Without a Hitch(109)

“Whoa. Little Tilly is a hellcat.”

“It’s not just that. If they don’t sell, there’s no way they’ll be able to afford the events they’re hosting next month. That’s four weddings. Eight people who will have their special once-in-a-lifetime day ruined.”

“Are you ready to tell me about your wedding planning now, Tilly?”

“Ugh!” I scoff. “Did you spy on me?”

“No. But you’re working in the circles my family has run in for years. Did you really think we wouldn’t recognize you on those wedding websites?”

“Err, I guess not?”

“Just because you hide in plain sight doesn’t mean we haven’t been watching, Till. You’re family, and we take care of family. So, for the final time, what do you need?”

“I need to make Lochlan’s plan a reality. He’s in no condition to do it, but he won’t rest if he thinks there are loose ends. I don’t even understand what I’m asking, but you’re the only one I could think of that might be able to help.”

“We’ll be there tonight,” Preston growls in the background.

“Colton?”

“What? I can’t help it. He’s pacing behind me like a caged tiger. But yes. Apparently, we’ll be there tonight. Hang tight.”

“Thank you. Both of you.”

“That’s what family is for, Till. We’ve got your back, and it sounds like Lochlan might be joining ranks soon, so we’ve got his too.”

“Oh, no. That’s, I mean…”

“See you soon, Tilly.”

“Ugh! Thank you. See you soon.”

I hang up the phone feeling more confident than I’ve felt all day, right up until I turn to find Nova leaning against the wall.

“You called in backup?”

I can’t tell if she’s mad or not, but either way, I go with the truth. “I hate that she hurt him so badly.

And I hate even more that she has no regard for anyone but herself. But the truth is, I love your brother. And it kills me to see him like this. I also know him well enough to know that if I don’t do something, he’ll put his health at risk to see his plan to fruition. If I can do something to keep him in that bed and bring him peace? I’m going to do it.”

She regards me for a full, excruciating minute before breaking into a wide, devilish grin. “I knew I liked you. I’m in. What’s the plan?”

Oh, shit. The plan. Right, I need a plan. “First, we keep Lochlan on lockdown, so he has no idea what we’re up to. Then we wait for the Westbrooks and hope they know what the hell they’re doing.”

She laughs and hooks her arm through mine. “Sounds good to me!”

“WHAT IS ON YOUR FINGER?” Preston bellows the second he walks into the room.

“Geez, man! Put your spidey-sight away for a minute,” Colton chides, entering right behind him.

“What is your sister going to say? Have you even told her? What do we even know about this guy?” Preston takes up way too much space in the confines of the hospital conference room we’ve commandeered for our meeting.

“Okay, papa bear, chill out,” Colton says, rolling his eyes. “You’ve known Lochlan for most of our lives. There’s really little you don’t know about him.”

“Your sister is going to kill me. She’ll be pissed that I knew about this before she does. You know that, right? She’s been very emotional lately.”

I smile because I’m not sure if she’s told him yet that she’s expecting. “Preston? I’m not engaged.

Not really. This was so I could be by Lochlan’s side, but when he woke up, he said it’s a promise that someday he’ll ask.”

“He gave you a freaking promise ring?” Preston is even more irate over this news. “A promise ring? Is he fucking twelve?”

“Dude,” Colton says. “He’s in the hospital, stuck in a bed with a tube sticking out of his gut. It isn’t like he could just run to the jeweler and have something made. Plus, you know Lochlan. Even making a promise like that is huge. He’s in for the long haul, and you know it.”

I’ve never been more thankful for Colton Westbrook in my life.

“He should have told us his intentions.” Preston grunts. Actually grunts, then kicks a chair before sitting down. The man is usually unflappable, so seeing him worked up on my behalf warms my chest.

The door bursts open, and a mountain of a man with a full beard and tattooed arms strolls in. I inch behind Colton, but he just stands there and smiles.

“He lives.” Colton laughs. “Blake Kingston, it’s good to see you, man.”

“If I’d known there was a fucking assembly, I never would have gotten on the damn plane.”

“But you’re here now, for your friend. It means a lot.” Colton leans in and wraps the stranger in a bro hug.

“I’m here. What are we going to do?”

“Well, lucky for us, my brother Ashton is a genius and can do some really scary shit with computers.” Colton beams with pride as he tosses a folder onto the table.

Nova reaches it first and flips it open.

“Christine and Paul are con artists. The Bryer-Blaine was their crown jewel, or it was supposed to be. They spent four times the amount of resources working your family than any of the other jobs they’ve pulled, combined.”