Callie sighed again. “So you’re gonna be the big damned hero of the day because a sad boy looked at you with his big doe eyes and cried a little?” she asked. “Are yousureyou’re straight? Because this is the kind of dumb thing I’d do for a pretty girl.”
“I can help him,” Flynn said, shrugging. “And it’s not gonna cost me anything to do it. This is the right thing.”
Callie opened her mouth, closed it, and then opened it again. “I can’t argue with that. Not when you’re being all sweet and noble.”
“And not when you can’t see why it’s not a good idea,” Flynn said, knowing he’d won this round.
It couldn’t hurt to ask. Maybe Zach wouldn’t be thrilled by the idea of marrying a practical stranger instead of the man he loved. But Flynn had tooffer.
He couldn’t let Aiden hurt anyone else. Not if he could prevent it, anyway. Aiden was his responsibility.
Which, by extension, madeZachhis responsibility.
“Oh, I can see a thousand ways it’s not a good idea,” Callie said. “I just also know that you’re even more stubborn than Aiden is, especially when you can see a way to be a self-sacrificing asshole.”
“But you’re proud of me,” Flynn said, grinning, sure that was true.
Callie rolled her eyes. “Obviously. You wouldn’t be my best friend if you weren’t like you are.”
Flynn beamed at her.
“I still think you’re an idiot,” she said. “But I think you’re anobleidiot, and that’s in short supply. I don’t want you to stop being like you are. You have a niece to pass all that goodness and kindness onto.”
Heart fluttering at the thought, Flynn relaxed enough to sit down on a nearby stool. “Yeah, well… I’m just securing a personal art teacher for her future,” he said. “What do you think he does?”
Callie shrugged. “I dunno. Maybe he paints. Aiden seems like the kind of guy who’d be into a painter.”
“Maybe. I’ll ask.”
“Yeah, you might wanna know one or two basic things about the guy before you offer to marry him,” she said. “At least you two will look stunning together.”
Flynn blinked at her as she moved to sit down next to him. “Really?” he asked.
“Oh yeah. He’s got this scruffy artist twink vibe going on, and you… you’re well-groomed, handsome, sensible… he’s gonna look good on your arm.”
“He’s gonna be on my arm for five minutes,” Flynn said. That was all this was. A stupid Vegas wedding to satisfy Zach’s grandma, and it’d all be over quickly, and then Flynn could go back to his life and file for an uncontested divorce once Zach had the money.
It was really no big deal. It’d cost him a few hundred dollars at worst, and he’d already been planning on going to a wedding tomorrow anyway.
“Uh huh,” Callie said. “So you missed the way he looked at you, then?”
“If he did look at me some way,” Flynn said, knowing exactly what Callie meant. “It wasprobablybecause I look kinda like Aiden and his heart was busy breaking. I doubt he’s after a new boyfriend ten seconds after breaking up with the last one. Even Aiden wouldn’t do that.”
Callie made an unconvinced sound. Flynn was pretty sure she was just teasing, though.
“He’ll probably say no,” he said as their order was called out, spurring him to stand up. “All I’m gonna do is ask.”
“Uh huh,” Callie repeated. “Well, I guess I’m gonna get my wish of being your best man someday. Little sooner than I expected. If I’m being offered the position?”
“Obviously.” Flynn smiled at her, grabbing the pizzas and heading for the door. “See? This’ll be fun. It’s a great idea.”
Besides, Zach probablywouldsay no. Flynn just couldn’t bring himself not to offer.
