35
Zeke pacedthe expanse between the foyer and Great Hall, alternating between checking his tie in the small oval mirror by the entrance door and glancing up the wide staircase for Liv.
I could fall in love with you.
For the first time in his life, he wondered what it would be like to be loved by such a strong, beautiful, and caring woman. The thought didn’t overwhelm him, didn’t make the veins in his temple throb or the muscles in his chest constrict.
The prospect of waking up next to Liv every day brought a sense of peace to his mind. He didn’t want to run from it. On the contrary, he yearned for it.
He wanted to be the one to take Brodie fly-fishing, teach him how to knot his first bowtie, and reintroduce him to baseball. No one could ever replace the boy’s father, but Zeke wanted to help fill the gap.
An image of Liv, Brodie, and him attending a Charlotte Knights game surfaced. He would get seats deep into the outfield to avoid any possibility of unexpected balls zinging their way.
He’d buy them a huge tub of buttered popcorn, hot dogs smothered in ketchup, and a giant soda pop that would have the kid sugared up for the next week.
If he got lucky, Brodie would smile, which would make Liv smile, which would make him—
“Why are you grinning at yourself in the mirror?” Cruz asked around a mouthful of food. He stood with one hand on his hip and another wrapped around an enormous hamburger. “You clean up well, but you might be taking self-appreciation a little too far.”
Zeke turned away from his reflection. “Shouldn’t you be camped out at the St. Martins’ place?”
“I’m on my way. Not all of us get to dine on lobster rolls and sip champagne for dinner.”
Zeke peered up the stairs for the hundredth time. Where was she?
A low, burger-muffled whistle echoed in the foyer. “Someone’s got date night jitters.”
“This is hardly a date, and she’s”—he checked his Rolex—“three minutes late.”
Cruz frowned. “Where’s your costume? Aren’t you going as Zorro or a Musketeer or something?”
“In the car.” He would wait until the last possible minute before donning his black cape and mask. The costume, including his stainless-steel watch, black Armani suit, Gucci necktie, and Ferragamo boots were all selected by Phin, of course. Zeke couldn’t tell a Rolex from a Rolodex.
Why his brother bought designer everything for a costume party, Zeke had no idea. He was just thankful to be spared the shopping trip. The only accoutrement he cared about was the voice-activated ear insert Rohan had handed the entire team an hour ago.
Although Phin still eyed him with suspicion, he’d finally accepted Zeke’s presence within his territory. Sort of. Once this recovery was over, Zeke would happily cede the spotlight back to his little brother’s loving arms.
But not tonight. Tonight, he’d traipse beneath the chandeliers, dine on gourmet cuisine, and smile during inane conversations. Whatever it took to get into Nicola’s museum and search for his ancestral sword and the antique doll.
“Want me to go up and check on Liv?” Cruz asked in a low, suggestive voice, knocking Zeke out of his thoughts.
“Stay away from her.” Where Phin’s words charmed women into his bed, Cruz had only to look at the opposite sex before they dove beneath his covers.
It was annoying. The incident with Tina still stung after fourteen years. He’d met the raven-haired Nebraskan through a forced group project in his Business Analytics class at UNC. They enjoyed each other’s company, but were content to hang out with their own friends, too. They helped each other study for exams and the sex had been good. Real good.
Until Zeke invited Tina home for a long weekend. Her shift in affection had started at the dinner table that first night, when Cruz had given her his focused attention while she shared a story about rescuing a duck tangled up in discarded fishing line.
His brother had done nothing more than look at Zeke’s date. But by the end of the weekend, Tina had slipped her number into Cruz’s hand and tried to kiss him. Zeke had watched the whole disastrous scene unfold.
Tina brushing past Cruz, his brother’s confused expression at the piece of paper she’d pressed in his hand, Tina lifting on tiptoes, grasping Cruz’s face, and planting a kiss on his mouth, Cruz stumbling backward, angrily swiping his mouth against his shoulder, his brother telling her to stay the fuck away.
She hadn’t been the first girl to become smitten with Cruz’s smoky good looks. Every one of them—Ash, Phin, Rohan, Zeke—had lost a lover to him. Outside of the initial pissed-off rejection phase, none of them held their loss against Cruz. It was difficult to be mad at someone born with eyes women find irresistible, even though he could be a supreme asshat, sometimes. Like now.
So far, Liv had treated Cruz no differently from the rest of his brothers. No longing looks, extreme blushing, or accidental body brushes.
Zeke had been watching, especially during their first meeting at the Annex. But that didn’t mean her attention wouldn’t shift if Cruz actively set out to seduce her.
Not that his brother would, despite his antagonizing suggestion, but the mere thought of Cruz kissing Liv set off a torrent of fury.