Indigo Nights (Nights #3)(52)

“So tell me about him. Does he like sports?” Would I have anything in common with this guy?

My phone rang. Damn, I should have turned it to silent when I switched it back on. I reached into my pocket for my cell and cancelled the call.

Alicia had been calling on and off since the gala. I’d not answered any of her calls. I kept meaning to work out how to block her, but hadn’t quite managed it. I didn’t want to keep anything from Beth, now just wasn’t the right moment.

“You can take it.”

“It wasn’t anything important.” My stomach churned. I should probably tell her that it had been Alicia. But I didn’t want to spoil our moment together or have another discussion about my ex just as we were arriving to meet her family. If the situation upset Beth, I didn’t want those feelings written all over her face when I met Jake for the first time.



There was a loud crash from behind the door as soon as Beth pressed the doorbell to her brother’s house.

“They’ve probably just dropped the baby on her head. No biggie.”

I chuckled.

A beautiful blonde woman answered the door wearing a fantastically wide grin. She glanced at me, pulled Beth into her arms, and squealed. “So glad you’re here. Jake’s just dropped a bottle of wine.”

“Dylan, this is Haven.”

“You’re just as hot as Beth described,” Haven replied and pulled me into a hug. I didn’t quite know how to respond, so just hugged her back.

“Get your hands off him.” Beth pushed us apart.

“Nice to meet you, Haven,” I said.

“And you, Dylan. Come inside. Don’t be put off by the stocks and rack we have set up back here. It won’t hurt as much as you think it will.”

I glanced at Beth but she was laughing nearly as hard as Haven. So this was going to be an interrogation. Something a good night’s sleep and some naked time with Beth would have made more bearable.

We turned left into a huge open-plan living space running the length of the house. It would have been nice if it hadn’t looked like they’d been robbed. Jesus, there was baby stuff everywhere.

Two guys stood in the kitchen. I recognized Jake from the airport but if I’d not seen him before, I would have known he was Beth’s brother because of his reaction.

He strode toward me and held out his hand. “Dylan. Thanks for coming.”

As we shook it felt as if we were locking horns. He made it clear that I needed to prove I was good enough.

I nodded. “Thanks for inviting me.” We looked each other in the eye in a way that was almost primal. He was sizing me up, trying to get the measure of me. But his expression was as blank as I knew mine was. Business had made me the ultimate poker player, and I knew better than to let my nerves show.

“I’m not sure you’re going to be saying that in a couple of hours.” A process of elimination told me it was Ash who provided the warning and welcome interruption. She walked over, a baby on her hip, and kissed me on both cheeks. “Ignore Jake, his bark is worse than his bite. This is Maggie.” She lifted up the baby’s hand and made her wave.

I chuckled, the muscles in my neck loosening after my introduction to Jake. She was a cute kid. “Hi, Maggie. Nice to meet you, and you, Ash.”

“Beer?” Luke asked, lifting Maggie from Ash. He offered me his hand. “I’m Luke.”

“Good to meet you.”

I would have been less nervous if we were all out at a late supper, in public, where at least I knew what to expect from my surroundings. I didn’t see my brother often, and we were totally different kinds of people. We saw each other when we collided at our parents’ house, not because we wanted to spend time together, but these guys seemed to genuinely like each other.

“Did you want that beer?” Luke asked again.

I glanced at Beth. Did they drink around her? She wasn’t looking at me so I turned back to Luke. “No, thanks. Can I get some water?”

Beth snaked her arm around my waist, instantly calming me. “You don’t want a beer?”

I couldn’t remember the last time I’d had a drink. I was pretty sure that I’d not had one since I’d met Beth. “No. I have to concentrate later.”

Even though we hadn’t been together long, when we were in each other’s company, I felt as if I knew every part of her. She was so unguarded; she shared everything so freely with me. Being here with her and her family reminded me how much I still needed to know.

She smiled at me, her hand rounding my ass, bringing me back to why I was there. Why it was worth being with her. I couldn’t think of anything I wouldn’t do for her. I was going to nail this thing with her brother. By the end of the evening, he’d know I was as invested in our relationship as Beth. I’d make sure of it.



Beth

It was great seeing Dylan amongst my family, but my palms were still a little sweaty. My gaze kept flitting between Jake and Dylan. As much as I wanted Jake to like Dylan, to support my decision to be with him, I also wanted Dylan to like Jake. If the two of them got along, then our group of five could expand rather than fracture.

The testosterone was clearly flowing, but Haven and Ash helped lighten the mood and Luke made a real effort to make Dylan comfortable.

I’d never hidden anything from Dylan, but introducing him to my family made me feel closer to him, as if he was seeing the whole of me, right from the beginning. And that’s what I wanted. I wanted to be as close to him as possible.