Rush

Until recently, I thought that too.

Keeping those words to myself, I drop my head and stay silent.

I hear movement on his end and what sounds like a door shutting.

“I feel like I’m the luckiest guy in the world,” he goes on, his voice lowered. “She thinks we’re on a trip for my birthday, but I planned her dream wedding. She has always wanted to get married in a castle in Ireland, so I’m doing that for her. It’s just the two of us, but I’m going to throw the party to end all parties back in New York when things settle.”

I cross my legs at the ankle. “She doesn’t know that she’s getting married?”

“She has no fucking clue.” He exhales. “She pinned her dream dress to a board on Pinterest, so I tracked that down in her size. I arranged for a bouquet of her favorite flowers. I booked the castle. Ordered a three-tier chocolate cake and a string quartet. I did it all to surprise her.”

If his bride-to-be doesn’t even know she’s getting married, how can I be angry with him for not telling me?

This might be the most romantic thing I’ve ever heard.

“Her name is Jane, Em.” There’s an unmistakable crack in his voice when he says her name. “You’re going to love her.”

If he does, I know I will.

I’m gaining another sister.

“Can I count on you to keep this between us?” he asks hopefully. “I want to tell mom and dad once I’m a married man, so give me a few days.”

His birthday is in a few days. “Are you getting married on your birthday?”

“That’s the plan.” He chuckles. “I can’t think of a better birthday gift than a lifetime with Jane.”

“I won’t say a thing to mom or dad or Whitney ,” I stress our sister’s name. “You should at least text her, so she knows you’re alive, Drake.”

“I’ll do that first thing in the morning.” He takes an audible breath. “I feel like shit knowing you’re in the city without me there. I swear I’ll make it up to you soon. I promise.”

Drake has never broken a promise to me, but he doesn’t owe me a thing. I’m the one who showed up in New York without warning. “Please don’t feel badly.”

“I need to end this now, Em. If Jane wakes up, she’ll come looking for me.”

As much as I want to keep him on the line, I know I can’t. “I’m glad we got to talk, Drake.”

“Me too, Em. I love you.”

“I love you too,” I whisper before he ends the call.

Chapter 10

Case

After having dinner with Gavin, I planned on taking a shower and heading to bed.

That didn’t happen.

I’m sitting on a stool at the bar in Durie’s, watching a guy in a green sweater hit on Emma Owens.

After catching a glimpse of her through the window on my way home, I stepped inside.

That’s when the blond guy made his move.

He sat down at her table with a martini in one hand and a bottle of beer in the other.

She smiled at him. He took it as an invitation, and they’ve been talking for the past twenty minutes. I’ve spent the bulk of that time reading over the text message exchange I had with Drake earlier.

He wants me to keep Emma in New York until he lands back at LaGuardia. I don’t know the woman’s schedule or when she’s planning on flying back to Seattle, but he made it clear that he wants her here when he steps back on American soil as a married man.

I’ll relay the message, but ultimately she’ll make that decision on her own.

I have no intention of sticking around Manhattan that long. I want out as soon as possible.

“Can I get you another soda water?”

I glance at the server who brought the glass in front of me. The last time I sat at this bar for a drink, everyone who worked here was an army vet. I used to drop in a few times a week when the awning out front displayed the name Eager Pour. Back then, the owner was willing to listen to my bullshit before she’d cut me off after my second drink and send me home.

“I’m good,” I answer curtly.

“You’re Case, right?” She leans her elbow on the bar next to me. “Drake has told me so much about you that I feel like I already know you.”

I can tell when a woman is flirting, but that’s not what’s happening here.

I recognized her name when she first introduced herself after I walked in tonight. She has to be the same Kendall who had a one-night stand with my best friend last summer.

I huff out a laugh. “Did he?”

“He showed me a picture of the two of you from your college days.” She lets out a soft giggle. “You haven’t changed as much as he has.”