Page 92 of Arranged To Be Mine

And then they all looked at me like it was just a matter of time before I was family too. I didn’t know how I felt about that.

No, that was wrong. I knew exactly how I felt and it scared the hell out of me.

29

BEAU

Istood in the parlor, a glass of whiskey in my hand, pretending to listen to whatever Callum was saying about some big clients the wedding company had just gotten. Drew was nodding along, adding his own commentary.

I wasn’t hearing a word of it.

My eyes kept drifting to the other side of the room where Darcy sat cross-legged on the floor. She was bouncing Katie on her leg. My niece giggled uncontrollably, her wild curls flying everywhere as Darcy made exaggerated faces at her. Each bounce earned a fresh peal of laughter. Darcy’s face was transformed by the biggest smile I’d ever seen on her.

There was no trace of the ice queen. No hint of the controlled, calculating businesswoman who analyzed everything and kept the world at arm’s length. She looked soft. Open. Happy in a way that had something funny happening inside my chest.

Grant had wandered over too, showing her something on his tablet. She leaned in to look. She asked him questions and listened to his answers. She treated him like his opinions actually mattered.

I remembered being that age and how important it made me feel when adults talked to me. Not the stupid placating stuff but real words.

She was a natural with kids. Who knew?

“Earth to Beau.” Drew’s voice cut through my thoughts. “You still with us?”

I blinked, turning back to my brothers. “Yeah. Sorry. What were you saying?”

Callum followed my gaze to where Darcy was now letting Katie play with her hair. A knowing smirk spread across his face.

“Damn, bro,” he said. “Just give her a ring already.”

I nearly choked on my whiskey. “What?”

“You heard me.” He gestured with his glass toward Darcy. “You’re looking at her like she hung the moon. It’s almost embarrassing.”

“Relax. We’ve barely gotten together.” I shook my head, trying to play it off. “Most of the time I’ve known her, our relationship has been fake. This is all still new. Days new.”

Drew raised an eyebrow. “And? When has that ever stopped a Blackwell?”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Have you learned nothing from watching us?” Callum asked. “When we fall, we fall fast. That’s just how it works in this family.”

“When it’s right, you just know it,” Drew added. “Trust me. I fought it with Kensey for a while, and all that did was waste time I could’ve spent being happy.”

“Yep. Agreed.” Micah watched Grace and it felt like looking in the mirror.

I stared at them both, then looked back at Darcy. Katie had climbed into her lap now. Darcy read something from a picture book that one of the kids had brought over. Her voice was animated, changing for different characters. Katie was completely enraptured.

“Fuck,” I muttered.

Callum and Drew both chuckled, clinking their glasses together.

“Welcome to the club,” Callum said. “It’s a good thing, settling down with the right one. Life gets better. Trust me.”

“Way better,” Drew agreed. “You think you’re happy now? Wait until you have someone to come home to every night. Someone who knows all your bullshit and loves you anyway.”

“And who will give you babies,” Callum said. “That’s when shit gets real.”

“You two just want everyone to settle down like you have,” Jeremy said, joining our circle with a fresh beer. He’d been making the rounds, saying goodbye to various family members before his departure tomorrow. “Settling down. Coming home to someone. Boring as hell.”