She puts out her gloved hand in front of me. I stare at her small, delicate fingers, ignore her hand, and tip my head. “Blaise.”
She drops her hand with a quizzical expression before her eyes widen and light up. “You found someone, didn’t you?”
My distant cousin knows me well. Roman is into genealogy, a passion passed on to him by his grandfather, Sir Arthur Lexington. He traced his family back several generations and discovered that my mother’s side of the family had migrated from England to San Francisco, then settled in Delridge. Mom moved to McMillan to live with an aunt and caught Branson’s eye. The rest, as they say, is history.
“Something like that,” I say dryly, not ready to share about Ever.
“How’s Alexandria treating you? How’s Crimson? Did you know I was there a few weeks ago?”
“And you didn’t visit?”
A server comes up to us with a tray of drinks and hors d’oeuvres. Blaise shakes her head. I grab a napkin with two crackers with cheese and smoked salmon.
“I would’ve after the fundraising gala, but I promised my friend Syn that I would make it to our friend Dare’s pool party. His place is by Dumas University. Syn goes there. Dare doesn’t.”
I know that. What I didn’t know was that Blaise was in Dare’s place, and the motherfucker hadn’t said a word about it. Same with Midnight. I mean, come on, the reserved Blaise Lexington, whom paparazzi adore, comes over, and they say jack shit? It would’ve been big news on campus too. Unless everyone at the party signed NDAs.
Gwen would run her mouth off about the visit. Then I’d hear about it and wonder at what point in my life would I tell my little sis that I’m related to Blaise? Gwen would be awestruck. Then, bam, I’d be her favorite brother.
“Syn’s friends were there too. You’d love Arie and Ever. They’re funny and smart.”
I don’t hear anything past Ever. “Wait, Ever was at Dare’s place?” That motherfucker. I’m going to wring his neck if he touched my woman.
“You know Ever?”
“Something like that.”
Her eyes widen. Blaise jumps up and down on her sky-high heels with a shit-eating grin on her face. “Oh my God, Bobby, she’s the one, isn’t she? That’s why you didn’t kiss my hand.”
Blaise does something I’ve never seen her do with a man. She throws her arms around my neck and hugs me, tight. “I’m so happy for you. If I were to ship any of my friends with you, it’d be Ever. She’s so sweet and has the purest soul.” She puts me at arm’s length. “I’m so happy for you, Cousin.”
Blaise doesn’t say the last word in a whisper. I’m not an unwanted bastard in my cousin’s eyes. I’m family.
“Speaking of the fundraising gala, I have a proposition for you. A charity I’d like you to consider putting your stamp of approval on.” One endorsement from Blaise, and money will be pouring in.
“Tell me more.”
I offer her my arm. She takes it, and we walk along the edge of the ballroom. Maddox follows our movements with what I can only describe as a predatory stare. Blaise stiffens. I ball my hand. “If he gives you any trouble?—”
“He wants Betty.”
Betty is Blaise’s sports car.
“Why not sell it to him, then? You can buy more.”
“My father proposed to my mother in Betty.”
“I see.” I didn’t. My father chose his wife over his lover, and my mother died a broken-hearted woman.
“This charity . . .”
“It’s my friend Aaron’s charity. We met at a business convention in Vegas. He knows how hard it is transitioning from trauma-bonding with fellow soldiers, comrades, a team, to coming home to an empty house and no support system. His wife divorced him. His kids are grown and don’t keep in touch. He runs a charity that brings vets, the wounded, the lost, and the disabled out of their isolation and into a team environment again.”
Aaron’s charity was the reason I paid for Ever’s overdue tuition. The world needs someone like her. Aaron would count himself lucky to work with someone as passionate as she is about connecting and reconnecting people to what brings them happiness. Happiness is important, and we should get it when and where we can.
“Right now, it’s video calls,” I explain. “He’d like to expand that to on-site events. Hunting. Learning to play the guitar. Learning a business together. Enjoying watching a game of ball at a sports bar. Going to football games, hockey games. Together.”
Together. That word no longer exists for many of the guys I served with.
