FIGHTING TO KEEP THEGRIN off his face, Emerson stood at the bar and scanned private dining room full of friends and family gathered for the rehearsal dinner. He found himself smiling so much the past couple of months. If he wasn’t careful, he’d end up as irritating as his younger brother. Not that he seemed able—or if he was being honest—inclined to help it. Sophie made him happy. Spending time with her made everything else he did seem worth it, as if there was a reason aside from obligation.
They weren’t completely in the clear with the cartel in Australia. If he wasn’t with her himself, he still kept a man with her. Perez spent so much time at Connie’s store; he’d started talking about luster and carat weight the same way other guys talked about cars. But Emerson and Sophie stopped looking over their shoulders, and for the past couple of months their relationship had been reborn out of a desire to be together and not out of a need to keep Sophie safe.
Movement at the door caught his eye and he gave up trying to hide the grin. Liam walked in with a gorgeous brunette on his arm. There was an ease to his friend that hadn’t been there six months earlier. He didn’t need to ask to know that farm life agreed with him.
“Hey man, so glad you could make it.” He clapped his friend on the shoulder. “It’s good to see you again, Andy,” he said, offering her his hand.
She looked as if she’d stepped out of a magazine, her dress, hair, makeup, everything was perfect, but he felt the callouses on her hand that betrayed how she spent her days. He couldn’t wait to introduce her to Sophie. He had a feeling the two of them would hit it off.
“How’s the brother of the bride, holding up?” ask Liam.
“I’m fine. Gabe’s fine, and Michael, the groom, knows how lucky he is to be marrying our sister, so he’s fine too.”
Andy laughed, and Liam stepped closer, circling her with his arms. It was as if he was drawn to the woman’s warmth. Emerson knew exactly how he felt. And after all the things Liam had seen during his time in the service and after, it was good to see his friend find someone who made him smile.
“Come on. Liam knows the family already, but let me introduce you to the others.” He offered Andy his arm, partly out of good manners and partly to yank Liam’s chain. If the throat clearing that sounded a little like a growl was any indication, the chain yanking worked. Liam had done something similar when Gabe and Berlin first started out. A little payback was long overdue.
Emerson introduced Andy to his sister Amanda and the other women clustered around her, including his Sophie. In moments, his sisters and the other women were chatting away. He was never going to stop being amazed at the way women did that—met each other one moment and moved toward intimacy the next without all the posturing guys did. He knew there were catty women. He’d just been lucky enough not to be related to any.
“Hey, could I talk to you for a moment,” aske Liam, pulling him to the side.
He had a feeling he knew what was coming. If he were a kinder man, he’d put the other guy out of his misery. As it was, he simply stood and waited.
“I know I’m getting to the end of my vacation time,” the big man said, coming as close as Emerson had ever seen him to squirming.
“We can work around it. What do you need?”
“Well, that’s the thing I wanted to talk to you about.”
“Hola assholes, what did I miss?” Gabe said, coming to join them.
“I think Liam is giving his notice,” said Emerson. “But you barged in here before he got a chance to say.”
“You just lost Smithson. I don’t want to leave you hanging.”
The loss of one of his men had been a hard thing for Emerson. Saying they all knew what they signed up for was a ridiculous sentiment when a man had died. He didn’t have a wife or kids but Emerson made sure the company took care of the funeral expenses and helped his parents. Again cold comfort, but there wasn’t anything else he could do.
“The company will be fine. Playing farmer is good for you. It shows,” said Emerson.
“I can help the soldiers. I know some of what they’re going through. If I can make it even a little bit easier for them, I want to do that.” Andy ran a farm for veterans recovering from their time in the service. It made sense that Liam would have found his place there—found his calling.
“I’m happy for you, man. Really I am.”
“Me too,” said Gabe. Gabe and Liam had been friends since high school. He knew more than most how much his friend suffered and what a chance like this would mean to him.
“Thanks. I never saw this coming, but I feel like I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be. I think I could help you replace me if you’re looking for someone.”
“I’m going to prove how much I care for you by not cracking jokes about replacing you,” said Gabe.
“Nice,” said Liam. “You remember me talking about Jake? He was one of the noobs who served with me. He’s really starting to come into his own. He’s getting ready to move on, and I think he might be a good fit.”
“When he’s ready, send him down and we’ll talk.” Anyone Liam thought would be a good fit probably would be. “Now as much fun as the two of you are, let’s go. It looks like my future brother-in-law’s got all the women to himself. Let’s convince him to share the wealth.”
––––––––
BECCA TOOK A sip ofher scotch and soda and did a mental check of her to-do list for the morning. It wasn’t every day a woman’s sister got married and despite her abundance of friends, she’d never been a maid of honor before. She’d bought a planner she saw on the Knot, and she’d had her online calendar filled in with target dates since Amanda and Michael announced their engagement, but she was still worried something might slip through the cracks.
Worried was the wrong word. Becca didn’t worry; she tackled things head on. She identified the variables and then she eliminated the little bastards so everything went smoothly. She wanted to make sure things were perfect for her sister’s wedding. Amanda deserved that. She deserved happily ever after. They all did.
