Page 25 of Boss of Attraction

“Yeah. Not gonna lie, I teared up a little.”

The bartender placed my drink in front of me and Declan requested a beer. After popping the cap off the bottle of Stella Artois, the bartender passed it over to him.

“The vows got me too,” I admitted.

“Yeah, but that backdrop was amazing and perfect.”

“It was,” I agreed. “I also think Mary’s been planning this wedding since Fallon and his siblings were babies. She just didn’t know which one would be first.”

“Yeah, I think some of us were surprised Fallon was the first to walk down the aisle.”

I sipped my whisky, savoring the warmth as it slid down my throat. “Why’s that?”

Declan shrugged. “It wasn’t too long ago he was playing the field. But I have to admit, he’s never looked happier. He and Rhett are a perfect match.”

“What about you?”

He choked on the sip he took. “What do you mean?”

“Do you play the field?”

I had no idea why I asked him that question. It wasn’t something I would typically ask an employee, but since the night we had talked around the fire, I’ve wanted to get to know him better.

“Pretty much.” He smirked.

“So, no wedding for you?”

“Doubtful. It would take a pretty damn special guy to get me to settle down.”

That was the first time I’d heard Declan mention he was gay, and it made me believe I hadn’t been totally off base when I thought he might be flirting with me on occasion.

“Declan!” someone shouted, and we both turned around in time to see two guys who appeared to be Declan’s age approaching us.

“Fallon and Rhett are ready for a celebratory shot,” the taller one said while the other talked to the bartender.

The other guy glanced in my direction and looked me up and down, his eyes sparkling. “Who’s this?”

Was he checking me out?

“Marco, this is my boss, Sean Ashford. Sean, this is my friend, Marco. And that one”—he pointed at the other—“is Luca.”

“Oh, he’stheboss,” Luca said with a grin.

“Makes sense,” Marco added.

What did that mean?

Declan shook his head and laughed. “Let’s go find the grooms and do these shots. I’ll catch you later, Sean.”

“See ya,” I replied.

I watched as Declan and his friends made their way through the sea of guests. With a slight shake of my head, I took another sip of whisky and decided it was time to brave my table where Luke and DeAnna were seated. As I weaved through the crowd, I caught sight of their strained expressions and instantly knew it was going to be an interesting dinner.

“Luke, DeAnna,” I greeted them with a warm smile. “How are you enjoying the festivities?”

Luke’s eyes flickered with a mix of surprise and relief at my arrival. He motioned for me to sit next to him while DeAnna continued staring off into the distance, her demeanor reeking of misery.

“The Donnelleys sure know how to put on a party,” Luke stated, although his voice lacked any enthusiasm.