Piece by Piece (The Riggins Brothers #2) - Kaylee Ryan Page 0,68
us that they are indeed single and ready to mingle.
The article goes on to talk about the gala and the support it receives every year from Riggins Enterprises and is accompanied by the picture taken of Layla and me as we were leaving the gala. Her hand is on my chest, and my arm is around her waist, holding her close to me. The picture is intimate in the way we’re standing, but what takes it to another level is the way I’m looking down at her. I’m not surprised. I couldn’t take my eyes off her all night long. I do know for a fact the photographer also got a shot of me looking at the camera. I guess the paper thought romance would sell. I wonder if I can get a copy of that picture? I make a mental note to call the paper and find out.
“Well?” Grant asks.
“They’re not wrong. Well, I don’t know about the hearts breaking across Nashville part, but I am indeed off the market, and you jokers are as single as they come.”
“The final three stand-strong brothers,” Conrad says, puffing out his chest.
“Just wait,” Dad tells him. “You can’t stop the magic.”
“Here we go,” Marshall whines. “More of the magic. I get it, you and Mom had a connection. That’s not going to happen for all of us.”
Dad gives him a pointed look. “Ask your brothers.”
“Royce?”
“Like pulling rabbits out of a hat.” Royce grins. “The old man knows what he’s talking about.”
“Owen?” Marshall asks me. “Come on. You’ve always been the sensible one.”
“Abracadabra, little brother.”
The room erupts in laughter.
“All right, it’s time to eat.” Mom expertly herds us into the large dining room.
Layla takes her seat next to me as we all fill our plates. Conversation flows easily, as it always does. I take a minute to look around the table. Royce will be married in a few months, and hopefully, Layla and I will be not far behind him and Sawyer.
My three younger brothers claim they want nothing to do with commitment, but I can see the envy in their eyes when they watch Royce or me with our ladies. When Royce fell for Sawyer, it was different. He was coming off a bad divorce, and his heart was shattered from deceit. When he met Sawyer, it had nothing to do with him not wanting to settle down, but his fear of trusting. She smashed those fears and brought my brother back to life.
The younger three, I can’t wait to watch them fall.
The magic, whether it’s a Riggins thing, or a love thing, is fierce when you find the right woman to share your life with. Mine is sitting next to me, and her ring, the one I picked up from the jeweler yesterday while she was shopping with Sawyer, is hidden in my safe in my home office. Now I just need to find the right time to ask her for her forever.
“Have a good day, Lay.” I kiss her quickly before making my way down the hall to my office. I never thought I would enjoy working with my significant other. To me, it always seemed like it was too suffocating, but now Layla is in my life, I know I was wrong. Again, it all goes back to finding the right woman to change your view on life and relationships.
Firing up my laptop, I get lost in spreadsheets and numbers. My job has always come easy to me, and I’m proud to know my role here at Riggins is important. It’s pretty cool to think about how all five of us found our niche within the business. It was all our doing. Mom and Dad never pressured us to work for the company. They gave us the freedom to follow our own path; it just so happens all five of our paths lead back to family, and Riggins Enterprises.
My eyes are blurry from staring at the screen all morning. Glancing at the clock, I see it’s lunchtime just as my stomach growls.
“Knock, knock,” Layla says, stepping into my office.
“How did you know my tired eyes needed to see you?” I ask her.
“I didn’t, but I did know that you were lost in your work and would be getting hungry.” She holds up a bag from the deli across the street. “Wanna have lunch with me?”
“I heard wanna have me for lunch,” I say, sliding my chair back from my desk and patting my lap.