Liam, and Alisa said their good-byes and moved on, giving Ryan and Aiden a chance to catch up.
“Where the hell you been hidin’ yourself, boy?” Ryan asked, reaching for a beer from the cooler.
Aiden knew his friend was still the stereotypical playboy, following the ladies and the next party wherever it might lead. “Where’ve I been?” Aiden smirked. “Workin’ my ass off. Can you say the same?”
Ryan rolled his eyes. “Now you’re startin’ to sound like the old man.”
“Hey, my dad mentioned Luc’s finally ready to pack it in. He’s gonna let you and Evan run the show, huh?”
“Uh no, he’s gonna let Evan run the show. I’ll handle the fun stuff. You know, runnin’ with the talent…” He winked. “Makin’ sure they’re happy.”
Aiden chuckled. He knew Ryan had been involved with more than a few of the singers signed to their label, in spite of the fact that his father advised against getting involved with their clients. “Man, it’s nice to know some things never change. You’re still the same wild-ass, skirt-chasin’, beer-guzzlin’ player.”
“Hey, somebody’s gotta keep the ladies happy. My brother’s such a tight ass, he eats, sleeps, and breathes that company. Hell, he never makes time for any fun.”
“Yet he’s the one with a lady warmin’ his bed every night, right?”
“It’s only a matter of time before Erika gets tired of his shit and starts lookin’ for a real man.”
Aiden raised an eyebrow. He knew despite Ryan’s trash talk, he and his brother were always close. “You wouldn’t be volunteerin’ for the job, now would you?”
Ryan raised his hands while his half-empty beer bottle dangled between his fingers. “Me? Hell, no! That’s my brother’s lady, man. You know me better than that. There are some lines even I wouldn’t cross and that sure as hell is one of ’em.”
“Glad to hear it.”
Ryan pointed across the expansive backyard to where Brianna lay next to a guy on a lounger, drinking a glass of wine, talking, and laughing. “What’s your sister doin’ with that loser?”
“I don’t think he’s a loser.” Aiden eyed the guy critically, looking for some sign that he may not be good enough for his baby sister. “I met him earlier. His name’s Jared Ross. They go to law school together.”
“He’ll probably be one of those ambulance chasers. Look at him, with his pressed shirt and dress pants…” Ryan scoffed. “And look at the way he swirls his drink like that. I think he might be playin’ for the other team, if you wanna know the truth.”
Aiden slapped his friend on the back. He’d missed Ryan’s brutal honesty. “I don’t think you have to worry about that. When I met him earlier, he seemed really into Bri.”
Ryan scowled. “I don’t like him. Somethin’ about him doesn’t sit right with me, ya know?”
“Who knows?” He shrugged. “My sister’s a big girl. If he’s not the right guy for her, she’ll figure it out in due time.”
“What the hell happened to the over-protective big brother who used to screen her dates in high school?”
“He grew up.” He smiled. “And so did she. Hell, I know it won’t be long before she’s ready to settle down and have a couple of kids with some dude like that. You know Bri, she’s all about family.”
Ryan brought the beer bottle to his lips as he watched Brianna lean in to kiss her date. “Yeah, I know. I’m just hopin’ she doesn’t rush into anything.”
Chapter Four
Sela slid into the booth across from her life-long best friend, Sharon Delinsky.
“Okay, you look like you’re about ready to have a meltdown,” Sharon said, setting the leather menu aside. “What gives?”
Forcing herself to draw a deep breath, Sela asked, “Have you heard that Aiden’s back in town?”
“Yeah, not that I follow hockey. But James mentioned it.”
Sharon had met her husband, James, right before she ended her relationship with Neil. “He came to see me
“Where the hell you been hidin’ yourself, boy?” Ryan asked, reaching for a beer from the cooler.
Aiden knew his friend was still the stereotypical playboy, following the ladies and the next party wherever it might lead. “Where’ve I been?” Aiden smirked. “Workin’ my ass off. Can you say the same?”
Ryan rolled his eyes. “Now you’re startin’ to sound like the old man.”
“Hey, my dad mentioned Luc’s finally ready to pack it in. He’s gonna let you and Evan run the show, huh?”
“Uh no, he’s gonna let Evan run the show. I’ll handle the fun stuff. You know, runnin’ with the talent…” He winked. “Makin’ sure they’re happy.”
Aiden chuckled. He knew Ryan had been involved with more than a few of the singers signed to their label, in spite of the fact that his father advised against getting involved with their clients. “Man, it’s nice to know some things never change. You’re still the same wild-ass, skirt-chasin’, beer-guzzlin’ player.”
“Hey, somebody’s gotta keep the ladies happy. My brother’s such a tight ass, he eats, sleeps, and breathes that company. Hell, he never makes time for any fun.”
“Yet he’s the one with a lady warmin’ his bed every night, right?”
“It’s only a matter of time before Erika gets tired of his shit and starts lookin’ for a real man.”
Aiden raised an eyebrow. He knew despite Ryan’s trash talk, he and his brother were always close. “You wouldn’t be volunteerin’ for the job, now would you?”
Ryan raised his hands while his half-empty beer bottle dangled between his fingers. “Me? Hell, no! That’s my brother’s lady, man. You know me better than that. There are some lines even I wouldn’t cross and that sure as hell is one of ’em.”
“Glad to hear it.”
Ryan pointed across the expansive backyard to where Brianna lay next to a guy on a lounger, drinking a glass of wine, talking, and laughing. “What’s your sister doin’ with that loser?”
“I don’t think he’s a loser.” Aiden eyed the guy critically, looking for some sign that he may not be good enough for his baby sister. “I met him earlier. His name’s Jared Ross. They go to law school together.”
“He’ll probably be one of those ambulance chasers. Look at him, with his pressed shirt and dress pants…” Ryan scoffed. “And look at the way he swirls his drink like that. I think he might be playin’ for the other team, if you wanna know the truth.”
Aiden slapped his friend on the back. He’d missed Ryan’s brutal honesty. “I don’t think you have to worry about that. When I met him earlier, he seemed really into Bri.”
Ryan scowled. “I don’t like him. Somethin’ about him doesn’t sit right with me, ya know?”
“Who knows?” He shrugged. “My sister’s a big girl. If he’s not the right guy for her, she’ll figure it out in due time.”
“What the hell happened to the over-protective big brother who used to screen her dates in high school?”
“He grew up.” He smiled. “And so did she. Hell, I know it won’t be long before she’s ready to settle down and have a couple of kids with some dude like that. You know Bri, she’s all about family.”
Ryan brought the beer bottle to his lips as he watched Brianna lean in to kiss her date. “Yeah, I know. I’m just hopin’ she doesn’t rush into anything.”
Chapter Four
Sela slid into the booth across from her life-long best friend, Sharon Delinsky.
“Okay, you look like you’re about ready to have a meltdown,” Sharon said, setting the leather menu aside. “What gives?”
Forcing herself to draw a deep breath, Sela asked, “Have you heard that Aiden’s back in town?”
“Yeah, not that I follow hockey. But James mentioned it.”
Sharon had met her husband, James, right before she ended her relationship with Neil. “He came to see me
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