“You have to come,” Ivy begs.
“One drink, Ash. Please,” Taylor says, taking my hand in hers. “We don’t even have to sit with the guys.”
I laugh. “Yeah, right. Like Seb and Nash would ever let you and Paisley sit anywhere other than with them.”
She waves off my comment. “We’ll sneak in. They won’t even notice. Please?”
She bats her eyelashes dramatically and, despite myself, I chuckle. “Fine! One drink. Then I’m going home.”
She grins triumphantly, and with her hand still wrapped around mine, she tugs me down the sidewalk toward Eden, Paisley and Ivy trailing close behind.
The place is packed, and we weave our way through the crowd toward the bar. Suddenly, Taylor stops short, and I crash straight into her back.
“Taylor!” I exclaim. “What are you doing?”
She spins around, a huge grin on her face.
“What’s going on?” Paisley asks from behind us.
“Look.” Taylor turns and gestures toward a booth across from the bar. I follow her gaze, my mouth dropping open in shock.
Ben is sitting there, laughing and drinking with three of my four brothers.
I tear my eyes away from the guys and turn to Paisley and Taylor. “Did you know about this? Why is he here with them?”
Paisley laughs. “I have no idea.”
“Me neither,” Taylor adds, looking just as surprised as I feel.
“Maybe they’ve called a truce,” Ivy suggests.
I glance back, my eyes locking with Ben’s across the crowded room. The moment he sees me, his face lights up with a smile, and he beckons me over.
“Come on. Let’s find out what’s going on,” Paisley says, linking her arm with mine and steering me toward Ben. I don’t resist, though uncertainty twists in my stomach. I want to believe, after seeing Ben with my brothers, that something has changed, and they’re finally ready to accept our relationship, but it just seems a little unbelievable.
“Hey,” Ben says, rising from the table and pulling me gently into his arms. “How was Franco’s?”
I stare up at him with wide eyes. “What’s going on?” My gaze flicks from him to where Nash, Seb, and Wyatt now sit with Taylor, Paisley, and Ivy.
Ben grins. “Just having a drink with your brothers,” he says, throwing me a wink.
I roll my eyes. “I can see that. But how?”
He chuckles. “Nash invited me.”
Shock must be written all over my face because he laughs as I shake my head. “I don’t understand. Why?”
“Can I explain later? Right now, I just want to enjoy being here with you and your family.”
“Okay… but everything’s good? Even with Nash?”
His smile widens. “Everything’s good. Even with Nash.”
Relief washes over me, and for the first time tonight, I smile. I still want to know what changed Nash’s mind, but for now, just being here together without any tension or arguments feels like a dream come true.
Ben dips his head, brushing his lips against mine. I wrap my arms around his neck, kissing him back. Just as things start to heat up, Nash’s voice cuts through the moment.
“Alright, that’s enough. We might have made peace, but we don’t need a front-row seat to you two making out. Ash is still my baby sister.”
