Page 42 of The Billionaire Invitation

When Honesty had met Dante at the restaurant, she’d intended to take a car back like the one she’d taken there. It only made sense. Her office was out of the way of Crane Hotel and, as it turned out, Dante’s brother’s house. This was an interesting, if unexpected, change of plans.

“She’s so cool,” Jaylyn said of her future sister-in-law. “And tall. And blond. And Brody can’t fix shit, so it’s the funniest thing.”

“Jaylyn.” Dante glanced into the rearview mirror at his sister, his tone silently asking her to stop talking.

Honesty hid a smile. The interaction reminded her of her own brother. When he’d been home, she’d often tried to insert herself into his life, while he’d tried to escape his clingy sister. But the love was there. The love had always been there. She could tell Jaylyn didn’t allow Dante to gain much ground. His sister seemed determined to needle him. Which, in sibling speak, was actually sweet.

“I texted Brody to ask if it was okay if you came,” Jaylyn told Honesty. She showed her phone screen, which read Bring her. “See? He’s totally cool with it.”

Honesty wasn’t sure if that two-word text meant that he was “totally cool” but she also wasn’t about to go back to her office when Jaylyn had been adamant about her coming along. Plus, it wasn’t as if she were a stranger to the Crane family. She’d met his siblings when she and Dante had dated.

“I promise everything discussed about you was good,” Jaylyn said.

Dante let out a heavy sigh. Honesty bit her lip so she wouldn’t laugh.

“We’re adults,” Honesty said. “Dante and I aren’t going to wilt because people are judging what we’re doing.”

“What are you doing?” Jaylyn dropped her voice to ask. “I mean I know you’re doing that, but anything else?”

“Just that.” Honesty had meant what she said. She was a grown woman and had no reason to feel any shame. The only red flags between her and Dante had to do with her own feelings and expectations. And those weren’t up for debate with anyone.

“We’re here.” Dante sounded relieved. He gestured to the bouquet of flowers they’d made a quick stop to pick up. “Grab those, will you, J?”

They climbed out of the car. Dante walked ahead to the front door, Jaylyn hung back with Honesty.

“You know…” J paused before adding, “Never mind.”

“Go ahead,” Honesty invited. “Say it.”

“Okay, so I’m trying to convince him to move back here from LA. Which I know is a long shot but his family is here and his mom travels all the time.” Jaylyn glanced at Dante to make sure he wasn’t in earshot. If he’d heard her, he was ignoring her. “If he lived here, I wonder what would happen with the charity thing…and the you thing.”

Honesty wasn’t sure what to say about either “thing.” What she did know was that Dante had crashed back into her life and she was adjusting to having him around. Temporarily.

“What do you think?” Jaylyn asked.

“I think it’s too soon to tell. We were young when we dated, and we had no idea what the future held for us or our careers. Now we’re established. We know. But he has a lot of responsibility in California.”

Jaylyn quirked her lips, making her look ten years younger. She was a grown woman, but also a little sister who wanted her big brother to stick around. Honesty could relate.

“Every time my older brother went away, I was heartbroken,” she told J. “I understand why you want to keep him close. After Christian was injured, he was home all the time. That’s when I realized he would have been happier being away. Sometimes we have to let them be who they are, you know?”

Jaylyn’s dark eyes flashed in challenge. She squared her shoulders and seemed to age up instantly. “We’ll see about that.”

Dante opened the door for them. Jaylyn made it a point to bump him with her arm as she walked by. He leaned down to Honesty’s ear and whispered, “Sorry about her.”

“Don’t be. She misses you.” They held each other’s gazes for a beat. She found herself wondering if he had missed her over the years. It was easy to say she’d been too busy to miss him, but that wasn’t the truth.

Sometimes late at night when she couldn’t sleep, she wondered what might have been if they’d stuck it out. Then she’d purposefully take her mind elsewhere.

As her mother had always said, Wonder is a useless pastime.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

“Hey brother.” Brody clapped Dante on the back, which seemed to be the Crane family way. He shook her hand next. “Honesty. Long time no see.”

“Thanks for…letting me crash? Is that an appropriate thing to say in this scenario?”

Brody’s mustache twitched when he smiled. “This is a unique scenario.”