I throw my hands up. “Dude. I wouldnevertouch her.”
Payton snorts. “Physically or emotionally?”
“Either! I mean, come on. She’syoursister. That’s like sacred territory. Holy grail of off-limits.”
“Right?” Eva adds. “This is strictly professional fake love. Like a rom-com but with none of the good parts.”
Austin chuckles. “I dunno, this has all the good parts for me.”
“Same,” Ashton says, grinning. “I am thriving right now.”
Josy leans in, clearly loving every second of this. “Noah, come on. You’re being dramatic. It’s not like they’re actually getting married.”
Violet nods, eyes twinkling. “They just need to look convincing long enough to close the deal. What’s the worst that could happen?”
Noah shoots her a glare. “You’re not helping.”
I shrug and grin. “Look, I save the deal, McNeal gets all warm and fuzzy about us being family men, you look great, I look great, everybody wins.”
Noah groans, dragging a hand down his face like this physically hurts him. “You’re all insane.”
But he doesn’t walk away. He doesn’t say no again. Instead, he just… stalls.
That’s when I know he’s cracking. After a long beat of everyone watching him, waiting, he finally caves. “Fine,” he mutters. “But one condition.”
I straighten like I’m getting sworn in. “Name it.”
“You don’t touch my sister.”
I cross my heart. “Wouldn’t dream of it.”
“And this ends the second the deal is done. Got it?”
“Crystal clear.”
Eva raises her glass with a little smirk. “To fake love and zero physical contact.”
Ashton clinks his drink against hers. “And the slow descent into chaos.”
Noah drops into his chair, defeated. “I’m gonna need another drink.”
Chapter Seven
Eva
Yeah, that just happened. Why did I offer myself as Esteban’s fake fiancée?
One second I was sipping my drink, trying not to drool over how good he looked in that white T-shirt, and the next I was volunteering as tribute like we were in the damn Hunger Games.
I knew the moment the words left my mouth that Noah was going to flip. And oh, boy, did he. The way his face twisted, pure big brother panic, was priceless. If I hadn’t been too busy internally screaming at myself, I probably would’ve taken a picture.
Honestly, I get it. I really do. Esteban’s always been the wildest of the trio. The flirty one. The one who could charm the panties off a nun if he tried hard enough. And my brother, being the overprotective, dad-figure he is, just about had an aneurysm.
But once he finally caved and gave us the go-ahead, I couldn’t help but smile.
Because here’s the truth. Noah thinks he has to protectme from Esteban. What he doesn’t realize is that Esteban’s never looked at me like that. Not once. Not when I was a scrawny pre-teen trying to follow the boys around the lake, and definitely not now.
The problem isn’t him.
