“About six times, but I was really hoping for that seventh.”
“I love you.”
Her eyes softened. “I love you too.”
A throat cleared behind him. “Are we interrupting something?”
His lips twitched at the sound of his sister’s voice, and he turned to see both Clara and his mother standing there.
He leaned down and kissed his mother’s cheek. “Hi, Mom.”
Clara hugged Aspen before grinning at him. “Is my badass big brother so in love that he can’t go five minutes without kissing his woman?”
He grabbed her and lightly ruffled her hair, not caring about all the people passing.
Clara laughed and shoved him.
His mother wrapped an arm around Aspen’s waist. “Let’s go inside, honey. These two might be a while.”
Jesse chuckled and followed. The second he was inside though, the smile fell. Too many people. Far too fucking many. He returned to Aspen’s side. As they moved deeper into the room, he spotted Holden. Good. Now he just needed his brother and he’d feel semi-okay.
Holden dipped his head as he and Aspen stopped in front of him. “Hey.”
Aspen smiled. “Hi, Holden.”
“Sorry we’re late.” Technically, they weren’t late, just later than they’d told Holden they’d arrive.
“You’re fine. Is Becket still coming?”
Jesse frowned. “He’s not here yet?”
“I haven’t seen him.”
Jesse searched the floor, then the mezzanine level upstairs. There were plenty of people but, as far as he could see, his brother wasn’t one of them.
“He’s probably just running late.” Holden’s gaze moved behind them. “I’m going to say hi to your mom and sister.” Holden gripped his shoulder before stepping away.
Aspen inched closer. “Can I ask you something?”
“If it’s whether we can leave, then the answer is yes.”
She rolled her eyes, but there was a smile on her face as she did it. “Have Holden and Clara ever…”
When she didn’t finish, Jesse frowned. “Dated?”
“Well, yeah.”
“No. Why?”
She lifted a shoulder. “Just wondering.”
Jesse looked behind him at Holden, Clara and his mother. They were standing in a circle talking, and as far as he could tell, everything seemed normal.
He’d never even considered them dating a possibility. Would he care if they did? He wasn’t sure. Holden was one of the best guys he knew, and he trusted him with his life. But his best friend and his sister would be a strange concept to wrap his head around. And ever since Clara had been sick, he and Becket had been more protective of her.
“Aspen! Jesse!”
He turned back to see Mrs. Gerald joining them. The older woman gave Jesse a hug, then Aspen, before pulling back and looking at Aspen’s shirt. “It looks great on you.”
