I turn around and recognize the two men on either side of me.
Dylan and Colton Wild. Their expressions are friendly but curious.
“Brayden told us you’re his date tonight.” Colton gives me a kind smile, but both his and Dylan’s eyes are assessing me the way a brother would look out for a sibling.
“Yes. Hi.” I shake Dylan’s extended hand and then Colton’s. “Nice to meet you.” I turn back to Dylan. “Congratulations on your marriage. The renewal ceremony was so beautiful.”
“Thank you.” His eyes warm. “Jasalie told me she had invited you tonight. She said good things about you.”
“She was so kind to invite me,” I say. “You two make a wonderful couple.”
Colton smiles. “I hope you and Brayden can work things out.”
“I hope so, too.” I take in a deep breath. “I’ve brought a lot of complications to the table. I never want to hurt Brayden, ever.”
Dylan’s expression relaxes. “I’m pretty sure he knew what he was walking into from the beginning. As long as you’re always honest with him—he’ll be okay.”
“Are you two bothering my date?” Brayden says as he steps in next to me and slips his arm around my waist.
Colton grins. “Always. That’s what we do.”
Brayden frowns and tells me he needs a few minutes alone with his cousins. I wave goodbye to them and go find Olivia, who brings me over to Jasalie, Bella, and Sky.
Sky introduces herself and asks if I’ve met Colton. I nod, and when I say that Colton and Dylan didn’t seem to necessarily trust me, she makes a joke about her husband being a bodyguard.
“You would think these guys are all innocents with the way the others protect them,” she says fondly. “None of them knew what to do with me at first, either.”
“Really?” Olivia asks.
“Of course. They protect their own.”
“I think it’s sweet,” Jasalie says. “But I never had that growing up. Don’t let them bother you, Leleila. They mean well, and once they know you, they’ll have your back for life. No matter what.”
“In the meantime,” Bella says, looping her arm through mine. “We’ll get to know you ourselves. Let’s go sit at our table.”
* * *
Brayden
As soon as Leleila’s out of earshot, I turn on Colton and Dylan.
“Don’t fucking bug Leleila,” I say to them.
“Remember how you told me to run Sky off because she couldn’t be trusted?” Colt says with amusement.
I scowl. “That’s a little harsh. I didn’t quite say that.”
“You said, ‘definitely walk, man,’ and thatisa quote.” Colton’s smile is even bigger.
I relax. “But I was wrong. So are you.”
“Hey.” Dylan steps in between us. “We like her, Bray. We were just feeling her out. You tell us you’re falling for a woman on the verge of a wedding to another man. Of course we’re worried about you. We don’t want you to get hurt.”
“Not that it’s any of your business,” I say, knowing they won’t let up if I don’t fill them in on the updated version of the story. “But she and he broke up. It’s over between them.”
Colt’s blue eyes brighten. “Fuck. That’s great news.”
I nod. “No more fucking sharing tonight. I’ve said more than I planned on.”
