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“Three.” The word was dragged out of me, and when I looked up, each woman stared. “Three guys, but it’s all just casual, so I’ll probably just take myself.”

“Oh no, bring them,” Nadia said. “God, bring all of them. It won’t matter. My parents hired this huge hall because the guest list just keeps getting bigger and bigger. I mean, if you want to. Do they all know about each other?”

“They’d have to,” I said, forcing myself to smile. “They’re brothers.”

Of course that just provoked more questions, so I quickly concocted a story that was close enough to the truth to pass inspection.

“Brothers?” Amber frowned. “Seems weird that they’d be prepared to share you like that.”

“Jesus, Amber…” Frannie said, shooting her a dark look.

“Can you imagine your brothers being happy to date the same woman?” Amber asked me, completely undeterred.

“I try very hard not to think about my brothers’ love lives at all,” I replied with a grin. “I mean, I wish you all marital bliss, but y’know, just spare me the details.” Her gaze didn’t waver as she obviously expected me to expand on my answer. “But yeah, it is a little awkward at times, though right now, it’s all staying civil. If it gets hairy, then we’ve all agreed we’ll walk away from the situation.”

“Well, that seems smart,” Frannie said, pushing the rice salad away before getting a mound of freshly baked bread rolls from the oven. “Nothing’s worth tearing a family apart.”

“So how did you meet these guys, anyway?” Amber asked. “Did you crash some family’s barbecue and every single male in the family turned your way and asked you on a date?”

“No.” I slid all the carrots I’d sliced into the bowl of salad, then grabbed a tomato. “They’re my best friend’s brothers. We’ve known each other for ages.”

“Ohh…” Amber looked triumphant, finally going back to her own meal prep. “So that’s what it is.”

“What is what?” Nadia asked in confusion.

“I couldn’t work out how you were walking in on the arm of that hottie, but it makes sense now.”

“What makes sense?” Frannie asked Amber, her eyes narrowing.

“Did he do this as a favour to your best friend?” Amber didn’t let me answer, because she was on a roll. “She asked her male-model brother to do you a solid and be your date to the engagement party?”

“Why would Jamie need to do that?” Nadia looked at me then Amber. “She has no problems finding boyfriends.”

“Who everyone hates,” Amber replied. “Sorry girl, but it’s true. That last one tried to hit me up when I went inside to check on the kids.”

“I know.” I ground that out. “That’s why we broke up. I didn’t realise he was such a sleaze.”

“Didn’t you?” She looked me over slowly. “Your brother and I did. He was never serious boyfriend material, but… none of them are.”

“Amber…” Frannie stepped between me and my other sister-in-law. “Don’t listen to her, Jamie. She’s just being a bitch.”

“If being honest is bitchy, then sure, I’ll wear that label with pride. You can’t blame me for being suss. We’ve barely met the guys you’ve dated before, Jamie, and now you expect us to believe you’ve got three on the go, who just happen to be brothers and freaking hot?”

“Thanks, I guess.”

I could count on one hand the amount of times I’d seen Hayden pissed, but this was definitely one of them. He was dripping water, that crisp white shirt he’d been wearing now plastered to his chest, making sure everyone saw every muscle popping. A hand raked itself through his hair, flicking the water on the slate outside before he stepped inside. His eyes were like blue ice, taking in Amber’s discomfort then flustered splutters as he crossed the floor to reach for me. Hands on my cheek, in my hair, he tugged me closer and then pressed his forehead to mine. Dimly I was aware the wet of his clothes were seeping into mine, but I didn’t care.

“I think I survived the gauntlet,” he rasped, “just. The kids tricked me into ‘fixing the hose.’”

“That old trick?” I rasped that out, conscious we had the attention of everyone here. “I should’ve warned you.”

“No need. I think I made the right impression with your nieces and nephews.” His smile was brilliant as his eyes met mine. “Just not your mum.”

“Frannie, do you have any towels?”

Mum barked this out with all of the authority of a drill sergeant, her hands flicking water everywhere, because apparently Hayden wasn’t the kids only victim. She was holding her shirt out from her body, the saturated fabric sticking to her skin.

“What? Oh.” Frannie’s lips twitched but she refused to allow herself to smile, instead disappearing down the hall and returning with a pile of beach towels. “Here you go, Marjorie.”