“Okay.” Heavenly wondered if she had suddenly fallen into an alternate dimension. “Um, I think I need some wine.”
“Come with me. Beck and Seth should both be here any minute.”
As if on cue, Beck strolled through the door, a bag of ice in each hand and a wide smile on his face. The moment he caught sight of her, his jaw dropped and the ice slid from his suddenly slack grip. “Holy shit.”
“See?” Raine giggled in her ear.
Heavenly couldn’t take her eyes off Beck, either. He was dressed in charcoal slacks and a crisp white shirt, rolled up at the sleeves to expose strong, hair-dusted forearms. He looked so big, so virile, so male. When their eyes met, her heart raced. A wave of heat tingled through her body, and he made her think thoughts totally worthy of her blush.
She sighed. “Hi.”
A gawking Pike strolled up to Beck. “Looks like you dropped something besides your man card. Having trouble holding on to the ice because your arthritis flared up, gramps?”
Just like that, the moment was broken. Beck turned to the interloper with a scathing glare. “Why don’t you fuck off?”
“And miss seeing you looking like a pussy-whipped bitch? Nah.” He picked up the bags of ice and slung them over his shoulders, then sauntered past Heavenly with a wink.
Beck leveled a killing stare at his back. “It will be hard to eat without teeth if you don’t shut up.”
Pike laughed all the way into the kitchen. Beck followed, grabbing the bags of ice from his hands and pouring one into an elegant bucket on the island.
Raine directed him to take the other outside, then swept everyone toward the patio. “Liam will be leading Hammer out here in less than five minutes. I need everyone in place.” She checked her phone. “Seth will be here in less than two minutes. Good.”
Heavenly was amazed to watch the woman sprint across the back patio in stilettos yet still look graceful.
“Shall we?” River gestured her outside.
“Sure. I didn’t get a chance to ask if there was anything else I could do to help. Your sister just…started helping me.”
“She wants you to enjoy the party. And okay, she wants to mess with Beck and Seth. Which gives me an idea.” He held out his hand with a grin. “Follow me.”
Heavenly had no idea what he was up to. “What do you have in mind?”
“All bears need a little baiting once in a while.”
“Oh, I’m not sure that’s a good idea…”
But River wasn’t listening. He’d already grabbed her hand and was tugging her out of the house and down the patio steps. He paused to put a glass of wine in her free hand.
The revving of an engine on the far side of the yard had heads turning. Heavenly swiveled to see Raine holding the wide back gate open and someone driving a sleek gray sports car inside. She couldn’t figure out why, but as soon as the engine fell silent and the headlights dimmed, Seth stepped from the car—and she stopped caring why he’d parked on the grass. Instead, she stared. Even from a distance, the wave of attraction nearly pulled her under.
“They’re coming,” someone hissed across the patio. “Hurry!”
“Shit!” Raine dashed for the back door, Seth right behind her. They crowded onto the patio with everyone else just in time for Liam and Duncan to lead Hammer outside so everyone could yell, “Surprise!”
Cheering and laughter ensued.
“Happy birthday!” Raine shouted as she made another trek down to the car and tossed a big red bow over the hood.
The car was a gift? Heavenly couldn’t imagine having the money to buy any vehicle that ran, much less enough to give someone the gift of a German precision driving machine.
How charmed their lives would seem…if she didn’t know how much struggle and agony they’d all been through.
After the group lifted a glass to Hammer, the party began in earnest. Beck and Seth both made a beeline toward her, but River was closer. He took her hand again and dragged her toward a pair of guys at the base of the patio, laughing and chasing back brews.
Heavenly cast a frown his way. “I recognize Pike.” And she didn’t like him so far. “Who’s the other man?”
He shrugged. “Does it matter? They’ll appreciate the view and ogle you enough to drive Beck and Seth insane. Play along.”
“But I—”
“Hey, Pike. Dean, this is Heavenly. Sweetheart, this is Officer Gorman of the LAPD.”
“Just Dean.” The cop’s smile was full of instant charm as he moved closer. “You’re Heavenly, huh? It fits. Great to meet you. You’re not here with this jerk, are you?” He thumbed River’s way.
“Oh, I’m just a friend of Raine’s and—”
“She’s here with me.” Seth suddenly sidled up to her and slipped his arm around her waist. “Hi, angel. You look…amazing.”