* * *
Jaxon
My phone buzzed inmy pocket just as I sat down to pull on my boots. Harmony had promised she’d be ready in ten minutes...forty minutes ago. I looked at my screen and frowned. It was Matt. “Hey, big brother. Everything okay?”
“Yeah. Melody’s decided she wants everyone at dinner as a group.”
“I’m sorry?”
He sighed. “She’s booked the restaurant for the entire evening and demanded that you and Harmony, along with all of us—”
“All of us, who?”
“Carter, Aidan, their women. She tried for Luke and Josh as well, but they’re not in town. Mack and Darien are on their way.”
“Jesus Christ,” I hissed.
“He’s not gonna save us, brother. She’s paying for everything, so we can go for an hour and then get the hell out. Well, you can. I’m with her all night.”
“Sorry, not sorry,” I grumbled.
Matt laughed. This was classic Matt. Nothing fazed the man. Ever.
“Okay, we’ll see you in an hour,” I said.
“See you then.”
We hung up and I decided to check on Harmony before I put my boots on. She was on her phone pacing my bedroom. “What do you mean she’s rented out the entire restaurant?” she snarled. “Oh, my god, LiLi, she’s out of control. You’re supposed to stop her when she decides to spend two-hundred-grand on dinner!”
I leaned against the doorframe and watched her rage. It was glorious.
“You’re joking.” She dropped her head back and closed her eyes. “Fine. Yep. Find her Xanax, please, I’m gonna need one...or twelve. Okay, bye.”
“You’re not really gonna take something not prescribed to you in my presence are you?” I challenged.
“No?”
I chuckled. “Come here.”
She walked into my arms and sighed. “I take it you got the message?”
“Matt called.” I stroked her back. “Is she really spending that much on dinner?”
“Yep. Apparently, she’s been so good with her discretionary spending that she has it in her entertainment budget Lyric set up for her.” She sighed. “But she knows how I feel about crowds.”
I lifted her chin and smiled. “I promise you’re gonna be fine. These are my people and they’re all great.”
“Well, if they’re anything like you, of course they are.”
I kissed her quickly. “You look beautiful.”
“Thanks.”
“Are you ready?”
She wrinkled her nose, and she was so fucking cute, all I wanted to do was peel off her clothes and keep her in bed all night. “No. I mean, technically, yes, but emotionally, not really.”
“I got you, Rufus,” I said.
