Page 142 of Reluctantly Rogue

My best friend's gaze comes to my face. Then he looks back to Linnea. Then to me again.

Understanding dawns. His eyes widen and his gaze rests on me for several long moments.

Then he slowly smiles. “Well, damn.”

I just watch him. But he’s looking at me with an expression I haven’t seen before. He looks…proud of me? It’s not quite that, but it’s close.

“You okay?” I ask him.

“I’mveryokay,” he assures me with a sudden, wide grin. “I’m so fucking happy for you.”

That hits me hard, directly in the chest. I swallow hard. “Thanks.” I look at Linnea. She’s watching us with a soft smile. “It’s really,reallygood.”

He’s nodding as if inordinately pleased. “It is. It really is,” he agrees.

“You think so?” Linnea asks.

“Of course. I get to keep you both this way, andwedon’t have to get married,” he tells her. His smile is bright. “And Jonah will besomuch more pleasant if he’s in loveandhaving hot sex regularly.”

I give a surprised, choked laugh. Linnea blushes but also laughs. “I’m so glad I can be of assistance, Your Highness,” she says.

Torin laughs and I squeeze her neck. I love when she’s sassy.

Then he pauses. “But I guess you arenotgoing to see Waite again socially, then?”

“I’d prefer the woman I love to not date other men,” I say.

“Right. Okay then. I’ll have to let my grandfather know the invitation to have Waite come stay for a week needs to be revoked.”

I frown. “When did that happen?”

“When the podcast talked about the social media posts of Linnea and Waite together at a bowling alley in D.C.,” Torin says, reaching for his phone. “I didn’t want to spill that they were on a date but thought it was a good first step that we could point to later when we explain to Diarmuid that she and Christian were in love.” He taps his phone screen a few times, then hands it over.

We both lean in and read…

Wait ’Til I Tell Ye

PODCAST EPISODE 737 TRANSCRIPT

Lindsey: So we got this question submitted this morning and I have to say, I’m asking the same thing: Is Linnea Olsen dating Christian Waite?

Jen: I mean…surely not?

Lindsey: Why not? She’s gorgeous, smart, classy. And she travels for Cara all the time. He was here visiting a few months ago. And he ishot. And single. I mean, he would be exactly her type, right?

Jen: Yeah. Actually, he would be.

Lindsey: And look at these photos of her and the senator.

Jen: I know. He really is hot. And they’re bowling.Bowling? That doesn’t seem like a business meeting thing, right? It wasn’t a charity thing or something, right?

Lindsey: Nope. Looks like a date to me.

Jen: Interesting…

Fucking great.

My frown deepens. “Your grandfather listens to the podcast?”

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