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I gave him another once-over before I could stop myself. Yeah, it felt unnecessarily rude of the universe. Rhodes must’ve caught my assessment because his hand found the small of my back as Sloane led us down a hallway toward our room.

“While jealousy is sexy on you, little wolf,” Rhodes leaned in to whisper in my ear, “you have nothing to worry about.”

The quiet reassurance did exactly what he intended. Some of the tension eased from my shoulders, although I still shot him a look for calling me out so easily. He knew me too well—not that I was complaining.

Our room was tucked away at the end of a short hallway, and Sloane threw the door open, not caring how it bounced off the wall inside.

“Best room in the fucking place,” Sloane announced as he ushered us inside. Rhodes set our bags by the dresser, neatly separating his from mine, while I hung up our dress clothes bags in the closet. “Well, second best to the brides, of course.”

Sloane gave us no time to take in the expensive suite before he gestured us right back out the door.

“Right then,” he said loudly. “That’s enough of that tour. We need to get you upstairs before Sariah sends out a search party.”

“I told her when we’d be here,” Rhodes replied.

“Mate.” He laughed. “You’ve kept that woman waiting eleven bloody months. You really think she gives a fuck about your schedule?”

“I’ve spoken to her almost every day!” he exclaimed, and Sloane stared at him. I still didn’t have a solid grasp on the whole group dynamic, but I had a feeling that didn’t matter to Sariah.

“That might be the stupidest thing you’ve ever said to me,” Sloane told him.

“Not even close,” Rhodes retorted with a cocky grin. From the look on Sloane’s face, he knew what Rhodes meant. Damn it. I wanted to know what that story was.

“Fair point.” Sloane started down the hallway. He called over his shoulder, “Still reckon she’s goin’ to hit you, mate.”

“She already told me she was going to!” he shouted, leaning out the door to make sure Sloane heard him. He motioned for me to follow, and I hurried after him.

“Excellent,” Sloane replied. “I’ll make sure I’ve got a good view. Get the camera ready and everything.”

“Son of a bitch,” Rhodes muttered under his breath. He sighed, and his hand found mine. I smiled as we followed Sloane, the excitement of meeting Rhodes’ best friend finally hitting me. I couldn’t wait to meet the woman I’d heard stories about.

The screaming started before we were fully outside, and I watched Rhodes’ expression shift from surprised to horrified. The single high-pitched shriek cut across the deck loud enough to stop every conversation in the vicinity. Rhodes froze behind me, every muscle in his body tensing.

“Oh, fuck,” he whispered.

I followed his gaze across the open deck. The rehearsal dinner was set up outside, and even as my concern about the screaming grew, I noticed how beautiful the decorations were. It was hard not to appreciate the work that had been put into it. Cream linens softened black tables and chairs. Enormous sunflowers broke up the otherwise elegant color scheme. Smaller arrangements of greenery and candles ran between them. Overhead, strands of lights twinkled faintly as they waited for the sun to disappear.

As the screaming drew closer, Rhodes used his hold on my hand to gently push me aside.

“You should step back,” he warned. I obeyed without thinking, putting an extra foot of space between us as he faced the approaching threat—though threat was maybe stretching it.

Unless the sunshine-haired woman in a sundress I recognized as Sariah, running straight at him, counted as a threat. Which maybe she was. What did I know? She wove between tables and people without slowing down. Honestly, her agility was impressive.

As soon as she was close enough, she launched herself at Rhodes without hesitation. And it wasn’t just some little jump into a hug. This woman full-on threw herself at him, feet coming off the ground and all. Rhodes caught her without hesitation, and the force of impact sent him stumbling back half a step. Her whole body folded around him, her arms around his neck and her legs wrapped around his middle, as she buried her face in his shoulder.

“And there’s the infamous koala hug,” Sloane commented. I barely heard him as I stared at Rhodes. I’d never seen him so… at ease.

The moment he had safely adjusted to her presence, his eyes slid shut. One hand tangled in her hair, and the other wrapped around her waist. A huge smile spread across his face—one I hadn’t seen before. And while it was new, I understood that feeling. The safety and comfort that came with a best friend.

Sariah was still making some combination of laughing and screaming noises against him while Rhodes’ shoulders shook with his own laughter. I couldn’t bring myself to look away. There wasn’t an ounce of restraint. He wasn’t deciding how much affection was appropriate or worrying about who would see it. He simply loved her.

For someone so convinced he wasn’t very good at loving people, Rhodes sure as hell had a lot of it in him.

“Please tell me you have something on underneath this,” Rhodes said quietly as he did his best to hold her skirt in place. “And that you’re not over here flashing everyone at your own rehearsal dinner.”

“I pussy blocked my fiancé for you, Rhodes Kennedy,” she told him. “I put on Spanx! There is no access down there just so I could get my damn hug from you. Spanx! That’s a goddamn commitment.”

I couldn’t help but laugh. Her head rolled slightly on his shoulder so she could see me. When our eyes met, her entire face brightened. There wasn’t an ounce of awkwardness in how she looked at me. Just immediate and almost overwhelming enthusiasm. Her smile was almost as big as his as she gave me a little wave from where she was still firmly attached to him.