“Oh, you have to come!” Meg agrees.
Nic blushes and bites her lip. “I think I can get coverage for the day.”
“Excellent.” I kiss her cheek and glance up to find Will staring at me with raised eyebrows.
“Would you be willing to bring some cupcakes?” Sam asks excitedly.
“Sure.” Nic shrugs. “I’ve been thinking about coming up with some new flavors, too. Maybe I can do something brand new, just for her.”
“That would be awesome,” Meg exclaims. “She’s a photographer. Can you decorate them fun and stuff?”
“Absolutely.” Nic nods enthusiastically. “I already have some ideas.”
“Great, I’ll let Luke know that we have the cake covered.” Sam pulls her phone out of her bra and quickly taps out a text message.
“You don’t have to do that,” I assure Nic, frowning at Meg and Sam. “I want you to take the day off and enjoy yourself. You don’t have to work.”
“Oh! No, really,” Meg agrees. “I don’t want you to work either. I just know that they’ll be delicious.”
“It’s fine,” Nic assures Meg and looks up at me. “I don’t mind at all. It’s fun.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.” She nods happily and squeezes my knee again.
“Good, because I’ve already confirmed with Luke.” Sam smiles innocently.
“Okay, now I want cupcakes.” Will stands and walks into the kitchen to grab the box full of Nic’s cakes and returns to the table.
“Mmm…” Sam sighs as she bites into a strawberry cupcake. “Seriously so good. Can I have a bite of your carrot?” she asks Leo.
“Can I have a bite of yours?” Leo asks.
“Fuck no.”
“Then, no, I’m not sharing either.” He laughs and takes a big bite of the cake. Everyone but Nic is enjoying her efforts.
“You’re not having one?” Meg asks before I can.
Nic shakes her head and smiles. “Nah, not tonight.”
“You’re missing out.” Leo grins and winks at Nic. “They’re delicious.”
“Dear God, woman,” Will moans and reaches for a third. “Run away with me.”
“You say that to all the girls.” Nic laughs. “But I’m glad you like them.”
“You caught a good one.” Will winks at me. “She can stay.”
I smile and nod at my brother.
Fuck yes, she can stay.
***
“Talk,” Will commands as we sit at the bar of his playroom. He has a full wet bar with tall stools.
Sam and Nic are chatting animatedly on a nearby couch. Meg and Leo have their heads together across the room, Meg with her guitar and Leo with a notebook and pencil, talking music.
“Since when do you have a piano?” I ask, pointing to the upright in the corner near where Meg and Leo are working.
“Leo plays, and he and Meg use it when they’re writing,” Will replies with a smile. “It makes her happy.”
I smirk, but can’t help but envy my brother just a little. He found a woman who loves him deeply. Meg doesn’t give a shit about his celebrity. Hell, she almost loves him despite it, and that’s something that we all worried about when it came to Will finding a woman. With his celebrity status, finding a true-hearted woman could have been a challenge.
But Meg fits him. She doesn’t take his shit and supports him wholly. She also continues to pursue her own nursing career, even though she certainly could quit her job and be a housewife.
Just mentioning the idea to Meg might get you stabbed in the face.
And that just makes me love her more.
“Hey, Nic, can you come here, please?” Leo asks.
My eyes narrow as he crooks his finger at Nic, and she grins and walks over to join the rocker and Meg.
“What’s up?”
“Can you play this?” Meg asks, holding the paper out to her.
“Uh, this is a bunch of squiggles.” Nic laughs.
“Welcome to my world,” Sam calls out and grins.
“Here, I’ll show you how it’s supposed to sound. We need to hear it with the guitar.” Leo sits at the piano and gestures for Nic to join him and begins to play.
“Why don’t you just play it?” Nic asks nervously.
“Because I need to write.” He grins and shows her how the melody should sound, then sits and listens as Nic picks it up, playing beautifully.
She never stops surprising me.
“She’s good,” Will murmurs.
“I had no idea,” I reply softly.
“So talk while she’s preoccupied.”
I glance at my brother, who’s watching me closely, and then turn my gaze back to the powerhouse of a woman on that piano bench.
“What?” I ask.
“I’ve never, never, seen you with a woman,” Will replies softly.
“That’s an exaggeration, drama queen.”
“High school doesn’t count.”
I shrug. I knew this was coming, and it’ll come again Saturday when I take her with me to Nat’s party.
“I like her.”
“Jesus, you’re stubborn,” Will growls and shoves his hand through his hair.
Nic continues to play the piano, surprising Leo when she changes some notes, telling him that it sounds better like this.
Leo scowls, listens, and then grins.
“You’re right.” Meg nods. “It’s smoother.”
“She’s amazing,” I whisper to Will. “She’s smart and kind. Sexy as fuck.”
“She is pretty hot,” Will agrees with a nod and then laughs when I glare at him. “Dude, I’m perfectly happy with my own hot woman.” His face sobers. “But does she know…”
“She knows,” I confirm. “And we’re good.”
Will nods. He and Isaac have never really understood my bedroom preferences, but they’re as supportive of me as I am of them, which means they’d have my back no matter what.
Caleb gets it. I can’t wait for him to get home so I can talk to him about all of this.
“I like her, man.” Will clamps his hand on my shoulder. “She’s sweet. I think she’ll get along well with the family, if that’s where you’re heading with this.”
“It’s where I’m heading.”
Will nods, watching the three of them play the music and smile and laugh together. “Meg’s already marrying you off in her head. You know that, right?”