One perfect brow lifted in consideration, but then she said, “No we don’t. Jade will throw a fit if we don’t show after she got over the guilt of being away from Michael on his first birthday.”
“We were with him all day. The kid is sleeping like a bear.”
“You know that, and I know that, but a mother who feels guilty doesn’t care. Besides, I’m only going to this stupid event because Max guilted me into it.”
This was true. When Brad told us all about his plans for a Valentine’s Day event at the bar, Jade was torn. The couple’s karaoke contest Brad planned to repeat tonight was the very reason she and Max came together, but it was also her son’s first birthday. Max made sure the kid had a party fit for a prince, and then made sure we all attended Brad’s thing together. We’d both reluctantly agreed to make Jade happy, although we’d rather spend the night much differently.
“Okay, I’ll be good.” I placed one more kiss on the back of her neck, adding, “To be continued.”
Once I lifted the zipper all the way up, she turned to face me, smoothing a hand over the front of my black button-down shirt. “You look very handsome,” she said, planting a hard kiss on my lips. Of course, I took it from zero to sixty in no time, forcing her to break away while shaking her head. “Now you have lipstick all over you, and I need to reapply.”
“I have no regrets.” Truer words have never been spoken… on all counts regarding her.
Starting our fuck-lationship was the best decision I’d ever made.
Life had been a whirlwind since we’d returned from Costa Rica. After we attended the Bid for Love party—where we were stars of the event because, apparently, no other couples paired at the auction had made it—one day melded into the next.
Weeknights were usually spent at her place since I often left for the office well before she woke. Weekends were spent at mine. We made up for lost time by doing the dating thing. Going to movies, having romantic dinners, taking picturesque drives toward the mountains or down to any one of the Jersey beaches… we did all of it.
Christmas was spent with my parents and Brad. For New Year’s, we flew down to Miami to be with Jade and Max. And then we blinked, and it was February.
Things were moving full steam ahead at my firm. Business booming forced Andrew to add three lawyers and four paralegals to his staff. I did the same in the divorce division to help with the influx of new clients that came from the Steiner divorce. I was even considering adding an entertainment law division in the next year or so.
Meanwhile, I set up a pro bono division while still acting as a consultant for the divorce cases I had handed over. Surprisingly enough, no regret came from stepping away from that part of my career.
Amy had her own whirlwind going on with her writing. We both met with Clare, and it went much better than I expected. The two actually clicked and became fast friends. Sphere came through, snatching up Amy’s bestselling series. I made sure all legal negotiations occurred with her best interests at heart. Come next fall, production would begin on the five-season dramady that my girl had created.
Amy finally finished the book that she claimed I had caused her writer’s block on. Being with me ended up influencing the outcome of the story, which she also claimed came dangerously close to becoming a murder mystery instead of a romance. I read it and would be lying if I didn’t admit it was hot as fuck. More importantly, Clare thinks it had movie potential.
Having more time on my hands, I took up reading the rest of her work. I even accompanied her at a book signing in Chicago a few weeks ago, acting as her assistant.
Apparently, the store sold a record number of copies that day, which I attributed to my presence. That was a lie, of course. Amy was a truly talented author, and while sitting beside her at her table, watching in awe as readers gushed over meeting her, I’d never been prouder.
“Okay, let’s get this over with,” Amy said while slipping on a pair of ridiculously sexy heels.
“Yes… then we can get to the good part of this night later.” Every moment was a good part. Even when we fought, and shit could we fight, it was good because makeup sex with her was mind-blowing.
Actually, it was all more than good… it was fucking amazing.
Anxiety for what was to come, and a touch of nerves, had me swiftly dragging her through the mobbed bar in search of Max and Jade. Once I spotted them in the reserved table Brad had set up for us near the stage, those nerves kicked into overdrive.
I barely registered the greetings between us, or any of the conversation as we all took a seat around the small, intimate table. And as minute by minute ticked by, it felt like the temperature inside the packed bar rose to stifling heights.
Until finally my brother stepped onto the makeshift stage and took the microphone. “Welcome to Kismet Karaoke!” The crowd burst into applause, forcing him to wait. “I am very happy to bring back this popular event. Many of you had attended the first one we ran here at Brad’s Tavern a few years ago, and most of the suggestions we receive on our website request it to be a regular thing.” Brad’s gaze landed on our table. “I know my brother, Max, would agree. If it weren’t for being paired up with a perfect stranger that night, and forcing them to sing together, they wouldn’t be married now with a kid and another on the way.”
Our attention sliced to Max and Jade, who both sat grinning. “You’re pregnant?” Amy asked, having to shout over the noise. Meanwhile, Brad kept pumping the crowd, causing our conversation to be a comical shouting match.
Jade nodded, yelling back, “Yep. Due in August.” Shit, those two wasted no time. My nephew was barely one.
“We were going to tell you tonight,” Max added. “But leave it to Brad to steal the moment.”
I lifted my champagne, only then noticing Jade was drinking water. “To a healthy, happy niece or nephew… and to adding more Navarros to our clan. Congratulations.”
We all tapped glasses, and Max mouthed a thank-you before kissing his wife’s cheek.
“Okay, I know all you horny people are anxious to get started on possibly meeting your person,” Brad’s voice boomed around us. “But there’s one more thing to do first.” His eyes caught mine, and when he nodded, my heart pounded in my ears.
When I had asked for his help to pull this off, the fucker reminded me he’d called it months ago. The night he’d found out about Amy and me, he’d shamelessly asked how he was going to avoid imagining Amy naked if we got married. Back then I scoffed. Now I was quick to enlighten him that if he so much as whispered that concern ever again, they’d never find his body.
Amy caught the interaction between us and shouted in my ear, “What is about to happen? I’m not singing, Nate.”
Before I could lose my nerve, I pecked her cheek, winked, and made my way onto the stage.
“Hey, everyone. If you don’t know, or are too drunk to tell, I’m Brad’s other brother.” Laughter filtering toward me did nothing to calm my nerves. “I used to make fun of Brad for all these cockamamie events he held under the ruse of finding love… but not anymore.” My eyes landed on my girl. “Amy Delton, can you come up here?” When she shook her head, panic lacing her expression, I insisted. “Please?”