Chapter 41 – Beau
BEAU
S trangers on the street stare at us. Not because they recognize me and Brinley, but because right now, we look damn good together.
She’s wearing a deep red dress that makes her dark hair and eyes pop, and the way it clings to her hips makes me want to say “fuck it” to our plans and drag her back to her apartment to strip it off her.
That dress made me put on a suit jacket for the first time since Nate’s wedding. I normally hate dressing up, but if Brinley’s stepping it up, then so am I.
We pass a group of young college students who gawk at us. I nod and give them a cheeky grin. Several girls blush and giggle.
“Just because girls check you out doesn’t mean you have to encourage them,” Brinley chastises me.
“It wasn’t just me they were looking at.”
She rolls her eyes. “Of course it was, Mr. Muscle.”
“Trust me. I saw the way those college guys looked at you. They would give their left nut for a chance to bring you home.”
“Yeah, right. Enough with the flattery.”
I shake my head. Brinley has always been oblivious to people admiring her looks. I, on the other hand, am extremely aware of every man who checks her out. I endured years of watching men flirt with Brinley, when I wasn’t allowed to claim her publicly.
Not anymore.
In case anyone doubts she’s with me, I grab her hand. It’s still a treat to be able to do that in public.
Her hand feels clammy in mine as we walk into the House of Cards lobby. I brush my lips over her knuckles.
“It’s going to be fine, Brin,” I say gently.
“Yes, but Luke and I haven’t actually seen each other since Maura got out of the hospital. Plus, everyone else will be here…”
She trails off, but I can read through the lines.
She's really worried about seeing Luke. The timing doesn't help.
The party's pulling double duty this year—Maura's official all-clear from the cardiac specialist landed the same week as our annual Friendsgiving, so the group folded the two together. One dinner, two reasons to celebrate. Things between her and the girls have been good, and even though Luke has been softening, this will be the first time we’re openly together in front of him.
I’m a bit nervous, too. Even if things have been decent between me and my best friend, I don’t miss how we sort of dance around the subject of Brinley. But our weekly workout sesh and poker nights have been back on for a while now. Things feel almost normal.
But this feels like the real test.
"Maybe it'll be a little awkward at first," I say as I press the elevator button. "But nobody wants to fight. It's Friendsgiving, and it's Maura's all-clear. Two things worth being grateful for. Everyone will be on their best behavior, or face the wrath of James."
Brinley snorts. “What wrath? The James I know is a total softie.”
My brows shoot up. “Are we talking about the same James here? The one whose business rivals end up ruined and penniless? The one you named, and I quote, ‘The Villain of Sequel?’”
“I was wrong. Now that I know him better, he’s more like a bitey puppy that hasn’t learned how to play with people yet.”
“You’re officially the only person on earth to compare James Keller to a puppy.” The elevator doors open and we step inside. “I dare you to say that to his face when we get upstairs.”
She bites her lower lip. “Are you sure going is a good idea? Maybe we should just keep our distance for the night?”
“Hey.” I wrap my arm around her waist and kiss her gently.
“It’s going to be okay. He’s a big boy, Brin.
And I spent long enough hiding just how crazy you make me.
If you ask me to, I will, but that is the last thing I want to do.
If anyone starts shit, I’ll take you home and make you some ridiculously cheesy baked ziti. Deal?”
She nods, and I press the button to take us up to the penthouse.
The ride will take less than thirty seconds, but that’s more than enough time for Brinley to spiral. So I take matters into my own hands.
I dip my head and capture Brinley’s lips with mine. I drag my teeth over her lower lip, which I know makes her knees get wobbly, until her body arches against mine and her fingers are digging into my chest through my button-up.
Fuck, I could kiss her forever and still not get tired of it.
Neither of us registers the door opening until Ryan lets out a whistle.
“Well, damn!” he cries. “Coming in with a literal bang, huh?”
Brinley ducks her head, blushing. I can feel her pulling away, not wanting to invite any commentary about our closeness. Well, fuck that. She’s my girlfriend, and I’m done pretending she’s anything but the most important person in my life.
Tightening my arm around her waist, I bend her backward and kiss the fuck out of her. The kind of kiss I’ve only been able to give her behind locked doors, now in front of our friends, brought into the light.
It feels damn good.
When I pull away, Brinley and I are both a little breathless. She stumbles a little when I pull her back upright, her face flushed.
“Any questions?” I ask the group.
Pippa joins Ryan in whooping and cheering.
Cat claps happily while Nate shakes his head, half-smiling.
Maura’s seated in a comfortable armchair, still paler and more hollow-cheeked than I’m used to seeing her.
She’s looking at Brinley with obvious warmth.
James stands behind her, hand on her shoulder, stone-faced.
Not a puppy.
As I scan the faces of everyone in the room, I don’t see Luke. My stomach clenches. Is he coming? He wouldn’t start avoiding group events so he doesn’t have to see us together, would he?
