Page 134 of Defending You

Cici and Alyssa followed. “You think he’s going to propose?” Alyssa whispered.

“Ooh, I hope so!”

“They’ve been together for like…five minutes.”

The engagement ring on her big sister’s hand glinted in the light. “Right. While you and Callan waited the respectable, what, month? Two months?”

“Whatever.” But she was grinning as they stepped onto the patio.

“There she is!” Forbes called. Brooklynn crossed the deck and stood beside him, beaming as if she knew exactly what this was about. So, probably not a proposal.

Brooklynn was looking right at Cici. Come to think of it, so was everyone else

“Uh…”

Asher slipped up beside her and took her hand, whispering, “Any idea what’s going on?”

Before she could answer, Forbes drew everyone’s attention. “First, thank you, Gavin and Evelyn, for inviting Gran and me today. And to the rest of you. You’ve welcomed us into your family, making us feel like we belong.”

“You do belong,” Evelyn called. “You’re one of us now.”

“God help you,” Derrick added, earning some chuckles.

Forbes grinned. “Cici, Asher, could you two come up here?”

She looked at Asher, whose face had paled the slightest bit. She had a sudden flashback to high school. He might’ve been the smartest kid in their class, but he’d always fumbled through presentations, blushing and umm-ing his way through his speeches.

She couldn’t help the giggle that escaped as she hooked her arm in his and urged him forward.

When they got to the edge of the deck where Forbes stood, he addressed the crowd again. “I know you’ve all heard the story, so I won’t tell it again. Suffice it to say…” He focused on her and Asher, “I can’t thank you two enough for what you did. Not only did you return a family heirloom, but your actions also brought one more person to justice for my parents’ murders. Thank you.”

Cici gripped Asher’s arm, unsure what to say.It was a pleasure?Yeah, that’d be a bald-faced lie.

Anytime?

More like, never again.

Fortunately, Forbes didn’t expect her to speak. He reached into his jacket and pulled out two envelopes. “A gift, a token of my gratitude and that of my grandmother for your heroism. What you did means more than you’ll ever know.”

Cici took the one he handed to her. A brief glance inside told her it was a check. She held it out toward him. “Forbes, I can’t accept this. You’re practically my brother.”

“I like the sound of that.” But he didn’t take the check. “As yourpracticalbrother, I should tell you that it would be rude to reject it.”

That was true for gifts, but this was something else.

Asher had opened his envelope and pulled out the check. He was staring at it, his face pale. “I-I can’t take this.”

“Yes, you can. And you will.” Forbes spoke like a man accustomed to getting what he wanted. “I know your dreams, Asher. This is enough to make them happen.”

Over the past few weeks, Forbes and Asher had struck up a friendship. She had no idea what the billionaire and the former trailer-park kid had in common. She loved that it didn’t matter at all where either one of them was from. They were both good men, and they liked each other.

“I don’t think…” Asher stammered. “It doesn’t feel right.”

“It wouldn’t feel right to Grandmother and me not to do this.” Forbes lowered his voice, speaking just loudly enough for Asher to hear. And Cici, if she eavesdropped, which she did. “That necklace is worth a lot more than the check in your envelope, and Cici’s life is priceless.”

Cici peeked at the check in her envelope. Oh, my. Her dream of her own jewelry store could come true too.

Asher said, “I get that, but?—”