Page 86 of Sweet Revenge
“Why’s that?”
“She and Maura have a bet going on when you’ll propose. Cait thought you’d do it tonight, at the wedding.”
Declan cast his eyes to the ceiling. “I didn’t realize my love life was such a topic of conversation.”
“Then you haven’t been paying attention,” Finn said, clapping Declan on the shoulder and leaning down to scoop up a giggling Evan, who raced over.
“Thanks for tiring him out,” Finn said, bouncing Evan and eliciting more giggles.
“I think it’s the other way around. I’m getting old.”
“Nothing makes you feel older than a toddler with endless energy.”
“Seriously,” Evie agreed. “Where does he keep it?”
Finn grinned. “When I figure it out, I’ll bottle and sell it. For now, I’m going to pass this guy off to the nanny to take home.”
Declan glanced at one of the men he’d set up as security. “Send a—”
“Yep,” Finn interrupted.
“Thirsty?” Declan asked, turning to Evie.
“Yes. Is there still cake?” she asked after a beat.
He laughed and took her hand, lacing his fingers with hers and kissing the back of it. “I think so.”
“Oh my God,” she groaned around a mouthful of cake when they were seated again. “Why is wedding cake so much more delicious than all the other cakes?”
“I have no idea.”
Her eyes narrowed on his face. “I don’t even remember seeing you eat cake. Have you not had any of this?” She held up a forkful when he shook his head. “Because it’s you, I’ll share.”
“It’s not bad,” he agreed.
“Not bad?! I could eat this cake for breakfast every day and not get tired of it.”
He shook his head, chuckling. “I don’t really like cake.”
She gasped, fork paused halfway to her mouth. “Well, more for me then, I guess.”
He liked seeing this side of her. He missed it. She’d always been quick to tease or tell a joke when they were kids, and he liked knowing that playful spirit was still there under the rigid control she so often showed. More than that, he liked how the two twined together into a woman who always kept him on his toes.
“It’s your time to shine,” he said when he saw Maura step onto the dance floor holding her bouquet.
“What? Oh, no,” she said, shaking her head when Maura asked all the unmarried ladies to gather for the bouquet toss. “Absolutely not.”
“Oh, come on. You’re not married. It’s the rules.”
“Evie. I see you,” Maura called, shooting her friend a cheeky grin when Evie only glared.
“It’s not fair when you gang up on me,” Evie grumbled, tossing her napkin onto her chair and moving to stand at the very back of the crowd.
The look of stunned disbelief on her face when she caught it made him laugh, and he laughed even harder when she tried to gift the bouquet to someone else and they wouldn’t take it. But he caught her sticking her nose into it more than once throughout the rest of the night, inhaling its scent with a dreamy look in her eyes.
It was late when the crowd began to thin, and he was glad that the entire day had gone off without incident. Brogan seemed to think the Italians had backed off and weren’t actively pursuing Evie anymore after what had happened to Peter, but it was impossible to say. He wanted to keep Evie close a few more days until they were absolutely certain they didn’t get a wild idea to do something stupid.
He watched Aidan wander out with a woman on his arm and shook his head. He needed to get that kid a wife or something. Settle him down with a family, and maybe he’d stop acting like such an entitled asshole.
