He was silent for a moment, brought his beer to his mouth at the same time his gaze stalled on the women inside. “You still love her.”

“Always will.”

Even if I was attracted to Emmersyn, that was all it’d ever be.

Made it easier to remember to keep my hands off her.

I’d already hurt one good woman. I didn’t need the mark on my soul of doing it to another.

“All right. So, I get it, kind of, in a fucked-up kind of way.”

I drained my beer. “Isn’t fucked up right up your alley?”

“It’s why it makes sense. Not like I haven’t done some pretty messed up shit to protect the people I care about.”

“Emmersyn knows the score,” I assured him, because while Dom dealt with all that bullshit he mentioned, he had a protective streak a mile long. And I figured it’d extend to everyone he met, especially a good woman. “We’ve talked about it. She’s been friends with my sister for years. Knows about Ava. She knows I’ll never love her, but I’ll help her.”

His gaze stayed on the women inside, a muscle jumped in his cheek.

“It’s just a year,” I reminded him. “Then we go our separate ways.”

I swear he smirked at me, disbelieving right before he clinked his water bottle to my beer. “If you say so, man.”

Thirteen

Emmersyn

The girlfriends and wives who yanked me into the kitchen, shoved a glass of wine into my hands, and then demanded I explain were some of the most hilarious women I’d ever met in my life.

It took about three minutes for them to get over their surprise, and possibly their doubt.

It took five minutes for me to explain what was going on.

Two minutes for me to explain Kane was only helping me out. This didn’t mean anything, but if they’d help us, we’d appreciate it.

Ten minutes.

And suddenly I was in a kitchen, surrounded by women who could easily become a group of friends I’d love forever if this arrangement wasn’t temporary.

“Okay. I’ll call the girls at the salon. It’s Friday night, so most will have plans, but I can sweet talk them into helping out.” Gabby was already on her phone, texting the stylists at the salon she owned to see who’d help with last-minute hair and makeup after the game.

“We need a location,” someone else said, and I think her name was Sophie, but there were so many in the room, I wasn’t certain.

She was cute, though, with shining, long brown hair, and she’d managed to grab paper and pen from somewhere in Gabby’s kitchen, writing down a list of everything we’d need.

“A park,” someone, I think it was Paige, no… Holly, said. “It’ll be late, dark, so we won’t attract attention and it’ll be better than any wedding chapel. That could make it all seem last minute.”

“Don’t knock last minute chapel weddings,” Gabby said and tossed a chunk of cheese into her mouth. “Best damn thing to ever happen to me.”