Brad held up his hands. “I was just saying hello.”
Cody narrowed his gaze. “You know the rule. No flirting withher.”
Brooke cocked a brow. “Is this like the bro code?” She had to admit, she liked seeing Cody possessive over her. And sitting in his lap gave her all kinds of shivery feelings and indecent ideas.
Brad chuckled. “You don’t mess with your best friend’s sister.”
Cody nudged her off him. “Is it time for the speech you want us to make?”
Brooke stood beside him, knowing he’d changed the subject on purpose, but not understanding the wince he’d given at Brad’s words or the strange look in his eyes when she left his lap. Regret?
No. That’s wishful thinking and my imagination.
She tamped down her hormones and adoration for him and focused. “Uh, Kristi ordered me to find you.”
“Excuse me?” Cody didn’t look happy about that.
Brooke let it go. “Her father wants to talk to you. Something important.”
“Better hop to it,” Brad teased. “Don’t want to keep the future Mrs. Jansen waiting.”
“What?” Brooke nearly choked on the word and the idea that Cody planned to propose.
Cody punched his fist into Brad’s arm again as he stood. “Stop joking about shit like that.”
She grabbed his forearm and stopped him from walking away. “Are you…”
“No,” he said emphatically.
She breathed a sigh of relief that he wasn’t planning on asking her to marry him.
Yet.
Shut up, she yelled at that voice in her head.
Cody glanced at the crowd. “Where is she?”
Brooke looked past him. “By the bar.”
“How about I get you a drink, Brooke?” Brad offered.
“No,” Cody snapped. “Brooke isn’t of age.”
Brad shook his head. “Come on, old man. We were drinking way younger than she is now.”
Cody met Brad’s taunting eyes. “Go find one of the couple dozen available women here today. She’s not for you.”
Brooke wanted to break the tension between these two friends. “I mean, I could do worse.”
Cody’s lethal gaze landed on her. “Are you serious?”
She rolled her eyes. “No. I’m going to make sure everyone is heading to the buffet line.” She walked away, but not before she heard Brad tell Cody, “I was just messing around.”
She knew it was to keep his friendship with Cody on good terms, but it kind of pinched her heart, too, that he wasn’t serious about her being beautiful, or that he would be interested in her.
Not that she wanted to date Brad. It would just be nice if he thought she was worth Cody’s wrath.
You’re being ridiculous.
