Page 24

“Todd texted me,” I said. “He wants me to come to everything I can. He said he wants to make you happy.”
“Aw, that’s sweet,” James said. He inspected me, eyes narrowing as he looked me up and down. “You’re looking smugger than usual. Why’s that?”
I beamed at him. “That’s why.” I pointed to Jenny as she hustled back into the room. She was walking fast and applying lip gloss, her curls bouncing and her voluptuous chest jiggling in the gorgeous Givenchy dress.
“Ho my frickin’ God!” Jenny shouted when she saw Audrey. She practically shoved James out of the way to get to her.
“Yay!” she yelled, grabbing Audrey into a hug and jumping up and down. “You got me my own billionaire! I’m so freaking excited!”
“Oh, Jesus,” James said. “You didn’t.”
“Yes, I did. Ho my frickin’ God, I did,” I said, chuckling. “I’m gonna marry this girl. She’s got a mouth like a?—”
“Cole,” James said, cutting me off. “My mother is ten feet away from us.Please.”
“I don’t have to finish the sentence, anyway,” I said. I watched Jenny hug Audrey again, the two of them talking a mile a minute. “You know what I mean.”
He sighed. “I can guess.” We stood and watched the girls talking excitedly to each other.
“You’re the one who told me to call her,” I reminded him.
“I didn’t mean for you to bring an escort to my brother’s wedding functions,” James said.
For the second time that evening, I almost spit out my drink. “You should talk, bro.”
James glared at me, but I could tell he wasn’t mad. “Buy me a free drink. I need one.”
I motioned for the bartender and ordered James a martini.
James leaned closer and lowered his voice. “I’m happy you’re here and that Jenny’s working out for you. But I need to protect Audrey. No one but you knows the truth. It has to stay that way.”
I nodded and slid his martini over. We were in the Preston Viper pit, and Jamesdidneed a drink. His family would freak out if they had any idea about Audrey’s real identity.
“Of course. I promise I won’t say anything about either of them,” I said. “I wouldn’t do that to you—you know that. But I have to say, for the hired help, you’re being very protective of her.”
“She needs my protection,” James said immediately. “She’s a sweet girl. I know that sounds ridiculous, but it’s true.”
“It doesn’t sound ridiculous. But what are you going to do after this is all over?” He might not admit it, but it was clear James was into this girl.
He shrugged. “Probably nothing.”
“Thatsounds ridiculous,” I said. “And I’m only saying that because you’re my best friend.”
“Sometimes I think I need to protect her from myself,” James said.
I was about to tell him he sounded doubly ridiculous, but Jenny and Audrey came to the bar then, still happily chatting. James put his arm around Audrey and kissed the top of her head. I watched him, gobsmacked. I’d never seen him like this with a woman before.
“I didn’t know you owned part of the Rhode Island Thunder, Cole. Jenny just told me. That’s so cool,” Audrey said.
“We have box seats tonight,” Jenny squealed. I put my arm around her and squeezed her against me.
“We can have box seats whenever you want, princess,” I said, then kissed her on the nose. Jenny smiled at me happily, and my heart swelled again. We stayed like that, arms wrapped around each other as we chatted with James and Audrey.
Several times, I caught Audrey observing her friend. “Jenny, come to the bathroom with me,” she said after a while, grabbing her by the hand. She flashed a dimpled smile at us. “We’ll be back in a few, guys.”
“What’s that all about?” I asked, watching Audrey drag Jenny away.
“I think Jenny’s going to get a talking to,” James said.