating it out on the table. “To Skyla and the love of her life, Logan Oliver. May the two of you have an amazing marriage that lasts until you’re centenarians. And may you knock boots all the days of your lives. Salute!”
“Up, up, up!” Tad pauses the festivities as he stands. “I’d like to give a little toast myself. “To any damn Oliver who can get Skyla and her rugrats out of my house. Long live the king!”
A groan works its way around the table.
“What?” Tad looks to my mother who does her best to swat him.
“Sit down,” Mom hisses. “They callGagethe king.”
Tad glowers over at Logan. “And what about that one? What do they call him? It had better not be themooch.”
“More likesmooch.” Lexy winks over at him.
Something tells me my marriage to Logan will mean diddly-squat when it comes to her Oliver happy hormones.
Logan steps over to Rory and takes a seat beside her, and she’s quick to pick up his hand.
“Logan is a lion,” she purrs like the unwanted celestial stray she is. “And he’s not afraid to roar—especially not in the bedroom, now are you?” She gives him a playful peck to the cheek.
“Oh, come on.” Bree groans. “You can do better than that.” She picks up a fork and starts banging it against the side of her glass, and soon Ethan and Drake are doing the same thing.
“Would you stop?” I admonish them for acting like a bunch of lemmings.
“Why?” Drake bangs a little harder. “The louder we are, the quicker they’ll bring out the food.”
Laken shakes her head at them. “That’s not what it means.”
