VALOROUS (A Quantum Novel)(40)

He puts his arm around me and kisses my forehead. “Of course I will, sweetheart.”

I immediately feel less anxious about it, knowing he’ll be there to hold my hand.

Marlowe returns with two incredibly handsome men, both of them carrying twelve-packs of beer and bottles of wine that they stash on the counter.

Flynn greets them both with bro hugs. “Jasper, Kristian, I want you to meet Natalie.”

Jasper is tall and blond with a lean, muscular build. He hugs me like we’re old friends. “Natalie,” he says in the crisp British accent Flynn warned me about. “It’s a pleasure to meet the woman who’s finally brought our boy up to snuff.”

I wave a hand in front of my face in deference to the accent, and Flynn rolls his eyes.

“Nice to meet you, too, Jasper. I’ve heard a lot about you.”

“What’s he said about me?” Kristian asks. He’s got dark hair and piercing blue eyes.

I desperately try to think of something. “The Lamborghini.”

“Yeah.” He laughs as he hugs me. “He hates it.”

“I don’t think he said ‘hate.’”

“Yes, I did,” Flynn says. “Now get your hands off my fiancée.”

“Your what?” Jasper and Kristian say in stereo.

“You heard him right, boys,” Marlowe says. “Pigs are now flying in hell!”

“I’m sorry,” Jasper says, staggering dramatically. “I need a moment.”

“Shut the f*ck up,” Flynn says, laughing as he gives his friend a playful shove.

The doorbell rings again, and Marlowe returns with yet another stunningly gorgeous man. This one has chestnut brown hair and golden eyes. He’s dressed in a dark suit that fits his muscular frame like it was cut just for him. It probably was.

“Emmett!” Jasper cries. “You aren’t going to believe it. Our boy Flynn is engaged!”

Emmett stops short on his way into the kitchen. “What’d you say? He’s what?”

“Show him, Natalie,” Kristian says.

I hold up the ring for Emmett to see.

He takes a close look at the ring, then at Flynn and then at the ring again.

“Get the poor guy a drink, Mo,” Jasper says. “He’s been shocked speechless.”

“You’re seriously engaged,” Emmett says.

“As serious as it gets. Emmett, meet my fiancée, Natalie Bryant. Natalie, our chief counsel, Emmett Burke.”

He shakes my hand. “So nice to meet you.”

“You, too. Thanks for all your help this week.”

“Believe me, I’ve enjoyed sticking it to that bastard David Rogers. We’ve made his life a living hell, and we’re just getting started.”

“Thank you.”

Addie arrives with Flynn’s sister Ellie, and then Hayden comes in a short time later, bearing grocery bags and another twelve-pack of beer.

“You let a guy borrow your beach house and how does he thank you? By throwing a rager.”

“You’re lucky we decided to invite you.” Flynn gives Hayden one of those side-handed handshakes guys do these days.

“There’s big news afoot,” Jasper says.

Hayden cracks open a beer and drinks half of it. “What’s that?”

“Our boy Flynn? Engaged.”

Hayden chokes on the beer, coughing profusely while Jasper laughs and pounds on his back.

I have no idea how to take Hayden’s reaction. Once the coughing stops, he stares at Flynn for a long, uncomfortably quiet moment.

“Well,” he finally says, “it appears congratulations are in order.”

“Thanks,” Flynn says tightly. I can tell he’s less than pleased with his best friend’s reaction.

Like the first time I met him, I can’t help but notice that Hayden is incredibly handsome in a rugged sort of way. I muster the courage to speak directly to him. “Hayden, I wanted to thank you for your support on Twitter this week. It meant a lot to me.”

“Sure. We’re all on your side in this thing. I still can’t believe it happened.”

“Neither can we, but the outpouring of support has made it more bearable.”

“Glad to hear that.”

“How’d the interview with Carolyn go?” Kristian asks.

“It was good,” Flynn replies. “Natalie is a natural, and Carolyn asked all the right questions. We’re hoping it’ll put an end to the insanity.”

Hayden laughs at that.

“What’s so funny?” Flynn asks.

“Wait till they hear you’re engaged. You haven’t seen insanity yet.”

“They aren’t going to hear that.”

“What do you mean?”

“We’re getting married Monday night in Vegas. By the time they hear about it, it’ll be a done deal.”

The announcement is met with stunned silence.

“Monday,” Marlowe says after at least a minute has passed. “That’s like two days from now.”

“Yep.”

“What’s the rush?” Hayden asks.

I can feel the tension coming off Flynn in waves. “No rush. It’s just what we want.” He puts his arm around me. “Where are those enchiladas, Mo? I’m starving.”