“Don’t give me that. You need help. You’re not going to make this alone.”
“Yeah, I know.”
“It will prevent you from having to ask Slash, who we both know would give you the money.”
“I know he would. But he’s done so much already. This is my thing. Our thing.” I paused. “Okay, ask her.”
“Don’t need to.”
“Why not?”
“Because she’s right here with me. Say hello, Brielle.”
“Hello, Brielle,” Brielle parroted.
“Sneaky, sneaky,” I said. “If you want in, you’re in. But we’re putting this all down on paper so it’s all clear and by the book. That way there’s no confusion and everyone stays friends.”
“This is your baby,” Brielle said. “I just want to be able to draw in frosting, help organize, and plug holes where you need it.”
“You sure you don’t want to take your money and go abroad?” I asked. “Some random hot Italian guy might be a lot more fun than working hard to keep a business going…”
“Nope. This sounds infinitely more exciting—and it means I can quit working at Three Kings with my brothers.”
“I guess I’m not the only one who wants to prove myself to the world, huh?” I asked with a chuckle. I got up and turned off the stove.
“I don’t have anything to prove to the world. I just have a few things to prove to the Jackson clan. They all keep trying to protect me and shelter me because I’m the baby. Fuck that. I’m in, Brooklyn. I’m so in.”
* * *
“Babe?”
With a yawn, I slowly opened my eyes.
“Shit, I woke you up,” he said, coming fully into the bedroom.
“It’s okay,” I said drowsily, stretching my arms over my head.
Slash sat on the edge of the bed and leaned down to brush his lips against mine. “How long have you been conked out?”
“What time is it?” I asked.
“A little after four.”
“About two hours,” I admitted.
“I texted and didn’t get a reply.”
“I was probably asleep.”
“Probably. How’d your thing go?”
“Fine.” I briefly told him about Imogene and the insane undertaking.
“That sounds like a whole fucking mess,” Slash groused. “Five hundred guests and a big…”
“Hoopla?” I supplied with a smile.
Slash’s hand rested on my belly. “Yeah. A hoopla if I ever heard one.”