I clear my throat. “Hey. Long time no see.”
“Iris and I have missed you at the last couple of brunches. This one is a complete bore.” She nods in Rowan’s direction. Rowan glares at her, which only makes Zahra beam.
“Is this Alana?” Zahra’s brown eyes glitter as she checks out Lana.
I introduce the two of them.
Zahra pulls Lana into a hug. “I’ve heard so much about you.”
“You have?”
Zahra pulls away. “Oh, yeah. Get a few mimosas in Cal’s system and he won’t stop talking about you.”
My cheeks heat. Lana stiffens, the muscles in her back going rigid.
“Mimosas?” She glances up at me, a storm brewing behind her eyes.
“I’m not sure there will be many more mimosas in my future.” I offer Zahra a tight smile.
Rowan, sensing the need for a topic change, thank God, offers his hand to Lana. “Nice to see you again after all this time.”
She shakes it with a wrinkled nose. “Ugh. Still stuffy as ever, Galahad.”
Zahra’s wide eyes bounce between Lana and my brother. “She knows your middle name?”
“Oh, I know a lot more than that.” Lana laughs.
Rowanblushes, and it’s quite the sight. I wish I got it on camera solely for future entertainment purposes.
Zahra leans forward. “I’d love nothing more than to pick your brain and learn all about baby Rowan.”
My brother shoots me a look. “Tell your girlfriend I can revoke those VIP passes as quickly as I handed them out.”
“I’m standing right here, so feel free to tell me yourself.” Lana waves with a small smile.
Damn. Getting turned on by Lana putting my brother in his place is a new level of fucked up, and I’m dying for more of it. Even Rowan’s eyes glitter at her comment. If there is anything my brother respects more than submission, it’s those willing to stand up to him when he is wrong.
“Iris is totally going to love you.” Zahra wags her finger at Lana before breaking out into a laugh.
“Look what I found!” Cami rushes back over to us, balancing two different tiaras on her head, holding three princess dresses in her arms, and wearing two different plastic heels on her feet.
“You can only pick one outfit.” Lana plucks the dresses out of her hands and holds them up for her to choose.
I’m quick to steal them out of Lana’s hands and pass them over to Zahra, who is going to do Cami’s makeover. “We’ll take them all. Have the store send everything Cami wants up to our room.”
Lana shoots me a look. “You’re spoiling her.”
“And I’m loving every second of it.” My smile widens.
She rolls her eyes. “You can’t buy her everything she wants.”
“Why not?” Cami grins as she not-so-sneakily adds a third pair of costume heels to the growing pile in Zahra’s arm.
“Camila.”Lana puts her hands on her hips.
“Mommy.”Cami matches her mother’s stance, earning laughs from everyone but Lana.
Cami catches something out of the corner of her eye and takes off toward the costume jewelry area, dragging Zahra behind her. Rowan busies himself behind the check-in desk, leaving Lana and me alone.