Page 40 of Dating His Brother

I reluctantly pulled away to go to the front door where Veronica, Miranda, and Kate were waiting. I greeted them with big hugs and showed them into the kitchen. They were chattering endlessly about how impressed they were with the property and the house.

I uncorked a bottle of wine and filled a glass for each of us. “I’d like to propose a toast,” I announced. “To real friends who stick around through all of life’s changes and surprises.”

Veronica lifted her glass with a big smile. “And to our Izzy, who turned out to be the most surprising woman of us all. Who would have thought you’d flourish out here in the middle of nowhere?”

“I can see why, though,” Miranda added. “Have you got a good look at Dawson?” She glanced out the window to where he was sitting outside. “Mmm-mmm. Delicious. He’s absolutely mouth-watering.”

I blushed a little, wondering if they would have felt the same if they didn’t know he was a secret millionaire. It didn’t seem to matter to them how he spent the money, just so long as he had it. Our friends thought our lifestyle was quirky and interesting, but it wasn’t something they wanted for themselves. They were happy carrying on the way we all used to. I didn’t judge them for it. They still liked to visit, and we seemed exotic to them now.

“To our Isabella,” Kate added, lifting her glass as well. “Who found true love, but more importantly…found herself.”

“To Izzy!” the others shouted, gathering in a circle so we could all clink our glasses in the center.

I gave them the full tour of the house and felt giddy over the way they gushed about Dawson and the gardens and the cottage. At every turn, they were oohing and aahing, making no mistake about how impressed they were—even if it was all a little strange to them.

Maybe they felt the same way Jack did, who was more skeptical about it all than anyone. While he had his doubts and worries, he saw me transform. Maybe it was like Dawson said before—I bloomed in his hands, just like he wanted.

As I showed the ladies out onto the patio so they could take their seats for dinner, another knock came to the door. The guests kept filing in until we had a real party going. Among the guests were my brother, his wife, my toddler nephew, and their new baby. But perhaps the most surprising guest of all was Dawson’s brother—Richard. It was awkward to say the least to navigate a new kind of relationship with him. But Dawson decided he didn’t want to be completely cut off from some parts of his family, and the two eventually learned to get along.

As we all sat down to eat, Dawson and I held hands under the table and smiled at each other. It was a perfect night in our new home, and we had never been happier. Everyone else faded away for a moment as he leaned in to kiss me. No amount of money or fabulous parties or expensive dresses or country club memberships could ever compare to that feeling he inspired in me.

* * *

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The Hot Mess (Sneak Peak)

Heartstring Dating Agency Series

1

Itapped my pen on the corner of my desk, keeping the report in my hands positioned just so anyone walking by wouldn’t see the romance novel hidden behind it—the real focus of my attention. My family owned and operated Heartstring, a dating app. A romance novel wasn’t entirely unrelated to my job, right? Plus, I was on a deadline. My weekly book club meeting was happening after work, so I needed to get the book finished by then.

I reached for the coffee on the corner of my desk and brought it to my lips for a sip, promptly spitting it out when I realized it was yesterday’s coffee—cold and gross. I accidentally sprayed the pages of the book I needed to finish.

As I was trying to assess the damage, a reminder popped up on my computer. It was time for another meeting with my siblings—the Heartstring executives. I quickly blotted off the book the best I could and laid it out flat to dry before rushing off to the board room.

I don’t know why I bothered rushing. I was always the first one to arrive, followed by my older sister, Camille. Lucas would follow in behind her. Our other brother, Joshua, would straggle in last. But at least he showed at all, which was a big problem with him up until recently.

As predicted, Camille arrived three minutes after me, rushing in with her fresh coffee in one hand and a briefcase in the other. Sometimes it amazed me that she could snag a hottie like her fiance, Mark Silver. She was more hopeless than I was in her tailored suits and thick-rimmed glasses. We were both gorgeous under all of our fashion dullness, though, something we inherited from our mother.

Lucas came in a few moments later, looking ready to get straight down to business as always. He sat at the head of the table, as our CEO, and started glancing impatiently at his watch every few seconds. Despite Joshua’s improved work performance and attendance, Lucas still watched him like a hawk, criticizing him for being even just a few minutes late. It must have been some sort of weird brother rivalry. Like they were constantly competing with each other, both wanting the other to succeed but also maybe secretly hoping they’d fail.

He sighed when Joshua finally did come in. Maybe because he had showed up right on the dot, so Lucas had no right to comment on tardiness.

“Now that we’re all here…” He jabbed at him anyway. “Let’s get started.”

“What’s on the docket for today?” Joshua smirked, ignoring Lucas’s critical tone.

“Something pretty important,” he announced. “I’ve been reviewing the numbers, and we’re getting into a position where we can start shuffling some people around.”

“Promotions?” Camille asked.

“For those who are interested.” He nodded. “I’m still working out the logistics and where I want everyone, but if any of you are looking for more on your plates, and in your pockets, now is the time to tell me.”

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