“Um, since forever. Have you seen how tight their pants are?”
I rolled my eyes and peeked through the sliding glass door. “I can’t talk long, but I’m glad you called. Nellie says hello. She just landed that account I told you about, so she wants to throw a little celebratory dinner thing next week. You’re invited.”
“Count me in.”
Bennett Studios had officially inked their deal with Wilson, Treger, and Faison two days ago, just in time for Christmas. In addition, all three partners had unanimously decided that Nellie would lead the account. Obviously, she was thrilled, and I was thrilled for her. She was the hardest working person I knew, so she deserved to be recognized for the fruits of her labor.
“Damn, Brooks Bennett,” she said wistfully. “He was my first celebrity crush. I used to kiss his poster every night before bed.”
“You want me to hook you up?”
“I wish.” She laughed through the phone. “On second thought, ask me again in six months.”
“What about Laric?”
From what she had told me before, Laric already had Christmas plans with family. Sloane was going to join them in Joshua Tree for New Year’s Eve.
“He’s fine.”
I waited for her to elaborate. The pit forming in my stomach snowballed out of control when I heard her sniffle instead.
“Sloane—”
“I’m okay, big man. We can talk later. You have yourgirlfriend’sparents to impress.” I couldn’t help but smile when she used the wordgirlfriend.I had a girlfriend. Fuck, I sounded like a gangly preteen. “I just wanted to wish you a Merry Christmas and tell you I’m happy for you.”
“Thanks, Slo.”
We said our goodbyes, and I made a mental note to check in with her again tomorrow. Something was off with Sloane, and I needed to know what.
But there was something that had to happen first.
I snuck back inside the house and grabbed my camera, returning to the living room just as Killian tossed the final snowball—aka, a plastic Easter egg painted white—to Leighton. She jumped up and down when the timer went off, excited yet unaware of what was still to come.
When Killian’s gaze found mine from across the room, I nodded.
“Check the egg, princess,” Killian said, his voice shaking. I had never seen the man so nervous before.
“You know perfectly well it’s asnowball,killjoy.”
“Check it,” he repeated.
Her eyes widened when she snapped the egg open, and then filled with tears when Killian removed the diamond ring from inside and got down on one knee.
“Leighton, not a day goes by when I don’t find something new to add to the list of reasons why I love you.” Tears of joystreamed down her cheeks. “Please, do me the honor of giving me more time to love you, hold you, and, hopefully, spend the rest of my life trying to make you as happy as you make me. Will you marry me?”
“Yes!” she screamed, wrapping her arms around his neck and tackling him to the floor. Nellie and her parents cheered, peppering the couple with tearful hugs and kisses when they finally came up for air.
And all the while, I watched it through my viewfinder.
Later, after Hank and Wanda had retired to the guest room to take a postgame nap and Killian and Leighton had disappeared for a private celebration, I pulled Nellie aside for a private moment of our own.
“You know,” she said once we were safely tucked away inside the laundry room. “As much as I love where your head’s at, there are much better rooms in the house.Biggerrooms with padded carpet.”
I couldn’t contain my shit-eating grin . . . or the erection straining against my boxer briefs. We could christen every fucking room in the house if she wanted to, but it was going to have to wait.
Her eyes sparkled with interest when I handed her the leather-bound album. “This is for you.”
“Austin, you didn’t have to—”
