Brothers of Paradise Series

He grins. “Then I won’t.”

We spend the rest of the reception mingling. It’s like the Founders’ Gala all over again, only this time, we don’t leave each other’s side. Henry’s hand is on the small of my back, or at my elbow, grasping my hand, touching at all times. I’m no better. I lean into him when we listen to the violinist play, and I thread my fingers through his as we suffer through anecdote after polite cocktail party anecdote.NôvelDrama.Org content rights.

“It’s time for dinner soon,” he says. “We’re seated at the same table, but I’m not sure if we’re next to each other.”

“I can handle it.” He looks pained, and I laugh. “Can you?”

“I’m not sure. I might have to rearrange the seating chart.”

“Henry, no,” I laugh, and he bends to kiss me again, without regard for anyone who’s watching.

“Fine. I’ll grin and bear it, I suppose.”

The dinner is gorgeous. Hayden and Lily return, both flushed, having taken their wedding pictures. I’m seated at the family table, with Rhys to my right and Jamie to my left. Oddly enough for someone who’s a plus-one, I feel completely at home.

“Thanks for the breakfast this morning,” Rhys tells me. “It was an impressive spread.”

“Oh, you’re welcome. It was nothing.”

“No, it was effort. Plus,” he adds, eyebrows drawing closer together, “Henry would kick my ass if I didn’t give you your dues.”

I laugh. “I doubt that.”

“I don’t.”

“Did you fight a lot growing up?”

“No. Well, yes. But not terribly. Parker and Lily, though, they liked to get into it.”

“Really?” I look over at where Parker is sitting, looking like an angelic Abercrombie model, with his sun-bleached hair and square jaw.

“Oh yes. Close in age and both too stubborn for their own good.”

I think of Henry’s determination, and the fire in Rhys’s eyes. “I’d say you’re all stubborn.”

His lips twitch. “Yes, I suppose we are. It’s a family vice.”

“And a strength.”

He raises his glass to mine. “I didn’t get a chance to tell you, but the way you stood up to Dad the other night at dinner was legendary. You’ll be written about in the history books, immortalized in statues, saved forever for posterity.”

I laugh again. “I was afraid I’d be convicted as a war criminal. Does your dad hate me?”

“Hate you? He loves nothing more than someone who can stand up to him, if that someone isn’t related to him. No, don’t worry about that. And he knows that he’d lose Henry if he ever said a bad word to you about it.”

I look at Henry, sitting further up the table. He looks over, as if sensing my gaze, and smiles. You okay? he mouths.

I wink at him, and his smile grows impossibly wider. He only looks away when he has to-drawn into conversation on his end.

“See?” Rhys says at my side. “No, you have nothing to fear from our father. Henry’s approval is all that matters.”

“He seems difficult, though, or so Henry has told me. Did you also have it out with him growing up?”

It’s meant as an innocent question, but Rhys’s face shutters. “Yes,” he says. “You could say that.”

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to pry.”

“No, I know you didn’t.”

I frown, realizing I know nearly nothing about him. I know about Lily’s art gallery and Parker’s business. But Rhys? What does he do?

I open my mouth to apologize again when someone clinks their spoon to a wineglass. This time it’s Jamie, her maid of honor, and I watch in amazement as Lily cries during her speech. It’s a funny one, too.

“I think she’ll cry seven times tonight,” Rhys tells me in an aside. “Henry wagered five, but I know her best.”

I smile. As an only child, their dynamic is marvelous to observe. “Where do I place my bets?”

“You’d bet against Henry?”

“Of course. He always needs to be knocked down a peg.”

Rhys laughs, and I notice several of his family members turn their heads to observe it. The grin he gives me is a bit wild. “Never leave my brother, please. You make family events so much more amusing.”

I can only smile in response to that.

We’re halfway through dinner when Henry pushes back his chair. The music hushes as he raises his glass, the picture of male elegance in his tux and thick hair.

“I think we can all agree that today has been a magical day,” he says, voices quieting down to listen. “Unfortunately, that will probably end now, because my brothers and I will attempt something that we’ve failed at many times before. Cooperation.”

Scattered laughter rings around the room, and I lean back in my chair, watching Henry perform. He looks down at Lily. “Lily, we all love you so much. I just hope you feel the same about us after we’ve butchered our speech.”

More laughter, and Lily’s eyes glitter as she watches Parker stand as well. To my left, Rhys pushes back his chair.

“We have known you your whole life, Lily. While I’ll admit that not all of us started out thrilled about the idea of having another sibling,” Henry glances meaningfully at Parker, who makes a show of looking contrite, “you quickly completed our family. You kept Parker on his toes and made Rhys experience emotion for the first time. For my sake, I was happy to finally have a student on the sailing boat who actually listened when I gave instructions.”

Lily laughs again, looking up at Henry, and in that moment my heart feels like it’s welling over for him.

Parker clears his throat. “For those of you who don’t know-though I can’t imagine that’s anyone here-Lily is very stubborn. It’s amazing that we made it out of the War of the Chores unscathed.” He regales the crowd with a story about their childhood that makes everyone laugh, about dog walking and bitter sibling rivalry.

Rhys’s voice is cold when he starts. “We’ve known Lily all of her life, but oddly enough we’ve also known Hayden for most of his. I’ll be the first to admit that we had our doubts at times. Being good enough for our little sister isn’t an easy task. I didn’t take it well when I found out.” He raises his glass to Hayden, and then to Lily. “I’d apologize for that, but I’m not actually sorry.”

Parker shakes his head. “But he’s happy now. Aren’t you, Rhys?”

The middle brother makes an elegant half-bow toward the bride and groom. “Ecstatic. It’s an odd thing to see two people you know so well getting married. Hayden, there is no one I’d rather see my sister with. Being your groomsman today was an honor,” he says, sincerity ringing in his voice. Then he clears his throat. “Also, Lily would have killed me if I said no.”

Good-natured laughter erupts from the guests again, and I watch as Hayden ducks his head.

Henry is smiling broadly, catching my eye. This time, he’s the one who winks. “Joining this family can be daunting. We’re a complicated, stubborn, cantankerous bunch, every last one of us.” He glances down at Hayden, reaching out to put a hand on his shoulder. “Thankfully, that means Hayden fit right in.”