She winked at me, and I was thankful Kane had filled me in on most of his team’s recent drama.

“This isn’t that,” I reminded her and then the rest of them with a look.

Holly nodded. “I know, but if you want to fool people and really piss off that ex of yours, you’ll need to make it look special.”

“Houghton Park,” someone blurted.

Oh, the irony. They had to be kidding. “Houghton?” I asked and felt a pink heat growing on my cheeks.

“Yeah.” Paige. This was Paige, and I knew that because she had a very young toddler on her hip. “It’s a super cool park, and it has a stage and covered shelter. That could be kind of cool. It’s also close to the arena, but it won’t be crowded with fans or anything. We could get there easily after the game.”

“My last name is Houghton.”

Gabby chuckled. “Perfect. Emmersyn Houghton being married in Houghton Park.”

“Okay.” Paige clapped her hands together and pointed to Sophie. “Write that one down. We’ll see if we can use it, but it’s public, so I don’t know why not, but maybe check for permits or whatever else we’ll need.”

“I’ll be in charge of decorations and flowers,” Holly said and she must have seen the overwhelmed look on my face because she leaned over the counter and filled my wineglass. “Maybe you should just keep drinking. We’re a lot. I get it, but you get used to it.”

“This is all really sweet of you.”

“We’re family.” A slender but warm arm wrapped around my waist and Lizzie hugged me to her side. Her son, Archer, reached out and tugged on my braid. “Even if it’s fake or temporary or whatever. But for now, we’re all yours.”

Emotion burned my eyes as I scanned the kitchen. These women were something else. They’d wrapped me in acceptance and slathered me with help as soon as they heard Kane’s outlandish claim we were engaged.

Took a beat and kept on moving, instantly jumping into plan.

It was wild.

“Okay. What else do we need?” Lizzie asked. She squeezed my hip and stepped away, smiling softly like she’d read my train of thoughts.

Sophie tapped her pen to her lips. “Dresses. A maid of honor? A band or DJ could be cool if we held the reception out there, but maybe that should be someplace private. Eventually the ceremony will grab attention.”

She was right. I wouldn’t want pictures posted or shared without my control of the timing.

“What about here?” Gabby swung out her arm and gestured to the outdoor patio. A large portico shaded one area, but it was a vast space with an outdoor kitchen, another seating area off the far right of the pool. To the left was the pool house, but there were already solar lights draped over and across the backyard and I imagined a dance floor over by the pool house. An open bar. The sun long since set and dancing away and sipping champagne long into the night with Kane on my arm…