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“No, why?—”

“Then as the eldest, I’m in charge.” I pulled out my wallet and slapped my credit card down on the table. “Whatever it takes to get Jamie looking amazing.” Her eyes widened as she stared at me then, as if she couldn’t believe that I was doing this. I wanted to erase that expression, right as a selfish part of myself gloried in it. Jamie needed to expect, no, take for granted we’d always step up for her, and that’s when my eyes met Hunter’s. He gave me a tiny nod, as if he’d been waiting for me to understand. “Happy, feeling comfortable in her own skin, and amazing. You tell me how much that will cost, and I’ll pay it.”

“Alright.” Mac nodded and then turned to Jamie. “I’m thinking blue for you. Close to navy but a little lighter than that if you’re saying this isn’t black tie. Maybe a fabric with a little linen in it, to give it a slight texture.” Her eyes roamed over my girl’s form and I understood that instinct well. “I can’t believe I’m saying this, but a three piece suit with no shirt. I’ll cut the waistcoat so it becomes a top in itself. Nice big V, it’ll show the girls off.” She gestured to Jamie’s breasts.

I was warming to this idea already.

“A jacket that nips in at the waist and looser cut trousers but not wide leg, to give you a bit of room. What do you think?”

Jamie just blinked as if trying to process everything that had been said, so I moved in closer, taking her hand.

“Only if you’re comfortable with this idea.”

“You’ll look amazing, babes,” Millie said, reaching over and topping up Jamie’s drink. “Down that and let’s get the ball rolling.”

A sharp nod, that’s what Jamie gave us before she did exactly that. She swallowed down her rum and Coke and then turned to Mac.

“OK, let’s do this.”

As we watched Jamie be led away to a change room, the twins came and sidled up to me.

“This was supposed to be my thing,” Hunter bitched. “I was going to pay for her to get suited up.”

“On a carpenter’s wage?” I shook my head. “And anyway…” I stared at him, then Hayden. “You think the best way forward is to share Jamie?”

“Share Jamie?” Millie shoved drinks into our hands as she studied the lot of us closely. “I said one of you would prove yourself worthy of becoming her boyfriend, not all of you.”

“It’s the only way we can move forward without anyone getting hurt,” Hayden replied.

“Probably shouldn’t have involved your older brother in your little plan then.” I put my drink down before crossing my arms, staring at the wall between us and the change room, knowing my girl was in there being measured, trying on new clothes.

“What did you think was going to happen?” Mille said with a shake of her head. “Big brother always takes over everything.”

“Yeah, I do.” I looked the twins square in the eye. “We do this? We do it right.”

I expected Hunter to bristle, argue, push back, but not to suddenly start grinning.

“Well, cheers to that.”

When he raised his glass, so did the lot of us.

“Here’s to the McDonalds looking after Jamie.”

“Here’s to making Jamie a McDonald.”

We all stared at Hayden as he made his correction, then clinked glasses.

“I’ll drink to that,” I said.

Chapter 53

Jamie

“OK, so this suit is too big for you,” Mac said. “But I’ll use it as the starting point. A whole lot of pins and you’ll start to see what this could look like.”

“Right.”

Coming to Hunter’s tailor’s studio, no, atelier, was kind of nerve wracking. It was just as intimidating as the bridal boutique, but two rums down and I was starting to relax. I took the jacket and eased it over my t-shirt and felt something the minute it settled on my shoulders.