“Hey, kid!”

Crush jumped a little, trying not to panic when Nice Guy Malone wrapped his arms around him in a big hug. “Hi, Mr. Malone.”

“Butch, kid. Butch.” He stepped back, grinned. “Did you hear about my girl? What the Carnivores offered her?”

“I heard.” And he’d been bragging about it at the office so much that all his coworkers roared anytime it came up again. Including Dez.

Butch grinned. “My girl.”

Meghan and Josie ran up, both looking beautiful in their bridesmaids’ gowns.

“You came,” Meghan said, going up on her toes to kiss Crush’s cheek, Josie kissing the other one.

“Did you really think your mother was going to let me out of this?”

Meghan laughed. “Nope.” She tugged at her grandfather’s tux. “Grams is looking for you.”

“As my wife or as—”

“Wedding planner.”

“Crap. She wants me to move something.”

“I can do it for you,” Crush offered.

“Nah. She just makes me do it ’cause she likes to see my muscles ripple.” Grinning, Butch walked off.

Meghan shuddered. “Ew.” She jerked her thumb toward one of the doorways. “We better go, too. The bride and groom will be making their entrance soon.”

“See you guys when you’re done.”

Meghan and Josie waved and rushed off. Crush looked around at the tables, debating whether he should go ahead and get seated now or wait a little longer when he realized Novikov stood beside him. Breathing.

He really liked the guy ... but he hated when he did that.

“Hey.”

Novikov nodded.

“Why are you here?” Crush had to ask.

“Blayne finagled an invite because she wanted to see how Barb runs her weddings.”

“Is she happy?”

“Ecstatic. She really likes the cake.”

“The cake?”

“It’s Blayne.”

“How have you liked the wedding?”

“Everything has been on time ... so I love it.”

Crush laughed, stopping when a woman in a full-length dress stopped in front of him and stared at him like she knew him. She seemed out of place because she was one of the few canines in attendance.

“What?” she finally asked.

Crush blinked, recognizing the voice. “Dee-Ann?”

“Who the hell did you think it was?”

“Not you,” Novikov muttered.

“You look great,” Crush told her honestly.

But her eyes narrowed and Crush held his hands up. “Forget I said anything.”

Ric Van Holtz stepped in beside his mate, slipping his arm around her waist and kissing her cheek.

He smiled. “Crushek ...” His smile faded and gave a barely there nod. “Novikov.”

“Asshole.”

The She-wolf snarled in warning.

“Gentlemen and She-wolf,” Crush warned, “it’s a wedding. Let’s all be nice.”

“Is that your cop tone?” Novikov asked.

“That’s my cop tone. Don’t make me bring out my cop fist.”

“So—” Van Holtz began.

“I don’t know anything,” Crush cut in, knowing Van Holtz was about to ask him—again—about whether Cella would take his offer of becoming the Carnivores’ assistant coach.

The wolf bared a fang. “What is taking her so long?”

“I don’t know.”

“Want me to talk to her?” Novikov asked.

“No,” both Crush and Van Holtz immediately replied.

But Smith grinned. “Oh, Lord, please do.”

Cella helped her mother adjust Rivka’s gown. The bride and groom would be making their big entrance in a few minutes and everything had to perfect. At least, as far as Cella’s mother was concerned, it had to be perfect. Personally, Cella could give a shit. She was hungry.

“Your stomach is growling again,” Barb sang at her. But it was her trying-to-keep-the-bride-calm-while-telling-the-person-she’s-singing-to-she’s-annoyed voice.

“That’s because I’m hungry,” Cella sang back in the same tone.

“Where’s Bri?” Rivka asked.

“He made a desperate run for it?” Cella teased, only to get a paw to the back of her head. An actual paw!

“Ow!”

“Go find out where Bri is,” Barb ordered.

“Fine.” Anything to get away from the dictator her mother became whenever she handled a damn wedding.

Cella went down the hall, her steps slowing when she saw Bri hugging Meghan. She smiled, her heart warming at the sight.

Bri caught sight of her over his daughter’s shoulder and winked.

“Why don’t you go make sure Rivka’s doing okay. I’ll be right there.”

“Okay.” Meghan kissed her father’s cheek. “I love you, Daddy.”

“You, too, baby.”

Meg walked past Cella, stopping briefly to also kiss her cheek. “I love you, too, Ma.”

“Tossing me a bone.”

“I had to. I didn’t want to hear the whining later.” Grinning, Meghan walked off.

Smart. Ass.

“Where’s Josie?” Cella asked her daughter’s back.

“Getting Aunt J. for the entrance.”

“Good. We’ll be right there.”