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With her hands on his chest, Chloe steadied herself on her heels and tilted her head back to peer up at him. “Whatever for?”
Brendan simply smiled and kissed her cheek. “Loving them. Welcome to the family.”
Chloe smiled back because she couldn’t think of any other family she cared to call her own more.
Jesse took her by the hand and pulled her from Brendan to stand with him. His arm wrapped around her waist. Taylor immediately flanked her on the opposite side and laced their fingers together. Danny controlled the expression on his face, but his pupils flared the moment he noticed her. Brittany stifled a gasp.
“Babe, Tay, this is Dan Damiani and his fiancée…I’m sorry, what was your name again?”
Fiancée? Really? Karma—what a wicked sense of humor you have!
“Brittany.”
After all these years her bubblegum voice still grated. It matched her dress.
“Dan plays ball for my alma mater. Senior. He’s a shoo-in for the Heisman.” Jesse hugged Chloe tighter against him. Taylor squeezed her fingers. “Guys, I’d like you to meet my girlfriend…”
“We already know each other, Jess. Danny and Brittany and I went to high school together.” She plastered on her beauty-pageant smile, not that she had ever been in one.
Brittany held onto Danny’s arm like she was afraid he might disappear. “Yeah. Didn’t you two date or something for a while?”
Or something.
What a bitch.
“Yeah. Hey, babe.” Danny leaned in and kissed her cheek like they were long-lost friends. “How’ve you been?”
Jesse’s arm tightened around her waist. Taylor squeezed her hand and Chloe replied, “Good. Life is really good.”
Brittany eyed Taylor. She twirled her finger in the air as if trying to place him and cut in, “Hey, aren’t you…”
“Yes,” Taylor deadpanned and rolled his eyes. “Taylor Kerrigan.”
“Oh, my God! I knew it!” Brittany squealed.
She actually fucking squealed.
Danny looked at Chloe and smirked. “Venery. Yeah, I remember you had this huge poster of him hanging in your bedroom.” His eyes traveled over her and paused on her hand linked with Taylor’s. “Look at you now.”
Thanks, asshole.
Taylor puffed out his chest and smiled down at her. That big smile he rarely displayed for anyone else. “Did you now, darling?”
Chloe shrugged and nodded at the same time.
He smacked a kiss to her lips.
“Slut,” Brittany sing-songed under her breath.
Chloe knew how it must look to her. Tucked under Jesse’s arm as he squeezed her against him while she held the hand of another man who kissed her. Brittany probably hadn’t meant for anyone else to hear it, but everybody did. Even Brendan, who’d been engaged in another conversation, turned around. Danny elbowed Brittany’s side.
Brendan stepped forward. “Excuse me, what did I just hear you say?”
“Um, nothing.” Brittany looked down at her pink-painted toes.
“Yeah, that’s what I thought.” Brendan’s lip curled as he swirled the whiskey in his glass, then his gaze shifted to Danny. “I think maybe your girl doesn’t belong here, QB1. Leave her at home next time.” He winked.
“Look, I’m really sorry.”
