Like Cam, he was almost forty and didn’t look it. Unlike Cam, with his rough-around-the-edges attractiveness, Nate was pure Hollywood gorgeous with his thick dark hair, smoldering dark eyes, and sexy dimples.
Then there was Marco, Hannah’s husband. Tall didn’t cover it. Muscular didn’t quite cover it. Strikingly handsome didn’t cover it. I knew from Hannah that Marco was half Italian American, half African American, and all I could say was that the results struck me dumb with reticence as I shook his hand.
The only husband I wasn’t quite so shy with was Ellie’s husband, Adam. He was the kind of man who grew more good-looking as you talked to him because he oozed a warm charisma that was incredibly appealing. He put me at ease immediately.
Until I met his best friend – my landlord, Logan’s boss, and Joss’s husband.
Braden Carmichael.
“I’ve heard lots of good things about you, Grace,” Braden said as I shook his hand. He stared down at me with just the slightest kick of a smile on his lips, and as I stared up into his pale blue eyes I shivered. Braden was in his early forties and he wore it well. I’d always found it annoying that so many men grew better-looking with age, and I had a feeling Mr. Carmichael was one of them. His dark hair was peppered with gray that only made him look distinguished. Unlike Nate, Braden didn’t have perfect features, and yet somehow what he did have made for an extremely compelling face.
More than that, there was an aura around him – confidence, power, and a sheer force of will that poured out of him. Of all the gorgeous men I’d been introduced to that evening, in my opinion, Joss’s husband was the most appealing.
He was also one of the most intimidating men I’d ever met, and I lived next door to Logan MacLeod. I was glad Logan wasn’t at the party because he was with Maia. I didn’t think the room could take having him and Braden in one place together.
No wonder they were friends. They shared a likeness that became more apparent as Joss and Braden talked with me.
“I heard Maia’s doing well and that you’re a big part of her transition,” Braden said as Joss tucked herself into his side. He wrapped his arm around her automatically, as if she naturally fit there.
“Logan’s made Maia’s transition smooth. I’m just…” I shrugged. “There for her.”
“She’s being modest,” Joss said. “Anytime I’ve hung out with Maia and Shannon, all Maia talks about is you and Logan.” Something glittered in her eyes, something like amusement, and I wondered for a moment if she’d picked up on Maia’s desire to see me and Logan as a couple.
“Well, all I know is that it is a special kind of person to take a kid under their wing that isn’t theirs.” His gaze drifted across the room, and I glanced over to see whom he was staring at.
Elodie.
Joss lifted Braden’s hand to press a light kiss on his knuckles. He looked down at her and pulled her tighter to his side before focusing those pale eyes on me again. “Logan is a good friend. Maia was a massive shock for him and I’m grateful for what you’ve done for them. If you ever need anything, Grace, you let me know.”
I felt like I’d just been officially welcomed into their fold by the Godfather. I blushed and mumbled my thanks.
“I know what you could do.” A face appeared beside me, and I slanted a look to the side to see Ellie had come up behind me and popped her head into the conversation.
I grinned at the mischievous look in her pale blue eyes. Huh. She and Braden had the exact same eyes.
“And what’s that?” Braden’s face had softened with affection as he waited for his sister’s answer.
Ellie slid her arm along my shoulders. “Did you know that this beautiful lady is single?”
Joss snorted at the mortified look on my face.
“Point being, Ellie, other than to embarrass Grace?” Braden said dryly.
“James Llewellyn-Jones,” Ellie whispered.
Braden frowned. “My lawyer?”
She nodded. “He’s gorgeous, he’s successful, he’s single, and he’s here. Perhaps an introduction would be in order.”
My heart started to beat hard with embarrassment. “Oh no, really, you don’t have to do that.”
Joss was scowling at Ellie now. “Really. You don’t,” she said pointedly, widening her eyes at Ellie, as if trying to send her a message. I just didn’t know what that message was. Apparently, neither did Ellie, who appeared adorably confused by Joss’s eye gesturing.
“What’s going on over here?” Jo sidled up to us, grinning.
“I thought Braden could introduce Grace to James. The lawyer.” Ellie grinned back.
Jo immediately glowered. “Or not,” she said pointedly.
“What the hell am I missing?” Braden asked them.
“Nothing,” Joss assured him. “Your sister just has stupid ideas.”
“We knew that when she decided to marry Adam,” he said.
“I heard that.” Adam stepped up to the group. “And my rebuttal is your wife is the one with stupid ideas. She allowed you to breed. Three times.”
“Hey, our kids have got more of me in them, so there’s no worries on that account,” Joss said.
“Bull. Beth, yes, Luke, no. That kid is Braden’s spit and we all know it. The world is fucking doomed. You better keep your eye on wee Ellie,” Adam said with a teasing gravity.