Page 114 of What About Us

We turn, and the room goes completely quiet.

Because Ava Hendrix is one gorgeous woman.

Her dress is the palest pink lace with a deep V neckline that accentuates her cleavage but isn’t at all inappropriate. The waist is cinched, and the bottom molds around her hips and ass, and holy shit.

“I don’t know that I’ve ever seen a more beautiful bride,” Harper whispers as people sniffle around us.

“Absolutely stunning,” Jules agrees.

“That lace,” Indie breathes.

Ava bites her lip and glances down at herself and then back up at us.

“It’s not too much?”

“Baby, if that’s too much, he can go find less,” Darby says, slowly shaking her head side to side. “Because this is absolutely perfect.”

Ava nods and then wipes a tear from under her eye. “And it’s not too cliché?”

“What the hell?” I ask with a frown. “What could possibly be cliché about this masterpiece of a dress?”

“The wedding is in February, and Chad thinks it’s stupid because of Valentine’s Day. Like, he’s really made a fuss about it. And this dress is blush, and am I just a walking Hallmark card?”

Several of us exchange looks.

“Aves, you’re getting married on the twenty-second. And aside from that dress, which is not an obnoxious pink at all, there are no Valentine colors in sight,” Harper says.

“Agreed,” Charlie says emphatically. “This entire wedding is pure class. Your colors are cream and black, Ava. There’s nothing cheesy about this wedding.”

“Okay.” Ava takes a breath and nods. “Okay, good.”

I don’t like that she looks scared. Or worried that Chad might say something horrible to her about the dress or the timing.

Or any of it.

I don’t really know Chad all that well. He’s much older than me, and I don’t think his family is from the area. But it doesn’t sound like I’d like him very much.

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

XANDER

The four of us split up into two vehicles, and rather than heading straight to Bitterroot Valley for some brotherly football time, we’re making a detour into Silver Springs and the office of a certain attorney.

Chad hasn’t attended a family function since Tucker and Darby’s engagement party. And I know for a fact that he’s not just avoiding us.

He’s avoiding my sister.

His fiancée.

Because he’s hardly been home in the past month, and even if Ava insists that Chad is her endgame, which I call bullshit on, her brothers need to have a fucking conversation with him.

It’s past time.

And Zack’s currently in town, so the timing is perfect.

We pull up in front of Chad’s office, and all four of us climb out of the vehicles and move to the doors.

We’re all big, muscular men. Tall. Strong.