Billion Dollar Beast - Olivia Hayle Page 0,75

and mulled wine hangs heavily.

“Oh,” Blair breathes. “It’s beautiful.”

It is. The warm Christmas lighting is giving her blonde hair, loose around her face, an almost luminous sheen. “Yes.”

An attendant takes our jackets as a singer begins to softly croon “All I Want for Christmas” from the built-in stereo system. I wonder who Cole’s invited this time. You never know who you’ll encounter at an event where he’s had a hand on the invites.

Blair’s fingers thread through mine. The gesture comes naturally to her now, as does throwing an arm around my shoulders while I’m working, or sitting down on my lap instead of a free chair. The easy, trusting way she touches me never fails to strike me.

“Let’s go say hello,” she says.

We head into the living room. There’s a smaller Christmas tree here in the corner, but this one looks decidedly more homey. None of the baubles match. Definitely the work of Skye and Timmy and not any party decorators.

One after one, the gathered guests begin to notice us. First Blair. Then me. And finally our joined hands.

It’s almost comical, the surprise in their eyes when they piece it together. While most of the people here know Blair quite well, very, very few know me at all.

Yes, this had been an excellent place for this.

Blair pulls me along to say hello to her cousin. Hugs ensue, and I shake a few hands, introducing myself to people I might have met before but have forgotten, either way.

Blair’s cousin gives her a very unsubtle glance, eyes briefly flicking back to me. The message is clear. You two? Why haven’t you told me?

I smile. Yes, Blair will practically be drowned in questions after this. I look forward to hearing a few of her replies for myself.

Cole finds me a while later, leaning against one of the walls. Silently, he hands me a glass of brandy. “Thought you might need something a bit stronger.”

“I’m not about to bolt.”

“Just in case,” he says, his grin wolfish. “So you two chose to upstage my Christmas party, huh?”

“It was Blair’s idea. I don’t really care where we ‘come out,’ as she so tactfully phrased it, but she thought this was the best place for it.”

Strike, likely bewildered by all the people, weaves through legs to come sit at Cole’s feet. His tongue lolls out of his mouth, paws too big for his body. “Hi, buddy,” Cole says. “Yes, well, perhaps she was right about that.”

I take a sip of my brandy. It’s far more grounding than the champagne I had earlier; Cole knows me well. “Is it still weird?”

He raises an eyebrow. “You dating my sister?”

“Yes. And if so, at what point does it stop being weird to you, do you think?” I’m pushing it, perhaps. He’s been very good these past few weeks, never once mentioning anything about Blair and me in front of her. The four of us have even been out to dinner together—all of one time. It’s been grating on Blair. In her mind, I think she always envisioned this as a seamless thing.

Cole leans on the wall beside me. “I don’t know,” he says. “I know you independently, and I know her independently, and seeing you together… I just don’t know.”

I nod. It’s not unexpected, but it still stings a little bit, especially knowing that I’m not who he would have chosen for his sister.

So I can’t resist. “You used to say that you wanted us to get along better.”

He shoots me a withering glare and I hold up my hands in apology. “I couldn’t help myself. As long as I don’t get my godparent-to-be status revoked.”

Shaking his head, he swirls his whiskey around in his glass. “It’s not revoked. And if you want my honest opinion… I’m cautiously optimistic. She’s glowing with happiness, you know. And she’s more determined than ever with her work. I do think you have a little bit to do with that. And you’re… well, Nick, you don’t scowl quite as much.”

Selfish, vain pride courses through me at the glowing with happiness comment. “Right.”

“But I’ll be right here to tell you off if you fuck up.”

“I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

“And if it’s still going well in a few months’ time, I’ll consider letting the two of you stay in the chalet.”

I chuckle. “How magnanimous of you.”

“Skye keeps telling me the signs were all there. I knew before they knew, she says, like she’ll get some sort of medal.” He snorts. “Worst part is, perhaps