My Brother's Billionaire Best Friend - Max Monroe Page 0,93
is his cousin?
Not some love interest or fuck buddy?
But an actual family member?
I’m officially confused.
Milo
The clock is nearing one in the morning, and the bride and groom are still whooping it up on the dance floor. Evan twirls his wife around, and the biggest grin I’ve ever seen has become a permanent fixture on his face.
My best friend is the happiest he’s ever been.
Married to the woman of his dreams. The apple of his fucking eye.
And I’m a miserable bastard who can’t stop sneaking glances at his little sister.
Right now, she stands beside her dad while he talks animatedly to Sadie’s father, John.
Beers clutched in their hands and with rosy, alcohol-tinted cheeks, the two men are laughing like hyenas, but Maybe is just…kind of standing there, her lips locked in a firm line.
I get the sense that something is wrong, but fuck, it’s not my place to go ask her.
She’s made it pretty damn clear she wants space from me.
And more than that, this is Evan’s big day. This is the last place I should make some kind of scene and let him in on the secret that I’m in love with Maybe.
Pretty sure the happiest day of his life would take a drastic turn from bliss to red-hot anger.
That’s the last thing I want to do.
Emory sits down beside me and sets two fresh slices of cake in front of us.
“I have to say,” she says with a soft smile. “I was thankful for a night out without my little baby Hudson. It’s been fun, honestly, but I’m getting the vibe that all is not well in your world, cuz.”
“I’m fine.” I shrug and lift a fork to take a bite of vanilla and chocolate.
“Seriously,” she continues and locks her eyes with mine. “What’s going on?” she asks and quickly glances across the room at the one woman I’ve managed to keep track of the entire evening. “I know something is up, and call me crazy, but I’m pretty sure it has everything to do with that beautiful brunette over there.”
What can I say to that?
And fuck, am I that damn obvious?
For a man who’s built a goddamn tech empire and prided himself on his poker face during important business meetings, I apparently can’t hide the way I look at her.
She is the exception in all things for me.
“Well…” I pause on a sigh. “It’s safe to say I got myself into the kind of situation I have no solution to.”
“That’s bullshit, Milo. There’s always a solution.”
I shake my head. “Not in this case.”
“God, you really are a pathetic sack of sadness, huh?” she teases. “Do I need to get some tissues while you cry on my shoulder?”
“You’ve always had a knack for being a sarcastic little brat, you know that?” I toss back. “Even when we were kids, you were nothing but trouble.”
Emory smiles. “My husband wouldn’t hesitate to agree with you.”
“No doubt, Quince deserves a medal of honor if you give him even half the shit you gave me when we were teenagers.”
“It’s more, actually.”
I laugh for the first time this night. “A Purple Heart, then.”
“You’re such a dick.” Emory’s lips curl up as she finishes the last bite of her cake.
“What do you say we head out of here?” I ask, and she quirks a brow. “I’m sure you’re ready to get back home to your family. No use spending the rest of the night with, what did you call me, a pathetic sack of sadness?”
“Yep. Pretty sure that hits the nail on the head.” A soft laugh escapes her throat. “But are you sure you’re ready to leave? I have no problem hanging around for another hour or two. I mean, it’s been, like, a year since I’ve been able to drink alcohol. Surely, I can busy myself with another glass of wine and go make fun of Cap’s twerking skills for a bit.”
I glance toward the dance floor to find Caplin Hawkins doing exactly that, and I shake my head on a laugh. “Yeah, let’s head out before he starts scaring Ev’s Grandma Lucille with hip thrusts.”
Twerking always leads to hip thrusts where Cap’s concerned.
I help Emory out of her chair, and once we say our goodbyes to Sadie the dancing queen and her swoony-eyed groom, we head out of the main reception room and into the lobby area. Emory takes our tickets to the coat check to grab her purse and my suit jacket, and I take a quick glance at my phone