Page 81 of The Contract Marriage

Gideon clutches his chest dramatically. “Not theatrics. I think I’ve developed…a heart condition…”

“Look, guys, I just wanted a small wedding,” Liam says, taking the blame.

I don’t want him to. “It was actually—”

“Should’ve ordered balloons that said ‘Condolences to Olivia.’” Finn shakes his head with a sigh.

“Let the men have their fun,” Max says, coming over to give me a hug.

I return it. She has a great squeeze, surprisingly warm and tight.

“Welcome to the family. It’s wild, but you’ll love it. The brothers are always bickering like this,” she says.

“We don’t bicker. We manfully make our opinions known,” Roarke announces.

“So do skunks, but nobody wants their opinions.” Max smirks.

I laugh.

“Let’s go in and have brunch,” Liam says.

“Yes, let’s.” I link my hand with his. “I can smell bacon.”

Chapter Thirty-Four

Liam

The tension in Olivia’s shoulders eases. Despite her calm façade, I could tell that she was growing increasingly tense on our way here. It’s sort of cute that she got nervous when it wasn’t necessary.

My brothers will love her simply because I chose her.

Rhys leans over and lowers his voice. “So. This is the one you’ve been pining over all this time, right?”

“What are you talking about?”

“Don’t act stupid. We know you. You always dated copies of Olivia, although none of them were as tall or stately. This is the girl you were mooning over in college but refused to talk about.”

My cheeks warm. “Shut up.”

Rhys chuckles. “You’re so whipped. But I’m glad you got her,” he says, punching my shoulder.

“So why didn’t anybody invite us to the wedding or the birthday?” Gideon says.

“Actually, Liam didn’t know about my birthday ahead of time. To be honest, I tend to forget about it unless my assistant brings it up,” Olivia says after a bite of bacon. Silas has gone all out with his specially ordered apple-smoked bacon.

Max’s eyes go round. “How can you forget your own birthday?”

“Work?” Olivia shrugs, shifting her eyes to Rhys and Finn.

Rhys nods. “True. Birthdays are just another workday you happen to be born on.”

“The only way to make that a holiday is if you become the emperor of Japan. Did you know that his birthday becomes a national holiday? So every time they get a new one, the holiday changes,” Finn says.

“Are you making that up?” Roarke asks over blood orange juice. Silas isn’t serving anything alcoholic in deference to Max’s pregnancy.

“Nope. Look it up.” Finn polishes off his eggs Benedict. “Christmas is a regular workday. The emperor trumps baby Jesus.”

Finn, the man of random trivia.