“Wait, he’s already hooked up with her?” Grayson’s eyes grew big. I knew the feeling of disbelief acutely.
“They only made out,” I clarified for Britte’s sake. “Britte has some standards; she wouldn’t just sleep with Becks.”
Grayson and Lennox gave looks of disbelief, but I wasn’t about to argue this with them.
Finally Grayson asked, “Does she like him?”
“No, she’s terrified of him. I don’t think he knows what to do with feelings, so he’s scaring the crap out of her,” I admitted, feeling kind of bad for Beckett. Although not bad enough to dish it out to my Grayson and Lennox.
They howled with laughter. “He’ll figure it out, Els.” Lennox promised when they settled down.
“Sure,” I shrugged noncommittally. If I told them my true feelings, that I hoped he just moved on and left Britte alone, their fierce loyalty would come out and they would all but join arms with Beckett in an attempt to woo her.
I was her friend; I couldneverlet her fall into a relationship with one of my brothers. Friends don’t let friends date their emotionally unavailable, womanizing brothers.
“Did you give Hunter that letter I gave you?” Grayson asked casually, but I noticed how still and quiet Lennox grew.
“Yep,” I answered simply and then glanced back at the door.Please let there be customers. Please let there be customers.
“Good,” Gray answered.
The waiter for this section popped up just then and took their beer orders of Old Milwaukee. They ordered an appetizer too and then when the waiter was gone, they turned their attention back to me.
“I met him tonight,” Lennox stated, still not revealing any emotion.
“Who?”
“Finley Hunter,” Lennox shot Grayson a look out of the corner of his eye that showed there was no way I could win this.
“He likes you,” Grayson announced.
“Oh, gosh, not this,” I shook my head getting ready to stand up and walk away.
“We know that because he told us, Els, so sit down,” Grayson snapped and I did but more because I fell back into my seat out of surprise.
One day I would grow a spine. It would probably have to be in a convent away from all these alpha males, but one day….
“He stopped by Gray’s apartment earlier, while I happened to be there,” Lennox explained. “He had wanted to talk to Gray, but he got both of us instead.”
“What are you doing in town anyway?” I demanded suddenly too nervous to hear how their story was going to play out.
“I can’t visit my brother?” Lennox looked offended.
“No.”
“It doesn’t matter what we were doing, that’s not the point,” Lennox all but growled. “Your boyfriend stopped over to explain to Grayson that he was going to start dating you and he wanted your family to be aware of him.”
“What?” I gasped.
“He laid it all out there for us, Els,” Grayson nodded in agreement. “He all but demanded we accept him.”
“Oh my gosh,” I groaned. This night was getting weirder and weirder. “We’re not dating, he’snotmy boyfriend.”
“But he will be?” Lennox asked firmly.
“Maybe,” I allowed. If I got over the debt. If that was what he really wanted. If that was what I really wanted…. “Not like today or tomorrow or anything. But possibly in the future.”
My brothers stared me down, both of them, Lennox with his steely, dark blue eyes and Grayson with his brown. They were so intimidating, each in their own way. And I realized at that moment that I only wanted to please them, to do anything but disappoint them. Still, I wouldn’t let them take Fin away from me. It took me until now, or maybe it happened this very sEcond, but he was too important to me to let my family stand in the way.
