“Doves really aren’t that expensive,” she murmured, and Seth gave her a look.
“Sorry,” she said, holding up her palms. “Irrelevant.”
Seth took a sip of his drink, then ran his hands through his hair, feeling suddenly tired. “I don’t know how to give up complete control and still be . . .”
“In control?” she said with a small smile that felt friendly instead of antagonistic for once.
“Yeah,” he said quietly. He returned her smile, and it was, well, not a moment, exactly, but it was something. It was something to be spending time with her and not feeling like he had to shove her away out of fear that he’d pull her close and have his way with her.
“Just pretend I’m not here,” Grant said in a stage whisper. “Oh wait, you already are.”
Brooke gave a nervous little laugh and broke eye contact. The moment was over, but that was okay, because she still looked happy, and happy Brooke was, well . . . interesting. Attractive.
And rare, he realized as he studied her.
She was smiling, which she did often. But whether it was the drink, or the fact that she was off-duty, or the company, she was relaxed now in a way he hadn’t seen her since they’d first met. Her laugh a little looser, her eyes less guarded, her gaze more open.
Seth realized then that maybe he’d misjudged the Barbie. He’d thought that the other Brooke was all there was, with her perfect smiles and inane platitudes that disguised sharp edges. But seeing her now, he realized there was another Brooke.
Perhaps the real Brooke.
The perfectly composed Brooke had made him want to do dirty, nasty things with her, and well, this one did, too.
But this relaxed, friendly Brooke who was currently looking at him with unshuttered eyes . . . he wanted to know her in ways other than just naked ways. Wanted to know what made her laugh, what made her cry . . .
Grant cleared his throat, and Seth jerked slightly.
Right. They weren’t alone. But someday soon, maybe.
“So what do you suggest, Ms. Baldwin?” Seth said, sitting back in his chair and trying to pretend that this was just another business transaction. “How do you propose I control how my money gets spent, ensure my sister’s not marrying a money-grubbing asshole, and make sure that Maya enjoys the process, if in fact, Neil is a decent sort?”
Brooke pulled her full bottom lip beneath her front teeth, biting down softly as she pondered this.
“Okay, don’t say no right away,” she said slowly.
Seth shook his head and took a sip of his drink. “Never start a negotiation that way.”
“Shush,” she said. “We wedding planners do things differently. Hear me out. You need to take a step back from the minutiae. Tag along to the big-money decisions, sure. The wine, even the dinner style. But when it comes to everything else, give Maya some distance. Let her shop for her dress and her cake and her bouquet without you hovering. Let her and Neil go cake tasting and ooh and aah over buttercream frosting versus fondant without her sulky big brother sucking all of the romance out of every single moment.”
“But what if—”
“I’m not done,” she said calmly, holding up a finger. “And, so that you’re not feeling like you’re spending money blindly, you and I can discuss what Maya and Neil decide after.”
Seth froze at this, at the exact same moment Grant sat forward with the mother of all shit-eating smirks. “After? Explain.”
Brooke’s smile faltered a little, and Seth wanted to slap his friend upside the head for potentially ruining something that could be good. Something that could be just along the lines of what he’d been thinking of asking her to do earlier today, in fact.
“I just meant that maybe after I met with Maya and Neil on wedding-related things, I could discuss them with Se—Mr. Tyler.”
Grant spread his hands to the side. “Well, I think that’s a great idea. You guys could do, what, daily dinner? Drinks? Nightcap?”
“Grant,” Seth said, keeping his voice mild.
“What?”
Seth ignored his troublemaking friend, keeping his attention on Brooke. “Would you tell me what happens between the two of them during the day?”
“What do you mean?” she asked.
“I mean that my problem isn’t the money so much as the man. I would spend millions if it meant Maya marrying the love of her life, who’d be good to her. But if he’s not that man, I want to know about it so I