“It’s my fault,” I butt in. “I was adamant we go right away. You know how I can be.”
My brother looks at me. His face is intentionally unreadable. That makes me nervous.
“Yeah. I do,” Jobe says finally.
“So be easy on Holden, okay?” I ask pointedly. “I texted you before, and you said—”
“I know what I said.” Jobe takes a long pull of his beer. He looks Holden up and down. “And I stand by it. This might be good for you.”
My body sags against Holden.
“But you be warned,” Jobe says, pointing at him from around his bottle. “If you make her cry, I’ll make you cry harder. Got it?”
“Jobe!” I exclaim.
“Oh my gosh, Jobe. Stop it,” Liv warns.
“No, Liv, it’s fine,” Holden says. “Jobe is doing what any man should do. He’s defending his family. There’s not a damn thing I can say about that. He’s right.”
A touch of surprise flickers on Jobe’s face. He obviously wasn’t expecting that. Neither was I.
Liv wasn’t prepared, either, because she swoons. “That’s the sexiest thing I’ve ever heard.”
I blow out a breath. Watching Holden’s confidence and class makes my knees a little weak.
He stands tall next to me.
“Glad we’re on the same page,” Jobe says. He studies Holden for a long couple of seconds before a slow grin settles on his face. He claps a hand over Holden’s shoulder. “Maybe we can grab a beer one of these days and talk baseball.”
“I’d like that,” Holden says.
Debbie comes up and starts chatting with Liv. I stand between the two men in my life and wait for the next volley.
Jobe’s tongue sticks in the side of his cheek. His mouth opens like he’s going to say something, but his gaze lands somewhere behind me.
“I’m gonna . . . go do something that’s not this,” he says. “See you both later.”
“Goodbye,” Holden says.
And, with that, Jobe disappears into the crowd. Before I can get recalibrated, Debbie is standing in front of me.
“I knew it,” she exclaims. “I knew there was something between you two. Waitresses just know. We watch people all day. It’s our specialty. I just . . . I knew it.”
“Did you?” I ask before looking up at Holden.
He bites his bottom lip, clearly entertained by Debbie’s incorrect observation. I wrinkle my nose at him.
“I knew it too,” Liv says. “From the moment this guy walked in—no, before that. As soon as Sophie said she saw the hot vet—”
“Liv, please,” I beg. “Just . . . stop.”
“What? You said it. Not me. Besides, you married him, so what’s wrong with me pointing out that there were fireworks all along?”
“Oh, please.”
Holden’s fingers strum against my side, redirecting my attention back to him. It takes all I can do to stay still and not lean into his touch. I can’t do that—not even a little. Not only will it make him think I like it, but it will only encourage my sister’s antics.
“Yeah, what’s wrong with someone saying how hot you found me from the beginning?” Holden’s body shakes as he chuckles. “I love hearing how you’re smitten with me, sugar.”
I fire a warning glance up at him. It only makes him chuckle harder.
“You know what?” I ask, stepping free of his grip. “I need a drink. Excuse me.”
I mosey through the townspeople congregated in my backyard. I’m stopped and congratulated, my ring examined over and over. By the time I get to Dottie, all I want to do is scamper inside and run a bath.
Alone.
“Well, look at you,” Dottie says smugly. “A married woman now. Who would’ve thought?”
“Don’t start with me. Please.”
She crosses her arms over her chest and leans against the dessert table. “Start with you? Honey, I’m just congratulating you on your wedding. How exciting.”
I quirk a brow. We both know she’s not just congratulating me on my wedding—she’s pressing for information. She smells something in the air like the hound dogs brought into the clinic. I have half a notion to point out the similarities but stop myself short.
She must sense how tired I am, because she sighs. Wrapping one arm around my shoulders, she pulls me into a half hug.
“I hope this is okay with you,” she says. “When we put out the call to come over and celebrate, we asked everyone to bring a quick dish. It is a weeknight, after all. We weren’t sure when you guys were coming, so we’ve been here for a while, eating and drinking. Left you some food, though. Didn’t want you to be without energy for later.” She winks.
“Wait a minute. You were a part of organizing this thing?” I ask.
She nods. “I called Liv to see what was going on because Holden is a terrible liar. She told me you two were eloping. We couldn’t let that go without a party. Although if you’d have thought it through, you might have done it on a weekend so we could really have a shindig.”