Cherished (Masters and Mercenaries #7.5)(44)

Amy shook her head. “I wish. If I leave, who’s going to protect those workers? They’ve been like family to us over the years, and Dad will fire off the experienced workers and swindle them out of their pensions. You know it as well as I do. I managed to keep him from shipping everything over to China last year. No. I have plans. I have to be patient and let them happen. Now, hello, you gorgeous hunk of fake, soon-to-be brother-in-law. Damn, but you are fine.”

She was grinning up at Will, who seemed to take the compliment in stride.

“Thank you. I try to live up to Bridget’s standards,” Will said.

That wouldn’t be hard. He’d bathed. That was a step up from her last do-nothing boyfriend. Yeah, she didn’t mention that either. She was really maturing. It was a good thing.

“Now, you have to meet my Frankie. He’s the sweetest thing ever and I adore him.” She took Bridget’s hand and started to lead her toward the bar. Will and Chris followed.

An almost blindingly gorgeous man turned and smiled. He was at least six foot three, with a movie star face and the most perfect lips she’d ever seen on a man. He was dressed casually, but nothing could hide the lean strength of his body. He took off his perfectly paired aviators and Bridget nearly got lost in his blue eyes.

“You must be Bridget.” Even his voice was perfect. Lyrical. Musical.

She stood there staring at him.

Will elbowed her. “Have you lost use of your tongue, sweetheart? Maybe I should check you out. You could have a neurological problem.” He held his hand out. “Since my lovely fiancée seems to have lost the power of speech, I’m Will Daley. Nice to meet you.”

Frankie held out a hand and they shook.

Why was she suddenly thinking about an MMF? They would look so pretty together.

Chris leaned over and whispered in her ear. “Dibs.”

She turned on him. They often had the same ideas for stories because great minds really did think alike, but he was not taking this one. No way. Will was her damn Dom and she kind of almost owned Frankie I’m-a-Love-God by way of marriage. “You don’t get dibs on this. I own this.”

He grinned. “Nope. I called dibs. I already have the story in my head.”

“Do I even want to know what you two are talking about?” Will asked.

“No,” they managed to say in perfect harmony.

She got her bearings back. Frankie was a gorgeous god of a man, but she kind of preferred Will’s broader body and more masculine face. It was good to know the man could get jealous though. She held out a hand. “It’s nice to meet you. Might I say welcome to the family?”

His hand was warm in hers. “Thank you. I’m madly in love with your sister. Hell, I’d marry her for her handbag collection alone. And that hair. You look gorgeous, darling.” He turned to Chris, his eyes boldly running the length of Chris’s body with obvious appreciation. “And hello. Who is this?”

What? Delicious boy had set off her gaydar. Hard. Like lights swirling, why can’t everyone else hear that siren blaring hard.

Will had a smirk on his face that let Bridget know he had a gaydar, too.

Shit. Her sister was marrying a gay dude. Which would be totally and completely fine if she happened to be packing a penis. Which she wasn’t.

Chris’s eyes went wide as he shook hands with Frankie. “Chris Roberts.”

“You’re one of the writers,” Frankie said with obvious glee. “I am so excited about sitting down with you two and talking about where you get your ideas. I love creative types.”

Amy put a hand on Frankie’s perfectly pressed shirtsleeve. “Babe, there’s my cousin. He has a voting share, so we need to go make nice. Bridget, let’s catch up in a bit, okay? I’m so happy you’re here. Love you, sis.”

She and Frankie made their way to cousin Lance, who was one of their more reasonable relatives.

“Holy shit, Bridget. He is one of my people,” Chris said, still watching the couple.

“Damn straight he is. And by straight I mean gay. That dude is totally gay.” There was a wealth of satisfaction in Will’s voice.

“Does she know? Oh god. She can’t know. Shit. I have to be the bad guy again.” She was always, always put in this position. “How am I going to tell my sister that she’s marrying a gay guy? Why does he want to marry her?”

“Apparently he likes her handbags,” Chris offered.

“Bridget, you came.” Her mother was moving toward them with that lazy stride she used when she was drunk. Which was almost always.

She turned her cheek up and allowed her mother to do that fakey-fake air kiss thing she did to everyone. “I did, indeed.”

“It’s nice to see you looking so…healthy, dear.” Her mother sighed. “And your hair. It’s grown out. It’s very retro. This must be the doctor fiancé.” She held her hand out toward Chris. She’d met him once before, but it didn’t surprise Bridget at all that her mom didn’t remember.

Will stepped in. “No. That would be me.”

Her mother’s weird eyebrow managed to go even higher. “You’re with Bridget?”

Well, the hits kept coming, didn’t they? Healthy was her mother’s version of fat and retro meant she should cut her hair since she was over thirty and in her mother’s mind, only little girls and supermodels had long hair. Now dear mother was shocked that the hot doc was her date.