Page 112 of Sterling Touch

Cort simply smiles, like he’s read the room, or rather the driveway, and he’s picked up on something no one else is privy to about his former best friend. A story just waiting to be told.

As Stone steps aside, he waves out his arm, inviting Taxi to step forward. When she does, holding her head high, hands still in her pockets, Stone follows a little too closely behind her.

“Oh, boy.” Trudy chuckles, suggesting she’s picked up on the weird vibe between those two as well. She follows her niece and my brother while I step over to Cort, wrapping my arms around his middle.

“What do you think that was all about?”

“I can’t say for certain, but I’m going to guess your brother was just thunderstruck.”

Stone? Thunderstruck? Not my unflappable brother whose personality perfectly fits his namesake. He epitomizes calm and control. Even with Cort and I being in love, he’s still rather standfast, even if he’s not fully onboard yet.

And I’d love to see a woman who rocks his world.

My glance leaps to Taxi taking steps toward Clay’s team, while Stone watches like he’s just lost an all-star player.

“You two playing or what?” Sebastian calls out, pulling my attention away from observing our eldest sibling.

“Put me in, Coach,” I call out as Cort, and I start walking toward the field with his arm draped over my shoulders.

Cort chuckles. “Somehow you’ve made that sound real dirty, Bee.”

“We can round our own bases later,” I tease him, poking at his hard abs.

“I like the sound of that, sweetness.” He leans down, pressing another kiss to the top of my head as we step closer to my family.

And I smile because all my favorite people in the world are in one place, and I don’t think I’ve ever been so happy.