I press the phone to my other ear and drop to a whisper. “Yes. And volume, please.”
“Oh my God, he can hear me?”
“Yep.”
“Fantastic. Sir, if you can hear this, blink twice if you’re hot.”
His shoulders shake, but he maintains his focus on the road. Yet the grin is immediate.
“Nina.”
“What? Is he hot in the suit? On a scale of one to I’d-leave-my-husband-if-I-had-one?”
“I’m not answering that.”
“That means ten. Excellent. Listen, tonight is going to be incredible. You’re going to walk in there looking like a goddess with that man on your arm, and Louis is going to swallow his own tongue. Possibly choke on it. We can hope.”
I can’t help but laugh with her.
“Just be happy. The best way to destroy an ex is to show up living your best life while he watches from the sad little corner he built for himself.”
Brody makes a low approving sound. “She’s good.”
“Is that him?” Nina shrieks. “Oh, I like him already.”
“I’m hanging up.”
“And if Louis walks over, kiss the Alpha with tongue and all. Make it count. No little grandma peck. I want the photographer to question whether this is still a family event.”
“Goodbye, Nina.”
“Proud of you! Weaponize joy!”
I hang up and stare straight ahead while silence fills the cab for three full seconds.
Then Brody exhales through his nose, still grinning. “Your friend gives solid tactical advice.”
“She’s unhinged.”
“She’s not wrong.”
I turn my head slowly. “Don’t encourage her.”
“I’m just saying, as the Alpha currently assigned to this emergency, I respect a clear strategy.”
A laugh slips out before I can stop it as he adjusts the mirror. I catch the movement of his hand, fingers drumming once against the steering wheel before stilling.
“She’s right about being happy too,” he says, quieter now. “That’s the part that’ll get him. Not me standing there but you walking in and remembering you’re allowed to enjoy your own damn life.”
The words sit with me longer than I expect.
He glances at me. “So here’s my challenge for tonight. I make you laugh and keep you from disappearing into a corner unless you need a minute, and if your ex looks over, he sees exactly what he gave up. In exchange, I get to spend the night getting to know you better.”
My pulse stumbles. “That sounds fair.”
His smile turns slow. “Good.”
“Good?”
