Priceless (Forbidden Men 8)

“I am.”

With a nod, his expression softened into a proud smile. “Then I’m happy for you.”

BRANDT

So being cock-blocked by big brother sucked ass, but I liked everything being out in the open now. I liked being certain that Sarah and I were together. Because the entire week before that had scared the bejesus out of me.

I’d left her place Monday morning, feeling better than I’d ever felt, happier, more secure, just...yeah. Life had been perfect...until I’d realized she was avoiding me. And then everything slid downhill from there.

But after last night...last night when I’d finally been able to confront her and set some hard limits between us, I felt better again.

I announced to my family that Sarah and I were together on Saturday morning, and I expected a lot bigger of a response than I got.

“Well, of course you are, dear,” Aspen said, patting my hand with an indulgent smile.

Noel frowned and shook his head. “I’m confused. You’re saying you two weren’t together before?”

I sighed and ground my teeth. “Well, it’s official now. And exclusive,” I felt the need to add since Mason had brought it up.

“And it’s about damn time,” Colton spoke up, meeting my gaze with some reservation. “I’m happy for you.”

Glancing away, I nodded. “Yeah.”

Honestly, it was strange to look any of them in the eye these days. Things had become weird. They treated me as if I was...breakable. I hated that they knew now, and yet these days I was more certain than ever that they loved me no matter what. I just wished we could all relax around each other again. Nothing had gotten stilted and weird between Sarah and me because of it; why did it have to with my family?

I guess that was why Sarah was so important to me.

Even though I wished I could’ve taken her on that second date Saturday evening, I had to work again.

It was karaoke night at Forbidden. Bleh.

But I got to work it with Knox and some other dude who halfway picked up after himself. I was glad I didn’t have to work with Julianna.

She’d stopped asking me about making up our date, so I was pretty sure she’d gotten the hint that it was never going to happen. But a part of me still tensed around her,

worried she’d ask again and we’d have to have that talk. Those talks sucked ass, so I usually tried to play our drink-mixing game with her when we worked together to distract her from going there.

I know, I was a fucking coward. But I did like her, which was why I wanted to avoid telling her I didn’t like her in that way.

Happy I didn’t have to worry about any of that tonight, I served a couple college girls I swore I had a class with some margaritas. As they were paying, some guy called my name. I glanced up to find Asher carrying his wife Remy piggyback toward the bar.

“Brandt! How’s it going, man?”

I grinned at the couple as Asher slid Remy off his back to let her sit on a barstool. “Hey, guys. What’re you doing here tonight?”

“My lady felt like singing, so we’re going to get in on a little karaoke action.” Asher looped an arm around Remy’s neck so he could kiss her cheek.

She kissed his cheek right back before offering me a fist bump. “Hey, Bo Bo. Hope your ears are ready for us to sing the house down.”

I shook my head as I knocked my knuckles against hers. “You two crack me up. You’re freaking rock stars and you still come here to sing karaoke? Man...you could charge for that shit, you know?”

Grinning, Asher merely shook his head. “Nah. We’re just having fun. Besides—” He glanced at Remy and shared a meaningful gaze with her. “It’s kind of our thing.”

Damn it. Watching them do that made me miss Sarah.

“Well, hog as much mike time as you can,” I ordered. “So I don’t have to listen to any sucky tone-deaf amateur drunks.”

“We’ll see what we can do.”