Eden appears in the doorway, holding a tray of mini-quiches. She pouts. “I missed the five-year reveal? You’re kidding!”
“The life of a party planner,” Pippa teases as she grabs a quiche. “You miss the party.”
“I’m happy to kiss you again, if it’ll make Eden happy,” I growl against Brinley’s ear. I don’t have to care that anyone in the room could hear me. There’s only one person who I have to please, and it’s my girlfriend.
“Wow,” Ryan says, elbowing me. “I’ve never seen you smile like that, Beau.”
“Really?” Brinley quips. “I have.”
“Well, to be fair, you’re doing things to make Beau happy that I’m not qualified for.”
“Ryan!” Pippa snaps. “I told you, no sex jokes until the awkwardness has passed.”
He groans. “That could take forever. What am I supposed to do, never talk?”
“Yes,” Nate and James say simultaneously, making everyone laugh.
“How are you feeling, Maura?” Brinley asks.
I might be the only one who knows her well enough to hear the nerves in her voice.
Brinley told me that Cat was the first to fully forgive her, thanks to her physical inability to stay mad at anyone.
Pippa was next, because, as Pippa put it, “let she who has never fucked up throw the first stone.” Maura’s was more evasive, but Brinley has been here every chance she could get, making sure Maura had everything she needed when James was busy.
They aren’t back to how things were, but they’re getting there.
I take her hand and squeeze it.
“Better,” Maura says. “No more irregular tachycardia, which is good. I hate being on partial bedrest, though.”
“You can still paint small pieces when you’re sitting,” James says.
“I can’t hand-crush rocks, though. I’m only allowed to use the industrial crusher now.”
“And you miss just taking a hammer to something,” Brinley says sympathetically.
Maura’s lips quirk into a small smile. “Exactly.”
“You can come to the UPS offices and use the shredder if you’re craving destruction,” Cat offers. “It was my favorite part of the job during my secretary stint.”
“Thanks. I might take you up on that.”
“Are there more of these things?” Ryan says, mouthful of quiche. “Because I think I could eat another dozen or so.”
"You know Beau made a whole Friendsgiving spread, right?" Eden asks. "He dropped it off earlier. There's a turkey resting in the kitchen the size of a Labrador, plus osso buco for anyone who wants to be fancy about it."
He shrugs. “I’ll make room.”
The playful energy shifts as the elevator doors open for Luke. His shoulders are squared defensively, his usual easy smile absent. His eyes land on Brinley and my clasped hands, and his jaw tightens.
I don’t let go. Now that he’s here, I’ll skip actively making out with Brinley, but if he can’t even handle us holding hands, then I doubt we’ll stay for the rest of the party.
Eden hands Luke a glass of whiskey, and he does a double take.
“Everyone else has wine,” he notes.
“You prefer whiskey,” Eden says, tapping her forehead. “I know these things. Party planner brain.”
She says it lightly and shrugs.
I catch it from across the room—a fraction of a second where Luke's eyes lift from the whiskey to Eden's face.
Not in a way that means anything to anyone else.
Just a long look across the foot of distance between them, while she's already turned away to refill someone's wine and isn't paying attention to him at all.
The look is the kind I used to give Brinley across a Sunday breakfast table—the one that says I'm allowed to look as long as nobody's watching .
Eden glances back, sudden, like she felt it. Luke's eyes are already on his drink by the time hers find him.
I look down at my own drink and try very hard not to laugh.
Whatever that is, it isn't my business. I have my own circus to manage. But there's a strange comfort in knowing I'm not the only one in this room who pines for something they can never really have. The difference, I don’t think Luke would ever make a move on his little sister’s best friend.
Which makes me the only real asshole in attendance at this party.
Luke drains half his glass in one gulp and drags his attention back to James and Maura.
“Maura, tell me the truth. How much has James hovered since you got back from the hospital?”
She laughs. “The word ‘stage five clinger’ would be appropriate.”
They keep chatting, and the mood in the room relaxes just a bit. The celebration didn’t collapse under the collective weight of our awkwardness. And when Luke has finally exhausted every other hello and how are you, we’re the only ones left.
He clears his throat after a larger swallow of whiskey and gestures at the pair of us with his glass.
“You look nice,” he says to Brin. “You both do.”
“Yeah?” Brinley presses, a careful smile pulling at the edge of her mouth.
“Yeah, Brin,” he replies, then gives me a subtle nod before he wanders off for a refill.
It’s not exactly a blessing for my relationship with Brinley, but he didn’t slam the door, either. Luke has clearly decided that maybe, eventually, this is something he can learn to live with.
For now, that’s more than enough.
Once all the toasts are done and we’ve all avoided death by Ryan’s Jello monstrosity, I can’t wait any longer. Cat and Nate have already wandered off, so I figure it’s time to make our escape.
“Want to get out of here?” I whisper conspiratorially to Brin, brushing my nose along the sensitive spot just below her ear.
“Yes.” She shivers. “Your place or mine?”