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I try my hardest to suppress a smile, but she clearly notices the way the edges of my lips twitch, because her expression turns stormy. She’s surprisingly adorable. Zane mentions her every once in a while, and I wondered why he adored her so much. I can see why now.
“My brother and parents caught Zane and me having sex in my kitchen.”
Raven slaps a hand over her mouth in an attempt to stifle her startled laughter, and Sierra looks positively horrified. “Oh,” she says, her eyes widening. “Oh.”
I shrug, unsure what else to say. “Honestly, Zane barely got his boxers on in time before my brother walked in. I’m pretty sure you can imagine what happened next.”
Raven begins to laugh in earnest now and hooks her arm through mine. “You’re going to buy me a drink since I can’t buy one myself, and then you’re going to tell me all about this,” she says, pulling me along. “I’m going to tease Zane about thisforever, but I’ll need all the details first.”
Sierra trails behind us, her expression unreadable now. She’s quiet all the way to the rooftop bar Raven insists on going to, despite it barely being noon. It’s clear Sierra’s mind is whirling — Zane gets like that sometimes, when he’s thinking about a new project.
Raven places our order seconds after we’re seated, taking the liberty to choose our cocktails for us. All the while, Sierra just studies me, and I let her. If she’s anything like her brother, she’s thinking about the words she’ll choose.
“How long has this been going on?” she asks, eventually. “And what exactlyisgoing on?”
I smile at her, uncertain what to say. “Shouldn’t you be asking your brother that?”
“I did. He just smiled and ignored my question.”
“Then it’s probably none of your business.”
She leans in, a wicked grin on her face. “Is that so? Perhaps I should just ask my grandmother then. I’m sure she could find out in a matter of minutes.”
My eyes widen a fraction, and I can’t help but admire her guts. She’s threatening me. That’s… oddly cute. I place my elbow on the table and rest my chin on my fist as I study her. She tries to hide it, but this isn’t mere curiosity. She’s genuinely worried about her brother.
“I’m madly in love with Zane, and we’ve been in a formal relationship for a little over seven months.”
Raven knocks her shoulder into Sierra’s and shoots her a look. “I told you it was serious. Zane asked me to design a pair of shoes for a girl last year. She’s wearing them right now.”
“Celeste,” Sierra says, her expression pained. “What are you both thinking? You’re a Harrison.”
“I know,” I murmur, my expression falling. “I know.”
Sierra grabs her cocktail and knocks it back before reaching for mine and immediately emptying my glass too. “Well, you’re going to have to win my grandmother over, and you’ll need our help.”
I smile at her conspiratorially. “I was hoping you’d say that.”
ChapterTwenty-Five
Zane
I’m not even sure how long I’ve been hovering by the reception desk when Celeste and her grandfather finally walk in. I’m determined to leave a good impression on him this weekend, but I’m not entirely certain how to pull that off when I spent years getting on his nerves.
Normally, the fact that this conference is being hosted in a Windsor hotel would’ve worked in my favor, but not today. I straighten my tie nervously and take a deep breath before walking in their direction.
Celeste’s eyes meet mine from across the lobby, and the edges of her lips tip up into a secretive smile — one that’s all for me. It’s the encouragement I needed.
We’ve spoken about this, how we’d both try to leave good impressions on each other’s grandparents in an attempt to warm them up to the idea of us. In practice, though, it’s fucking nerve-racking.
I’m only a few steps away when a familiar man steps in front of them, a wide smile on his face. “Celeste, Ed!”
I watch as Ed Harrison’s normally stoic expression turns friendly. “Clifton Emerson,” he says, smiling jovially. I grit my teeth as the two men embrace, and Celeste shoots me a look I can’t quite decipher. Is it concern? Frustration? There’s something more to it, and it doesn’t sit well with me.
My entire body tenses when Clifton fucking Emerson wraps his arms around my girlfriend and pulls her into a tight hug. Thankfully, Celeste keeps it brief and steps back quickly, her demeanor professional. I haven’t forgotten how her mother set the two of them up, and Clifton clearly hasn’t either, judging by the way his eyes roam over my goddess’s body.
“Welcome,” I snap. “To The Grand Windsor Hotel, one of our oldest and most prestigious establishments.”
Why the fuck did I just say that? I sound like some kind of fucking tour guide, or worse, like I’mbragging. Clifton just stares at me while Ed sighs, annoyance rolling off him in waves.
