Hawk & the Lady - Elizabeth Stevens Page 0,63

Which, for him, was a high bar.

“Oh, I’m awfully aware…” Chaos told him.

Rollie and I exchanged an excited look. Chaos had something planned for Nico. Something Nico was going to hate, but something he was going to do because Nico always did the right thing, regardless of what he thought about it.

Chaos pushed off the doorframe and made to turn back into his office.

“Chaos?” Nico’s voice was panicked. He also knew the boss had plans. “Chaos!”

Nico strode purposefully into the head honcho’s office and their ensuing argument was muffled as Rollie and I went into the kitchen on a doughnut hunt.

All was right in my world.

I couldn’t put it any other way.

I was totally, one hundred per cent behind my best friend dating my little sister. In fact, I’d somehow become so okay with it that I was trying to get them down the aisle as well. I was always going to be a little worried that it would all blow up – as I would always be with every single relationship in my life – but I’d also accepted that worrying about the future was a stupid reason to resist something.

And, I had Leah. I didn’t just have Leah, we were totally planning to actually get married. It was the sort of grown up business I’d always thought wasn’t for me. I still had some way to go with Priscilla, but why not perpetuate the stereotypes – as Leah would say – of evil in-laws? I might have never seen being in love and getting married in my future, but now the idea of living without it –without her – felt the worst kind of wrong.

“Over my dead body!” we heard Nico shout angrily.

Rollie and I exchanged a humoured look.

Yep. All was right with the world.

****

A few weeks later, Leah and I had finally got around to the engagement party. She’d had a few choice arguments with a very sour Priscilla and they’d finally agreed to compromise on the party arrangements.

I had a feeling that Aubrey had had something to do with it and, I had to say, I liked Aubrey. Sure, the guy had a bit of an air of snobbery and privilege around him, but he was a nice guy who was making a proper effort to get to know his daughter’s fiancé.

“So, this is what an actual party feels like, is it?” Rollie asked me as he looked around the room of Ayers House.

“You’ve been to plenty of these things before,” Nico said, glaring at everything except his beer.

“Yeah, but we’ve always been working, haven’t we? But tonight we just get to let our hair down and have fun.”

I smirked. “I’m not sure Priscilla can handle any more of your fun, mate.”

Rollie had swung her into a jaunty dance before and, with all the guests clapping and approving, there was very little my future mother-in-law could do about it but silently fume.

“I’m just saying,” Rollie said. “Makes a nice change.”

“There is literally no difference,” was Nico’s sullen input.

“Is it just me, Hawk, or is he in a fouler mood than usual?”

I nodded. “Fouler than usual.”

“Have you been given some sort of secret mission, there Nico?” Rollie leant up into Nico’s face, one eye closed as though that would help his scrutiny.

Nico batted him away like Rollie carried the plague. “Fuck off, wanker.”

“That’s not a no,” Rollie commented as he looked at me, his face still in Nico’s.

“I will drop you where you stand,” Nico threatened him through clenched teeth.

I snorted. “Come on, mate. Let the nerd be. He’s here, isn’t he?”

“So he should be. Even that rich prick is here. Dancing with your lady I see.”

I turned to see Leah with Edward.

I’d noticed a shift in him that night. There was no more pissing contest. The dude had come over and shaken my hand with a sincere congratulations, and been nothing but charming since then.

It was almost enough to make me think I’d imagined it all the first time. And, if I’d imagined it the first time, would that have stopped me jumping to conclusions when I’d Head their dinner.

Not that it did well to dwell on things I couldn’t change. Everything had worked out well.

Well, almost everything.

“Now, Patrick, remind me who these wonderful blokes are,” Aubrey said as he appeared next to us.

I nodded around the group. “Aubrey, this is Ryder Andrews and Nico Daniels.”

Aubrey nodded at them both and shook hands. “Nice to meet you officially. Thanks for coming.”

Rollie grinned. “Wouldn’t have missed it