Bri looked everyone over, his big sister curious as ever.
“Hi, ladies,” Jaxon said. “You’re looking good, Macy. White enhances your tan. Hot.” He’d perked up at the sight of her.
Damon raised his eyebrows at Evie, who merely shrugged. Obviously she didn’t know any more about Jaxon and Macy than he did. Then again, his brother could just be acting like his normal flirtatious self, which all the Prescott men did or had done in their single days.
“Thanks, Jaxon.” Macy didn’t even blush at the compliment.
Damon figured she had his brother and his behavior pegged and didn’t take him seriously. Good. He’d hate to see Jaxon hurt his sister’s friend. Not that Jaxon would do anything deliberately, but he was a player. A good man but one who liked women. Plural.
“So, what were you three whispering about?” Bri finally asked.
“Just asking Jaxon what he’s been doing,” Damon said.
“You mean who he’s been doing,” Bri said, a knowing smile on her lips and loud enough for them all to hear. “Come on, Macy. Let me introduce you to a few people from work. I think you’ll like Adam Martsoff.” She steered her friend away from Damon, Evie, and Jaxon.
“Something I said?” Jaxon asked.
Damon shook his head. “Just protecting her friend from your charms, bro.” Though Damon still hoped the right woman would straighten out his brother’s ass one day.
In the meantime, Damon would celebrate the fact that he’d found the woman of his dreams. The rest of the party passed with Damon and Evie accepting congratulations from their families and, at the end, saying goodbye to each grouping one by one.
Finally, they came to the last couple except for Damon’s family and a few friends who had remained behind.
Ian and his wife, Riley, walked over.
“Congratulations!” Riley, a bubbly brunette with curly brown hair pulled first Evie, then Damon into a hug.
“I wish you all the best,” Ian said. “And if your life is anything like mine, you’ll be one happy man.”
Riley laughed. “He’s happy because all the kids are home with a babysitter. He’s got time to breathe. Then he’ll go home and let them hang all over him and love every minute of it.”
“I’m happy for you as well,” Damon said. From what he understood of his boss and cousin, Ian Dare had become the man of the house when his father revealed he had another family, and as a result, Ian hadn’t believed in love. Then he’d met Riley and become a changed man.
Damon understood. Evie had altered him in every way.
From across the room, they heard yelling, and everyone turned to see what was going on. “We’re going to get going and let you deal with that,” Ian said, gesturing to where Jaxon and Bri were in a heated discussion that had grown loud enough to cause people to look their way.
“Thanks for coming.” Damon shook Ian’s hand.
Then he and Evie headed toward the commotion. “What’s wrong?” he asked.
“Ask Jaxon.” Bri folded her arms across her chest and glared at their brother.
Macy, who hadn’t left, stood beside Bri and watched in obvious shock and wonder.
Jaxon flushed a healthy shade of red. As Damon glanced around, he saw his mother looking concerned, Edward comforting her, Austin obviously gritting his teeth while Quinn, baby in her arms, tried to talk him down.
Damon turned to Evie. “Let me talk to him.” He gestured to Jaxon.
She nodded and headed to Damon’s mother, no doubt to help soothe her.
“Come on, let’s go have a talk,” Damon said to his sibling.
Bri shook her head. “You’re not leaving me out of this. I’m his publicist and he’s damn well going to need one.”
“Why?” Damon asked, feeling protective of Jaxon.
Jaxon opened his mouth to explain, when Bri chimed in first. “You know that chick he met at Allstars last night?” she asked, using air quotes.
“Yes?” Damon asked warily.
“It turns out she’s his general manager’s daughter, home from college for a long weekend.”
Damon’s eyes opened wide. “Dude!” Even he was surprised at his brother’s behavior.
“She’s twenty-one and legal!”
“That doesn’t make Brett Majors any happier with you,” Austin said, coming up beside them. “Someone caught you two on a cell phone video grinding away while making out in the back hall of Allstars. And despite the fact that the owner demands discretion and privacy, the person leaked the video.”
Macy gasped, caught herself, blushed, and took a step back. If she held any interest in Jaxon, this ought to douse her attraction, Damon thought.
“And to say the video has gone viral is an understatement.” Bri glared at Jaxon, whose behavior had finally caught up with him.
He rubbed the back of his neck, his stress obvious.
Damon, who had just been in the basement with his own team, albeit through no fault of his own, knew what kind of trouble Jaxon was in and felt for him, putting a hand on his brother’s shoulder.