Page 61 of Mason

The waiter brings another bottle of champagne and sets it on the table. I tilt my head. “It’s not even noon, boys.” Surely we can’t keep toasting to my impending wedding to Mason. “And I have another appointment.”

Holden coughs into his hand. “We were hoping to have something else to celebrate.”

“We made a mistake, Liv,” Lucas cuts in. “Me especially. I treated you horribly, and just because Mason can be an insufferable prick sometimes is no excuse for us to behave that way.” There’s a smatter of brotherly chuckling. “But seriously,” he continues, “you’re good at what you do, an impressive day trader.”

“You’re doing great work at Venture,” Lucas goes on. “Don’t think we haven’t been keeping track.”

My chest swells with pride.

Mason squeezes my hand.

Lucas sets his glass down. “Look, I’m just going to cut to the chase. We need you at Daylight Holdings,” he says.

I blink.

“Come work with us,” Holden says. He averts his gaze to Mason, and grins. “The three of us haven’t been right in a few months, and we miss it. We want things to go back to the way they were.”

“But they won’t,” Mason says. “Because I’m not giving up Liv.”

Holden smiles. “Yeah, we know. You crazy SOB.” He lifts his glass toward me. “No offence, Liv, you’re obviously a great girl, but I’m sticking solo.”

“Definitely,” Lucas says. “But we acknowledge that you belong on our team. Not as a junior day trader, but in a senior position.”

“You’ll make millions a year,” Holden says.

I stay silent for a minute, processing the offer. I make good money at Venture, and it’s true, my work is appreciated. But for as hard as I work, I’m missing the drive. The belly fire. And if I’m honest, I miss working alongside Mason.

“And you guys would be okay with that, for real?”

Lucas blushes. “We trust you, Liv. You’ve earned our respect.” He winks. “And more than that, we like you.”

My throat swells with emotion.

Mason leans in close. “So,” he says. “What do you say?”

I grin so wide my cheeks nearly split. “I say, let’s open another bottle of champagne, boys.”

* * *

I’d spot Renee anywhere in a crowd, but today, she especially stands out in a leopard print jumper with a gaping neckline that shows off her generous breasts. A pair of giant sunglasses cover half her face, in stark contrast to her ruby lips. She’s a raven in a flock of sparrows—dark, mysterious, and dangerous.

Particularly when she smiles.

“It’s about time you got here,” she says, standing to give me a hug. With her pumps, she’s almost a foot taller than me. Another trait she got from her mom. “I’ve polished off a glass of Pinot and just ordered a second.”

“I’ve had far too much champagne already,” I say, my head fuzzy with a light buzz.

Her response is cut off by a sharp gasp. She lifts my hand and points to the giant diamond on my finger. “Fuck me, Liv. That’s a boulder.”

My cheeks go warm. I tried to talk Mason out of buying such an extravagant piece of jewelry, but he wouldn’t hear of it. Anything less than two carats would be an insult, he said.

“Thank you for agreeing to be my maid of honor.”

Renee lifts her sunglasses onto her hair. There are tears in her eyes, and my stomach flutters a little. “I wouldn’t have it any other way.” She reaches into her enormous purse and pulls out a sketchbook. “We haven’t talked about it, but I was hoping you’d let me design your dress…”

My eyes get misty. “Yes,” I manage to choke out.

She brushes her eyes to stop the waterfall of tears, and sets the book in front of me. “I’ve started some sketches.”