Page 93 of Harmony
Finally Jesse speaks. “We know the schedule, Simpson.”
Oh, God. Here we go again. I finally had Jesse in a happy place, and now he’s going to go all alpha on Dave for having the gall to actually sit and have a drink with his youngest sister.
Big brothers are a pain in the ass sometimes. I should know.
Dave moves to Jesse and holds out his hand. “Hey, Jess. I hear the tour has been a huge success so far.”
Jesse takes Dave’s hand, though I can feel his reluctance.
“Yeah,” Jesse snorts out. “Except for the part where our drummer OD’d and we had to replace him.”
“But he’s okay,” Dave, always the jovial optimist, says. “And I hear you got a killer replacement.”
“That your cousin’s paying for.”
Dave ignores that comment, and I give him a subliminal thank-you.
Jesse, Jesse, Jesse… I thought you were lightening up.
Of course, it was the non-lightened Jesse I fell in love with, and nothing has changed. I’ll love him for all time, despite what he thinks may happen.
“I guess congratulations are in order.” Dave stays standing. “Why don’t you two join us?”
It hasn’t escaped my notice that Maddie hasn’t said a word to me.
“Sure,” I say.
Jesse says nothing, but he does hold out a chair for me. Dave finally sits back down after I’m seated. All the Steel men are gentlemen to a fault in a lady’s company—even mothers, sisters, and cousins.
Jesse takes a seat.
“So you two are an item,” Dave says again. “How’d Donny take that news?”
“He doesn’t have a damned thing to say about it,” Jesse says. “He’s marrying my sister.”
“True enough. And Brock’s got Rory. So that just leaves beautiful Maddie here…” He meets Maddie’s gaze and smiles that gorgeous Dave Simpson smile.
Dave is widely considered the best-looking of all the male Steel cousins. He looks exactly like Aunt Marj—dark hair and fine features—but with Uncle Bryce’s sparkling blue eyes.
Again, Jesse goes rigid.
But Maddie…
Maddie’s got this gorgeous smile on her face—a smile I haven’t seen since we were on the plane and she was basking in the pampering of our first-class seats.
Only this time, it’s directed at a person, not a service.
And it’s fuller and more radiant.
Surely she’s not thinking…
Hell. Maybe she is. Both her sisters snagged a Steel. Why shouldn’t she?
Why shouldn’t she indeed?
Perhaps I can help it along.
“So what are the two of you doing?”