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A hysterical laugh almost burst out of me. If my big brother—the most protective man I’d ever known—knew that my first date with my older-by-a-decade boss would (fingers friggin crossed) end up with me losing my virginity, he’d have a coronary.
“Not to warn him off,” Logan amended.
Turning slightly, I raised an eyebrow. “No?”
He wrapped an arm around me, and I let my head rest on his shoulder. “If you want this one, there’s a reason.”
That had my heart going all warm and gooey, and I tried to smother my pleased smile. “No I can’t believe another one of you picked an athlete sermon?”
“Nope.”
“Did Paige yell at you about that after you said it to Lia?”
“Yup.”
I laughed. “What would you tell him in your little talk then?”
Logan took a deep breath and tightened his grip on me for a moment before turning me gently so we faced each other. “For better or worse, you’re a lot like me, kid. You always have been.” He smiled. “We hold back until we don’t have a choice. Paige is the exact right person for me because she ripped through that reserve like a battering ram.”
I laughed.
His face went serious. “But you, Isabel, you are braver than I ever was at your age. I hope he knows that you choosing him means he’s getting one of the best gifts in the world because the way you love the people in your life …” His voice trailed off. He cupped my face. “It’s a privilege to be one of them.”
My eyes burned hot, and the bridge of my nose tingled. “Thank you.”
Logan cleared his throat, dropping a kiss on my forehead. “Love you.”
“I love you too.” I wrapped my arms around him and hugged him like I hadn’t in a long time. Wasn’t that funny? When you saw someone all the time, it became so easy to forget how much you might need their hugs. And nothing, at that moment, felt more like a blessing to move forward than a hug from my brother.
Paige approached with a tiny smile on her face. “You can go,” she told me.
“Really?”
She nodded. “They’re done with the family pictures. You have about thirty more minutes before we’ll need you lined up for the reception.”
Instantly, I kicked off my shoes, only stopping to scoop them up by the strap. I clutched the hem of my dress and ran across the grass to the sound of Paige’s laughter.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Isabel
It didn’t take me long to find him. I’d slowed to a fast walk, barefoot as I crossed the lobby of the hotel into the reception area. It was dimly lit, tall tables circling the perimeter of the room for guests to mingle and have a cocktail while they waited for the wedding party to arrive. Along the edges and in corners of the room were soft places to sit, some draped in white gauze, lending a magical atmosphere along with the hundreds of candles, the twinkle lights swooping down the ceiling.
Aiden stood toward the edge of the room talking to Luke Pierson, one of Logan’s former teammates. Next to them, her arm curved around Luke’s waist, was Allie Sutton-Pierson, the owner of the Wolves and one of Paige’s best friends.
Allie said something that made the men laugh, and her face lit into a brilliant smile when she saw me. “Iz, you look gorgeous.”
When I hugged her, I glanced quickly at Aiden. “Thank you. Did the girls come with you?”
Luke shook his head. “Faith and Lydia decided a weekend at Grandma’s was a lot more fun than a wedding.”
“How old are your kids?” Aiden asked. I slipped next to him, and my breath caught when he casually folded his hand through mine.
Allie noticed and gave me a pointed look. I had to bite down on my lip so as not to burst into laughter. None of these people had ever seen me in a relationship, and you could freaking tell by their absolute lack of chill.
“Faith is sixteen, Lydia is almost eleven, and I have never felt older in my life than I do when I say that out loud,” Luke admitted.
Aiden smiled. “My daughter is seven, so I get it.”
