Sighing, I rolled my eyes, and without even looking at it, I clicked the button to block the sender, then put the message into a folder I’d made specifically for the purpose. It made the trifecta, since my brother and father had both already emailed me.
Apparently Geoff had told them where to find me after he hadn’t gotten what he’d wanted out of the trip to see me.
Also, apparently Geoff had cheated on my brother, so the wedding was off.
Shocking, a cheater cheating.
Never would have expected that at all.
“Hey Landon,” a voice called from the doorway—Lucas.
I looked up at him, lifting a brow. “Shouldn’t you be working? Your mother won’t approve if you have to stay late and miss the first half of dinner. Again.”
He huffed and scowled at me. “I was just making sure you remembered family dinner was tonight,” he finally mumbled in return. “I swear she likes you better than her own sons.”
I picked up my coffee and held it up as though to toast him. “That’s because I arrive on time. And I bring wine.”
His expression turned entirely serious at that, and he glanced down at the coffee, then meaningfully back up at my face. “No, it’s because you dragged her oldest out of a giant black hole.” He winced and looked away. “And she’s thrilled to have a third son who isn’t a dramatic bastard. I guess.”
I couldn’t hold back the laugh at that. “It’s okay, Lucas. Mom would never say you’re a dramatic bastard.” His eyes narrowed in suspicion—as they should. “Dean’s the dramatic bastard. You’re just an annoying brat.”
He made a fake-angry face, and turned away, flipping me off as he went. “See if I help you avoid pissing Mom off ever again.”
“I would never piss Mom off,” I called back. “I’m her favorite, remember?”
Lucas continued to wave his middle finger in my direction as he marched off, and my whole department laughed.
I had to remember to grab a bottle of wine for her on the way to dinner that night. Also, maybe some chocolate cake for Lucas. He was pretty much the best brother a guy could ask for, it turned out.
Plus my whole adopted family had a hell of a sweet tooth, so they sure wouldn’t mind.
CHAPTER 24
DEAN
“I’msoglad we could find a sitter,” Becky said, leaning hard against Craig’s side. Her hand rested right atop her stomach. She was just beginning to show, and the way Craig looked down at her, his eyes warm and soft?—
Well, I couldn’t begrudge him a single damn thing.
His family was his life, and it was growing. And still, they’d both made time to show up for me.
I was so fucking lucky. Even when things changed, my friends held on tight, offered to pick me up and take me to the venue, kept showing up even when that was an objectively ridiculous thing to do.
Hell, basically everyone I knew from Landon and Lucas’s office were standing out there in the audience, and I had the bizarre impression that nobody had even had to twist their arms.
“You’ll have to put me in soon, coach,” I said, laughing. “Landon makes a mean French toast, and we’d love to look after Kimmy while you two have a date night.”
“A collapse-in-bed-at-six night?” Becky suggested.
I snorted. “Nobody said you had to go out. Ordering in is a wonderful thing.”
“Deal,” Craig said, grinning broadly. “Ifyou can promise the world’s best pillow fort. We got a new couch and the cushions don’t come off, and Kimmy’s world has basically ended, so?—”
“Done. Easy. Landon’s couch is perfect. You wouldn’tbelievehow good of a pillow fort we can make. Right, babe?” Landon had wandered closer while we talked, and when he got to my side, his hand slid across my shoulders, his curved nails leaving a trail of shivers behind. For once, he was taller than me. I’d perched on a box in the back to chat.
“Huge,” Landon agreed. “Seriously, any time you two need a night off, we’ll be available. Dean, I think the opener’s about done. I wanted to come back and wish you good luck.”
“We should find a spot out there,” Craig said and led Becky out onto the floor while she waved and told me to break a leg.
