Page 69 of The Billionaire Invitation

“I like you, too.” Honesty had to smile. It was the truth. She liked how brazen and brave and authentic J was. It was refreshing.

“You can’t expect Honesty and Dante to stay in a relationship because you want him to live here. Or because you’ve made friends with Honesty.” Chloe refilled her own glass of champagne. “And anyway, you and I became friends, but I have to split my time between you and Zander. If Honesty stays single, she’ll be all yours.”

Jaylyn laughed. “A fair point. Unless she moves to California.”

“Unlike your brother, I’m not planning on leaving Chicago,” Honesty interjected. “My business is here. My family is here.”

“That makes me sad for him.” Jaylyn quirked her lips as if debating whether or not to continue. “He’s happier since he’s reconnected with you. Tonight, notwithstanding. Overall, what I’ve seen of him when he’s with you has been good. There’s the spark of hope in him that has been missing for a long time.”

“Sex will do that,” Reagan joked.

Jaylyn ignored Reagan’s comment. “Like I said, Dad wasn’t wrong. Dante goes where he’s most needed. And now that he’s been challenged by Octavius Crane? He’ll probably leave Chicago out of spite.”

Honesty hoped not. This time she’d planned on parting amicably. “If he decided to leave Chicago, I would hope it would be because he wanted to leave, not because he wanted to spite your father.”

“Do you want him to stay?” Jaylyn asked, her dark eyes filled with hope.

“I… I have a full life. Now, with the charity and my work, I’ll have plenty to do.” Which wasn’t answering the question and they all knew it. “I would never ask him to rearrange his life to accommodate me. I’m not sure there’s anything to accommodate for.”

A wave of sadness covered her as she admitted that out loud. Except for night after night after night of amazing sex, she and Dante had…what? A friendship? There had been no professions of love. No moment where emotions had boiled over and one of them had admitted to feeling more…

Plus, real relationships were more than having sex and working together on a project. There were sleeping arrangements to decide—his place or hers? If he moved here, he would have a place of his own. Then they would need to coordinate dinner plans, plus-ones, and date nights—not for two weeks, but for the foreseeable future.

She sighed as she realized she was painting a mental picture and it didn’t look like accommodation. It looked…well, great.

Great or not, it was a fantasy. Relationships took time and effort—from two people, not just one. And if Dante wasn’t willing to put in that time or the effort, what was the point?

But if he was, would you be willing to give it another try?

Yes. The answer came as swiftly as an arrow to the heart.

For two weeks they’d been trying each other on for size. She’d attended not one family function, but two within that narrow span of days. She had been “in.” It was hard not to see that as a sign that they were meant for more.

“If he comes to his senses and admits he’s crazy about you, please consider changing your mind about dating him, okay?” Jaylyn asked.

“Yes, I could use a spare babysitter,” Reagan teased with a pretty smile.

“And we could double date!” Chloe chirped. “At least until Jaylyn decides not to be single anymore.”

“Fuck you, I’ll be third wheel on your dates for as long as I please.”

Everyone laughed, including Honesty. As good as hanging around these incredible women and their complicated Crane counterparts sounded—Jaylyn included—Honesty wasn’t going to ask more of Dante than he was capable of giving. She had been there, done that, and had the Northwestern T-shirt to prove it.

“Thanks for including me. In this. In your lives,” Honesty said. “Since losing my brother, it’s been nice to be around siblings again. I see how much J, Brody, Dante, and Zander love each other. And they don’t exclude anyone from that tight circle, which is beautiful.”

She and Christian had been each other’s better halves. Losing him had made her feel split in two—forever fractured.

“Aw, I’m teary-eyed now.” Reagan blinked her lashes.

“Me too, someone take this from sappy to happy.” Chloe sniffled.

“I’ll do it. To sisters!” Jaylyn held up her glass.

Reagan and Chloe leaned in with their glasses. Honesty hesitated.

“You count,” J told her.

“Okay fine.” Honesty tinked the other flutes with her own. While she wouldn’t go as far as saying that Reagan or Chloe felt like sisters, Jaylyn kind of, almost, sort of did.