Their team leader scooted forward as far as he could in the tight seat and rested his elbows on his thighs. “Meaning, at the end of the day, they’re working to do what’s best for themselves and their careers.”
“Well, I think it’s great.” Zade relaxed back into his own chair a little more. “From everything I’ve seen so far, President Russell seems like the real deal.”
“As real as any politician can be, you mean,” Matt mumbled.
Tipping his beer bottle toward Matt, Zade raised a brow. “Good point.”
As the three men continued their discussion on the players of politics, Nate’s focus shifted from that conversation to the voices suddenly coming from the house.
From behind his sunglasses, he watched as Kole stepped outside the sliding glass door and onto the patio where they were all currently sitting. Held securely between both hands was a large tray filled with several raw hamburger patties and other assorted meats.
About fucking time. Nate had skipped breakfast and it was after twelve. He was starving.
As Kole walked over to the large smoker he’d just purchased, Sarah also came outside and made her way to Kole’s side. Her long, blonde hair was pulled up into a messy bun, and her white shorts and black T-shirt showed off her great figure.
Not that he was looking at her likethat.Sure, Sarah was attractive, but the young lawyer was like a sister to him.
Nate smiled. He may give Kole shit about being tied down, but the truth was, he couldn’t be happier for his friends. After everything those two had been through, they deserved to get their happily ever after.
A strange twinge fluttered through his chest. It felt a lot like jealousy, but that couldn’t be right. Nate didn’t do relationships, and he sure as hell had no intention of doing the whole picket fence bullshit.
With Kole and Sarah, it was practically love at first sight. Even after Kole’s shocking diagnosis and Sarah’s near-death experience at the hands of a psychopathic stalker, the couple had managed to stick together.
Nate had to admit, the love his friends had for each other was almost inspiring. And a little nauseating.
Nate had zero desire to settle down. That was Kole’s thing. Not his.
About to take another sip of his beer, Nate stopped just before the glass rim touched his lips. Frozen mid-motion, he suddenly and inexplicably found it hard to breathe.
A beautiful, vibrant-looking woman had just stepped outside and onto the patio. Nate knew from a couple pictures he’d seen, she had to be Gracelynn, Sarah’s half-sister who’d just moved here from Maryland.
In the pics, both she and Sarah had been a good distance from the camera. They’d gone hiking somewhere, and Gracelynn had been wearing a baseball cap and sunglasses, so it was hard to gauge how she really looked.
Staring at her now, though, Nate knew without a doubt she was the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen.
Even from behind his dark lenses, he could tell her eyes were the same large, round shape as her sister’s. But instead of being blue like Sarah’s, Gracelynn’s were golden brown.
They lit up when she smiled at something Kole said, and Nate found himself wanting to drink in every drop of the light he saw shining behind them.
It wasn’t just her eyes that drew him in. Everything about this woman was captivating.
Gracelynn’s long hair fell in waves to the middle of her back. Its golden, almost caramel color reminded him of a warm, fall day.
The thin straps of the yellow sundress she was wearing stood out against the naturally sun-kissed skin of her bare shoulders. And then there was her smile.
Nate could actually feel its warmth spreading over him as he sat there, staring like an idiot.
When the three of them began walking toward him, Nate shook himself out of the trance, and took a big gulp to regroup.What the hell just happened?
“Guys, I’d like you to meet Gracelynn, Sarah’s sister.”
The other men all said hello, standing to shake her hand and introduce themselves. Rather than the polite greeting he should’ve given, Nate remained seated and took another swig.
“It’s nice to finally meet you all. And please, call me Gracie.”
Hearing her voice for the first time was such a shock to Nate’s system he had to catch his breath, again.
Unfortunately, he still had beer in his mouth when he did.
