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Derek accepted the wine Gray handed him. He’d rather spend the evening with Brooklyn, but for now his older brother and his fiancée would do.
“New girlfriend?” Gray asked, taking a seat across the table from him.
“Yes and no.”
“Too bad you didn’t meet her sooner, maybe she would’ve saved you from Aunt Marilyn and the auction.” His brother chuckled. “Although you managed to save your own ass regardless. I can’t believe Brooklyn went along with your plan. And don’t say you two didn’t arrange what happened at the fundraiser. We both know you put her up to it.”
“Do you blame me?” There was no point in denying his brother’s allegations.
“Not in the least. Courtney told me Tasha believed she had you in the bag. Said she was almost on the stage before Brooklyn made her final bid. Courtney overheard Tasha later. She was beyond furious. She wouldn’t even repeat what Tasha said about Brooklyn.”
He’d expected as much. “She’ll get over it and find someone else.”
Gray raised his wineglass in a toast. “To Tasha finding her next victim.”
“Knock it off, you two,” Kiera said as she placed a platter of beef Wellington down. “She’s not always that bad.”
Gray shot Derek a look as his fiancée walked away. One he understood and agreed with.
“So what’s the new girlfriend’s name?” Gray asked. “Why didn’t you take her to Sara’s wedding?”
“It’s Brooklyn,” Derek answered.
“Seriously. I’ve never met another woman named Brooklyn other than your friend and you’re dating one. What are the odds?”
Kiera entered the room again with a garden salad and sat. “Wow, can you be dense sometimes. He meant his friend Brooklyn.”
“No, he doesn’t, Kiera. Derek looks at Brooklyn Novak sort of like a cousin.” Gray faced him again. “Is that
a good way to describe your relationship with her?”
“It was. But Kiera’s right. We’re together.” Derek helped himself to dinner while his brother processed his statement. “How did you know?” They’d told no one, and except for their short shopping trip, they’d not gone out in public together.
“A picture of you kissing at the Brick Market Place and another of you holding hands coming out of a store popped up on a social media feed. A friend of mine sent it to me when she saw it.”
Hell. Who else had seen it? If Donovan Novak spotted it, he’d be harassing his daughter again.
“Why didn’t you take her to the wedding? Brooklyn’s comfortable with the family. She goes to most of the New Year’s Eve parties,” Kiera asked.
“We weren’t together then. It’s a new development.” Although he’d been a fool not to realize his feelings long before now.
“You and her together?” Gray asked. “Have you thought this one through? Are you sure it’s a good idea?”
“Why, because we were friends first? You two were friends long before you reconnected in January.”
“It’s better you were friends first. Means she already knows you’re an idiot and is willing to look past the fact.” Gray’s teasing smile faded. “Her father doesn’t like you. Or did you forget?”
“I don’t care if he likes me or not.” He did wish he knew why the man disliked him.
“She might,” Gray said.
He’d rather not consider her family getting between them. “It’ll be fine.”
“Whatever you say. So why are you here then and not with her?”
“I surprised her with a visit to the Magnolia Day Spa. She’s there now. I’ll go visit her when she comes home.”
