She refused to let her eyes drift back to Cal and give in to the urge to drink him in. Clearly, their hours together on his plane had been a mistake, but hopefully not big enough to cause permanent damage to their careers, their friendship, or their hearts. Anything more between them, however, would surely turn their mistake into a catastrophe. There was no way she could allow that. As soon as she said her congratulations to the happy couple, and there was a chance to sneak away from the festivities without anyone noticing, she would pull Cal aside and put everything to rest. They could then move forward without any of this lingering weirdness.
The minister announced, “I give you Mr. and Mrs. Collins!”
As everyone cheered, Paige and Evan kissed again. Then Paige turned to the room and her whole family. “We have one more announcement. It’s been terribly hard to keep this secret, but we wanted it to be a huge surprise for everyone.”
A smile lit up Evan’s face like fireworks at the seventy-fifth anniversary of the Golden Gate Bridge. And he took over the announcement. “We’re having twins!”
The Mavericks all rushed forward, surrounding Paige and Evan, the brothers clapping him on the back and kissing her on the cheek. Lyssa’s mother hugged Paige. “I’m so happy.”
Theresa Collins came next. “You did such a great job of keeping it all so secret—the wedding, the twins.”
The brothers stepped back for their mom to throw her arms around Evan. She whispered something that made his hug even tighter. Then his mother, Theresa, hugged him tearfully.
When it was Lyssa’s turn, she told Paige, “I’m so glad you’re my sister now. Thank you for making Evan so happy.”
“You’re the best sister I could ever wish for.”
When she hugged Evan, she teased, “I’m glad you finally got it right.”
“I sure did,” he said, looking happier than she’d ever seen him.
When she stepped away to let the others say their congratulations, Kelsey grinned at Lyssa. “Now we’re truly sisters.”
“We’ve been sisters of the heart all along,” Lyssa said. “But I’m so glad it’s official.”
The waitstaff moved through the party, handing out champagne. And when everyone had a glass, Lyssa’s dad raised his. “To the happy couple. May your love last for all eternity and your joy in each other be boundless.”
They all shouted “huzzah” to the toast and drank.
“To forever and a day,” came from Gideon, surprising since he was such a quiet guy. But he had eyes only for Rosie as he made the toast. Same with her brothers and their beautiful ladies. After that, everyone mingled, telling one another how surprised they were, how heartfelt the vows had been, how beautiful Paige was, how excited they were to welcome twins into the family.
“He’s your brother,” Lyssa said to Kelsey. “Did you really not have a single clue about any of this?”
Kelsey shook her head. “The only one he told about the wedding was Tony, and that was half an hour before it all went down.”
“Frankly, I’m amazed they were able to keep it on the down low.” Rosie smiled, tucking an errant dark curl behind her ear. “I would have been blurting it out to everyone!”
Jorge and Noah raced around the room with Gideon chasing after them, making sure they didn’t knock too many things over.
“She was the most beautiful bride ever,” Ari said.
Lyssa grinned at her friend. “I know another beautiful bride.”
“Yes, but I didn’t have the baby bump,” Ari said. “That made all the difference.”
Every one of them—Lyssa, Rosie, Chi, and Kelsey—stared at Ari. Until Lyssa asked, “Are you?”
“We’re certainly trying.” Ari beamed.
Lyssa’s friend adored Noah. Though he was her stepson, she loved him as though he were her own flesh and blood. She wanted a huge brood, though. She was even a kindergarten teacher—that’s how much she loved kids.
“I hope it happens soon,” Kelsey said. “So, Lyssa, fill us in on the new job at the foundation. Especially about Dane Harrington. I’ve never met him, of course, but I heard he’s gorgeous and that you’ve been spending a lot of time with him putting together a big gala.”
“Dane bought the painting,” she said with a smile, “and he wants to help the foundation in any way he can. He’s been spearheading the whole gala and is hosting it at his resort in the wine country.”
“Any sparks between you that you care to mention?” Ari said, giving an eyebrow waggle that made them all laugh.
Lyssa shook her head. “It’s nothing like that. He’s just a business associate who has also become a friend during the time we’ve worked together.”
“Is that too much denial?” Chi asked, winking. She wore her straight black hair in a delicate chignon.
“I’d tell you if there was something going on between us,” Lyssa promised, though there were plenty of things she hadn’t told them when it came to another handsome, wealthy man she worked with. “But I swear there isn’t.”
Kelsey nudged her, keeping her voice low. “Okay then, what’s it like working for Mr. Danniger?”
Chi’s expression held a wicked glint. “At the last Maverick wedding, I believe you said something about wanting to write your name all over him in lipstick?”
Of course, Cal chose that moment to glance at the posse of girls, who were looking at him. Lyssa prayed he wouldn’t think she’d told her friends about their one-flight stand. She wanted to close her eyes and groan. But that would only add fuel to the kindling.
Instead, in the calmest of voices, she said, “He’s my boss. I don’t even wear lipstick around him. Besides,” she said with an airy wave of her hand, “I only said that to get Daniel’s goat. You know how he’s always been so overprotective.”
“He’s a Maverick,” Ari said with a knowing smile. “They’re like a pack guarding their den.”
Ari was married to a big, overprotective Maverick, especially where Noah and she were concerned. But Lyssa was the one who’d been told in no uncertain terms that a certain man was off-limits.
Kelsey wasn’t letting up. “What if he wasn’t your boss?”
“Well, since I hope to continue working at the foundation for a very long time, it’s not something I’ve ever really thought about.”
She couldn’t stand lying to her friends—it felt like chewing on nails—but she could never come clean with them about London, or the trip home. She had no choice but to get through their line of questioning and hope they didn’t ask about Cal ever again.
* * *
Cal had to get on the first available ferry off the island after the Thanksgiving dinner. There was no way he could keep his head straight around Lyssa for even one minute past the pumpkin pie.
She had looked at him, and he was a goner.
One glance at her lips, and he remembered how good she tasted.
One whiff of her perfume, and he remembered how sweet she smelled.
And if he kept gazing at her as if he wanted to devour her, there was no way the guys would miss it.
Luckily, he was seated far enough from Lyssa that he couldn’t see her, couldn’t drool over her. Next to him, Theresa Collins was ecstatic about the wedding and the twins. She chattered away happily without expecting a reply. The turkey and all the trimmings were surely delicious, but could have been straw in his mouth for all he enjoyed them.