“Which is why you’re a better person than me,” Audrey said, and patted her belly. “Can we all sit down now? My back is killing me.”
“Of course,” Cade said, and rushed into the ladies’ side of the basement to get Audrey’s chair for her.
The women headed back into their room, all chattering. Maylee had already linked arms with Kylie’s and was exclaiming over her hair and makeup, and Gretchen was talking up a storm. Kylie was still smiling, but it wasn’t the helpless, unsure smile. She looked at ease.
“Thanks for bringing her, Cade.” Audrey said as she settled into her chair. “I’m so glad to see you settled and happy. I almost thought Daphne was going to keep you miserable and strung along for the rest of your life.”
“I almost thought that, too,” Cade admitted. “Then I met Kylie, and everything changed overnight.”
Audrey’s expression softened, and she smiled. “Just like me and Reese.”
“Just like,” he agreed, grinning. He moved to the far side of the table and gave Kylie—who was now wedged in between Maylee and Gretchen—a kiss. “Will you be all right? Can I get you anything?”
“She’s fine,” Gretchen said, waving a hand at him. “Quit being a helicopter boyfriend.”
Kylie stifled a grin. “I am fine. Thank you, love.” She beamed up at him. “Go and have fun.”
“All right,” Audrey said as he exited the room. “First order of the Ladies Club—changing the color of this room.”
“Hear hear,” Gretchen said. “Who the hell decided pink?”
Chuckling, Cade shut the door behind them.
“A ladies club is genius,” Griffin said as Cade sat in his customary chair between Reese and Jonathan. “I always felt bad leaving Maylee at home, knowing I’d be out late with the boys.”
“And now we can finally play cards in peace,” Jonathan agreed.
Just then, a raucous shout arose from the women’s room. “Bras off if you lose,” Gretchen shouted. “Ante up, bitches!”
Silence.
Reese raised an eyebrow to Jonathan. “You were saying?”
Cade just grinned. He had a sneaky feeling that Kylie was going to get along just fine with the other women. “We should play, too.”
“Speaking of bras,” Reese began. “May I just say on behalf of all of us, that you made the obvious choice, Cade?” Reese gestured in front of his chest, clearly referring to Kylie’s assets. “I mean, damn. I thought Audrey had some impressive tatas, but you got a good one there, buddy.”
“I’m glad you remembered that she’s mine,” Cade said, pulling his chips toward his spot with one arm. “Because now I don’t have to kill you.”
Logan tossed his ante into the pile and then lifted his glass. “Someone pour Cade a drink so we can start this meeting, already.”
A shot of whiskey was set before him a moment later, and all the men raised their glasses, some drinking water, some alcohol. They clinked them together and said the motto that had gotten them through college, through years of hard work and financial success . . . and now, love. The motto had made them who they were today. “Fratres in prosperitum,” they chanted.
Looking around the table, Cade had never felt closer to his Brotherhood.
Life was good. Life was very, very good.
EPILOGUE
Six months later
“Oh my God, would you quit squirming?” Kylie exclaimed as she leaned in to add more glitter to eyelids. “It’s impossible for you to sit still, isn’t it?”
The man sitting in the chair pouted. It looked rather funny, given that he was wearing a pink feather boa and mile-high heels. “I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be sorry,” Kylie said with a grin. “Just stop freaking wiggling and hold still so I can draw your eyes.”
Obediently, the drag queen closed his eyes and leaned forward. “Just glitter me up and let’s get this show going.”
Several minutes later, she’d transformed the dark-haired lithe young man with the five o’clock shadow into his stage persona. They were trying a new type of eye makeup tonight, and Kylie saw with approval that it looked great on Carl, aka Carla the French. “I like it. What do you think?”
He opened his eyes with a dramatic flutter of his sweeping lashes, then looked critically in the mirror. “Needs more glitter.”
She studied him, then nodded, dipping her brush into the paint. “More glitter it is.”