“The good fortune is all mine.” Eyes as green as an Ozark pine held such sincerity, I had to remind myself it was all for show. “Mrs. Hayes, what are your plans after this?” His hand reached for mine again, interlacing the fingers I used to imagine wrapped around his neck. “Would you like to take a late lunch, share a taco platter, and make out until the other diners complain?”
A memory of last night’s kiss flashed before my eyes once again, and I blinked it away. “Tempting as those tacos sound, I’m going to have to pass. I have a meeting at Flair in an hour. Celeste is trying to get more interviews for you during your movie premiere week.” I tried to tug my hand loose from Lachlan’s, but he was now sliding his thumb back and forth against my palm. I meant to shoot him the same cease and desist look I gave Celeste’s kids when they traded punches in the backseat, but found I couldn’t recall how.
“Great,” Lachlan said. “Can’t wait.”
“Is that sarcasm?” Rosie asked. “Sounds like sarcasm.”
“We’ve taken care of Lachlan’s exterior image.” It really was a struggle to focus on shop talk while Lachlan pressed a kiss to the back of my hand. “But we’ve yet to...start the media training. Once we do, he’ll have a totally different attitude.”
“I’m more comfortable being the guy behind the computer,” Lachlan said. He dropped my hand, and I’d no more had time to examine the oddly bereft feeling than he curved his warm arm around me and tucked me into his side. His fingers found the ends of my hair, sending tingling sensations straight to my head.
Rosie looked between Lachlan and me, taking in every movement, every touch. “Lachlan, will any of your family be joining you for the premiere? I bet they’re so proud.”
Lachlan stiffened. Nothing dramatic, just the slightest pause of his body for the span of his deep inhale. Had he not been partially wrapped around me like an adoring husband, I wouldn’t have even noticed.
“No, my family won’t be joining me,” he said. “Just Olivia. And my CFO and his wife.”
“My sister hasn’t really told us much about your family.” Rosie had zero gift for subtlety, nor really any care to pursue it. “Do you have siblings? Some parents back in California?”
“No.” Lachlan’s big hand left its exploration of my hair and now settled at the back of my neck, lightly kneading a knot with just enough pressure to push a contented sigh from my lips.
“No to all of the above?” Rosie asked.
“My father splits his time between Houston and New York, as do two older half-brothers.” His smile looked convincing to the casual observer, but a fake wife knew. “We’re not close.”
Something about Lachlan’s clipped tone caught me right in the squishiest part of my heart, and before I could remind myself the former wild child didn’t need my sympathies, I wrapped my arm around his waist and leaned in.
“I’ve made my own family over the years, and”—Lachlan’s eyes found mine—“it’s always been enough.”
“And now you have us.” Rosie beamed.
Lachlan’s smile dimmed ever so slightly as he consulted the time on his watch. “I should be going.”
“Me too.” I slipped from his hold and hugged Rosie once more. “I love you, and I’m so proud of you.”
“Thank you.” She dashed away a few tears and sniffled. “Chase would love this, wouldn’t he?”
“He’d have adored it. And adored you living your dream.”
More tears slipped down Rosie’s cheeks. “Yeah. I think so too. Darn it, I told myself I wouldn’t cry today.” She extended an arm toward Lachlan. “Bring it in, brother-in-law. You know you want to. Come on.”
“I thought you’d never ask.” Then he held us both like he was already a Sutton. “I’m proud, too, Rosie.” Lachlan kissed Rosie on the top of her head and sent me a steadfast wink. “So, correct me if I’m wrong, but does this end in butt pats?”
Rosie laughed and swiped at her damp cheeks. “I’ll leave that to you two. I see Mrs. Browning three aisles over. She’s gonna need help finding historical romance. She likes the stuff that’s spicy but has a cover that says otherwise.” Rosie blew kisses to me and Lachlan as she backed away. “Love you both!”
“Love you too!” I called, then turned back to Lachlan. He watched Rosie walk away, and the look on his face could only be described as cautiously hopeful. Like a kid who’d found a bike beneath the Christian tree and prayed Santa hadn’t meant it for an older sibling.
“Are you okay?” I asked. “My family can be a lot.”
Then his gaze pulled back to mine, and he found his devil-may-care smile again. “We might have to add Rosie to the custody agreement.”
“You can’t afford her book buying habits.”
“Your family is so nice.” Lachlan reached out and slid a finger down my jawline. “What happened to you?”
I grinned and captured his wayward hand. “I got married.”
“You did, didn’t you?” His smile was the best going attraction in the shop, a mix of sexy and soft, with just enough lift of the lips to stir something in my wayward imagination. “See you at home tonight?” Lachlan asked this as if the answer mattered.
