Page 119 of Hired Husband

“It’s called having a social life.”

“Keep telling yourself that,” I said, quite liking this newfound wiser, more knowing way of talking to my little brother. “I thought the same thing until I met Jasmine. Now, I don’t actually know what I’m going to do without her when she stays behind after the baby is born.”

“It’ll only be for a few weeks,” he said. “A couple months at most. You’ll be fine.”

“I definitely will not,” I said, not even a little bit ashamed of admitting how much I was going to miss her. “Unfortunately, I can’t stay away from the development for that long right now, but if I could’ve, I would’ve. We just can’t afford for anything to go wrong in these early stages. Especially with the foundations.”

“Yeah, I hear you, but see, this is why I have no intention of ever getting involved with someone I’d actually like to introduce to Mom. I like my independence too much.”

“So did I,” I said. “Until I realized it was overrated.”

He laughed. “Not to me, man. Not to me.”

I glanced at him, wondering if he would ever change his mind about this, but the thing was, I hadn’t seen it coming until it’d smacked me in the face. I understood exactly where he was, happy to be sowing his wild oats across three different states and never sleeping in the same bed twice.

The difference between that time of his life and that time of mine was that he was making real money now too. A lot of it. The Thayers were beginning to look like ourselves again, with Colin and Jane working hard with both the Westwoods and the Saads.

There was a lot of new business, new contracts, and new prospects. Ryan finally had a bit of financial freedom and he was celebrating.

On that note, I stopped outside of a jewelry store. “Hang on. I need to pop in here.”

He frowned. “What for? You already gave Jasmine a ring.”

“I know, but she’s been collecting charms on all our travels and she thinks I haven’t noticed, but obviously, I have. There is something specific she needs, though.”

“You really are insufferable, but fine. Let’s just get it done.”

He followed me into the store, and a few minutes later, we walked back out with a little box tucked into my pocket containing a bracelet she could attach all those little charms to. “God, it feels good to be able to do stuff like this.”

Ryan shot me a look. “What, being able to buy obscenely expensive jewelry without batting an eye? I think you’re being rich wrong.”

I scoffed. “No, I’m not. What good is not having to worry about money for the first time in a decade if I’m not using it to spoil the woman I love?”

“What good is it? Uh, it’s plenty good. It pays for a lot of things, including, but not limited to, first class plane tickets, bottle service, and bespoke suits.”

I waved him off. “I’m not interested in the last two and who needs first class plane tickets? Basel is plenty generous with the GlobalStar jet.”

“I take it back,” he said.

“Yeah, what’s that?”

“You are absolutely the more insufferable brother between you and Colin right now.” He shook his head at me. “I’m sorry I don’t have a private jet at my disposal, okay?”

I laughed and bumped my shoulder into his. “I was teasing you. I mean, it’s true, but I wasn’t actually trying to rub it in your face.”

“Again, you’re doing it wrong.”

Still chuckling, we crossed the street toward Colin and Deja’s house where Jasmine and I were staying for the holidays. I glanced at my watch and wondered if my wife was home yet. She and Deja had gone shopping for the baby, a little girl absolutely everyone in both families was already spoiling rotten.

Ryan and I parted ways when he realized it was about time he got back to the office, and since I was heading back to the house anyway, he just wrinkled his nose at me. “I’d rather not witness your reunion with your wife. It’s been hours since you last saw her. Who knows how much bleach I would have to pour into my innocent eyes to burn away what I would see?”

I laughed. “Yeah, it’s probably for the best, but for the record, I know you’re also just trying to avoid Colin.”

“Do you blame me?” he asked, not even trying to deny it. “He’s been so type-A about this whole pregnancy thing that even his wife sent him to Egypt for a month to get him off her back.”

I grimaced. “Yeah, I know. I was there. It was not pretty.”

“He started timing her naps, dude. Not pretty is an understatement.”