Chapter Thirty-Four
Liam
The tension in Olivia’s shoulders eases. Despite her calm facade, I could tell that she was growing increasingly tense on our way here. It’s sort of cute that she got nervous when it wasn’t necessary.
My brothers will love her simply because I chose her.
Rhys leans over and lowers his voice. “So. This is the one you’ve been pining over all this time, right?”
“What are you talking about?”
“Don’t act stupid. We know you. You always dated copies of Olivia, although none of them were as tall or stately. This is the girl you were mooning over in college but refused to talk about.”
My cheeks warm. “Shut up.”
Rhys chuckles. “You’re so whipped. But I’m glad you got her,” he says, punching my shoulder.
“So why didn’t anybody invite us to the wedding or the birthday?” Gideon says.
“Actually, Liam didn’t know about my birthday ahead of time. To be honest, I tend to forget about it unless my assistant brings it up,” Olivia says after a bite of bacon. Silas has gone all out with his specially ordered apple-smoked bacon.
Max’s eyes go round. “How can you forget your own birthday?”
“Work?” Olivia shrugs, shifting her eyes to Rhys and Finn.
Rhys nods. “True. Birthdays are just another workday you happen to be born on.”
“The only way to make that a holiday is if you become the emperor of Japan. Did you know that his birthday becomes a national holiday? So every time they get a new one, the holiday changes,” Finn says.
“Are you making that up?” Roarke asks over blood orange juice. Silas isn’t serving anything alcoholic in deference to Max’s pregnancy.
“Nope. Look it up.” Finn polishes off his eggs Benedict. “Christmas is a regular workday. The emperor trumps baby Jesus.”
Finn, the man of random trivia.
“By the way, even if Liam did a civil ceremony with nobody invited—” Max begins.
“Prescott and Jeremiah came,” I add, since it’s better to disclose now than them finding out later.
Gideon looks like somebody just gut-punched him. “You invited the lawyers but not us?”
“Prescott was my guest,” Olivia explains.
“And Jeremiah was mine because she hooked me up,” I add, not wanting Olivia to take any blame. “We needed witnesses.”
“You guys met through Jeremiah?” Roarke asks in shock. “Did you guys sue first, then fall in love?”
Chuckling, Olivia shakes her head. “No, we met in college. Calculus class.”
“Aww, you connected over differential equations. That’s an unbreakable bond,” Xavier says.
“Clearly a basis for matrimony,” Gideon says.
“As it turned out, yes. But we also had some other courses together,” I say.
“But he proposed properly, right?” Max asks. “Didn’t rush it like he did with the wedding?”
A shy smile blooms over Olivia’s face as she lifts her hand.
Max covers her mouth. “Oh my God. That’s gorgeous!” She leans closer, and Olivia extends her hand so she can see better.
“Holy… Is that a ring or a weapon?” Xavier says.
“Both.” To keep assholes like Simon away.
“That’s the Rubedo,” Gideon says. “Son of a bitch.”
“Yup. And exactly what my wife deserves,” I say proudly.
“If the Rubedo was for the engagement, what was for the birthday?” Finn asks.
Olivia lifts her other hand to show off her pavé ring.
“Ooh, so pretty,” Max breathes.
“I’ll get you one, too,” Rhys says.
“Sorry, but it’s one of a kind. No more to be produced,” I say. “Can’t have a bunch of women wearing the same ring my wife does.”
“But you’re giving her all the best ones,” Rhys points out.
“Well, obviously. I do own the jewelry store.”
“You put all that work into the proposal, but never thought to hold a proper ceremony? Doesn’t your wife deserve one?” Roarke asks.
Of course, she does. If I had it my way, we would have had a huge wedding and invited everyone—especially Tyler and Simon so they could see how beautiful she looked with me at the altar—but that isn’t something I can say without drawing unnecessary scrutiny to Olivia.
“It isn’t Liam’s fault,” Olivia answers before I can think of a way to brush Roarke off. “I’m sure you saw the news about my half-sister’s wedding.”
“Sounded complicated, with that guy in the middle,” Xavier says, shooting her a sympathetic look. “What was his name? Trevor? Taylor?”
“Tyler. But Brielle wanted to marry him no matter what. So I let her have him, but I also wanted to get married and start a family. And then—as fate would have it—I ran into Liam.” She leans closer and props her head on my shoulder.
“So here we are.” She lays her hand on my arm, the Rubedo facing my brothers.
Max purses her mouth. She has a serious problem with cheaters. My brothers all nod. But I can tell that they know there’s more to the story. Hopefully, Olivia won’t notice.
“Well, we can’t forget the gifts!” Rhys announces to change the topic.
“Most definitely not,” Max says.
“I’ll go first,” Silas says with a grin. He heads into the kitchen and opens one of the cabinets, then returns with a jar. “Behold! Homemade raspberry jam. Happy birthday, Olivia. It’s nice to welcome another sister into the family.”
Olivia smiles. “Thank you.”
My other brothers look at me with overt envy. I grin smugly. Yeah, today is continuing the best kind of tradition from last night.
Finn is frowning, and it’s obvious what he’s thinking: What about me?
Grinning, I mouth, Sucks to be you. I’m going to ask Frederich to make us some English muffins. They’ll go well with the jam.
Silas’s eyes slide toward me, then shift to my wife. “By the way, Olivia?”
“Hmm?”
“I made that last night for you. Don’t let Liam have any, no matter how much he begs.”