‘God no,’ Rian laughs. ‘Can you imagine? Avery would string me up by the balls if we did anything to take the attention away from her big day! God knows it took her long enough to set her own date. We won’t risk doing anything to steal her limelight—we all know how much she loves it.’
I snigger. It’s true; my future-sister-in-law thrives on being in the limelight. Although now that she has Killian’s undivided attention, she doesn’t look anywhere else for attention these days.
I reach for a peanut butter cookie, Magda baked them especially for me. ‘I’ll need to cut back on the cookies or my bridesmaid dress won’t fit.’
‘You’ll be gorgeous, don’t give it a second thought,’Rebekka says kindly. ‘Call us after the scan, I’m dying to know if we’re getting a niece or a nephew.’ She rubs her palms together excitedly.
‘Unless you want us to come with you?’ Rian adds as an afterthought.
‘Oh, God no.’ I swat my hand in front of my face. ‘I’ll be fine. Tate will be with me. And Felstead,’ I glance towards the front door with a scowl. He’s probably pacing the place. He just can’t relax, even when in the apartment block, unlike Tate, who’s probably taking the opportunity to work out in my home gym. ‘Nico will probably come with me too,’ I lie. ‘And maybe Livvie.’ Another lie.
It’s easier than telling them the truth.
‘As long as you’re okay.’ Rian’s voice is thick with concern.
‘I’m more than okay, please stop worrying about me. I’m sick of telling you all—I’m a big girl; I can take care of myself.’
‘I wish you didn’t have to,’ Rebekka blurts. ‘Are you sure you don’t want the boys to track down your mystery man?’
‘There’s no need.’ I can’t meet her eye. ‘How’s work?’ I deliberately change the subject.
‘Business is booming.’ Rian straightens his tie. ‘What about you? Are you working on the hotel project?’
I almost choke on my tea. ‘Which hotel?’ My voice comes out strangled as the blood drains from my face.
‘The Cromwell Hotels, wasn’t it? London and Edinburgh?’
Relief courses through me. ‘Yes, I’m overseeing the project, but Marlene is taking lead because I’m prioritising the Cannes project, among a couple of other things.’
‘Great to see you’re delegating. You’ve always been so hellbent on doing everything yourself.’
My hand falls to my bump. ‘I don’t exactly have a lot of choice for the next few months.’
Thankfully, they soon drink their tea and make theirexcuses, leaving my apartment hand in hand like a couple of star-crossed lovers liable to be pulled apart at any second. The second the door closes behind them, I pull up Cole’s contact details and hit redial. He answers on the first ring.
‘Thank fuck. I was about to swing by your place to check you’re okay. Tate isn’t answering either.’ Naturally, Cole insisted on saving Tate’s contact details—control freak. Though maybe it takes one to know one.
‘Don’t ever do that,’ I beg. ‘My family will kill you—and me.’ I waddle through to the spacious living area, tastefully decorated in blush pink and rose gold. The ivory mantle boasts a trendy bioethanol fireplace. It doesn’t compare to a real fire, not like the one in Cole’s house in Skerries, but it’s one of my favourite features. I collapse onto the couch, wriggling into the plump soft cushions, and palm my stomach.
‘I’d like to see them try,’ Cole retorts darkly.
I sigh. ‘I wish you guys hadn’t rubbed each other up the wrong way.’
‘The only person I rubbed any way—was you,’ he says lowly. ‘They did everything in their power to prevent Hartmann Dublin’s progress.’
‘And wouldn’t you do the same if Caelon tried to build a Beckett’s Bliss in Vegas—directly opposite your hotel?’
‘Are you taking sides?’ he bites.
‘No, I’m just trying to get you to see it from their point of view. Them trying to prevent your progress in our home city is actually a compliment—they knew it would take business from theirs.’
‘It’s one hell of a fucked up compliment. Besides, it’s my home city too,’ he reminds me.
‘Barely, you’ve only just arrived.’
‘I never told you the full story about my heritage, did I?’ He muses, and I imagine him raking his fingers through hisblonde cropped hair, the way I’ve watched him do a hundred times.
‘Probably because the majority of the time we’re together, your tongue is preoccupied with other pastimes.’ My stomach clenches at the memories.
