Raven had melted away, and Ella knew it was because she and Adrian were like oil and water. He saw her as a potentially destructive influence on his family and asserted a very protective stance around Elise and Rennie. For that alone, Ella would have adored him absent all his other fine personality traits.

“Help yourself to some food and drink. Dinner will start in half an hour or so.” Adrian waved as he and Rennie headed outside.

Once they’d gone, it was just her and Cope. The sounds of the party began to rise—nothing too loud, it was pretty intimate, less than thirty people. But there was a lot of joy in the air, and she felt it too.

5

“Andy, hold up a sec,” Brody called as Cope left the table to get Ella another glass of wine. He’d managed to hog her all to himself for the last forty-five minutes at their little table near the dance floor. Eventually he’d have to share her, but he’d enjoy what he had for the time he had it.

“Nice party, Brody. Congratulations.” Cope smiled. It was good to see his friend so happy. Startling to see the way Brody couldn’t seem to tear himself away from Elise and Rennie for very long. They were his anchor, but not in a negative way. He and Ben had shown Cope just how that sort of connection was unique and special instead of a burden.

“I said something earlier that bugged you. I’m sorry about that. You’ve been my friend a really long time. I’ve never doubted you, or that you were a good guy. I was being protective of Ella, but I went about it wrong.”

“It’s fine. No harm done.” But he appreciated the apology nonetheless.

“Always harm done when you hurt a friend. You’re changing. Not that you were an ass with women in the past, so get that look out of your eyes. You look at her differently. Different than the way you looked at the women you’ve been with before. I know what that is. Elise changed everything for me. It’s hard and sort of scary sometimes. Hard to let go of who you were to make room for who you can be. And I didn’t make that any easier with the way I acted.”

It was a sore spot, Cope knew, but it did make it better to hear someone he respected say that. To know he was changed by Ella and that it showed.

Adrian approached. “What’s going on? And man, since I’ve had three glasses of champagne and I can claim tipsiness, I have to tell you both that Elise and Ella look amazing tonight. Damn, Brody, your fiancée is freaking beautiful. Don’t know how you rated someone like her. Must be payback for all the nice shit you’ve done for me and Erin since forever.”

“Just making amends.” Brody tipped his head in Cope’s direction.

Because he was never really angry to begin with and because he knew his friend cared about him and Ella both, he made a joke to ease the mood. “He’s making sure I’m not mad because I’m keeping an eye on his bike for the few days he’s taking Elise out to the coast.”

“Speaking of romance and stuff, this thing with you and Ella, it’s pretty wow. I believe there was eye-fucking last night.” Adrian sent him a raised brow.

“That was the only kind. I’m taking my time with her.”

Adrian laughed. “Well, you turned it up full blast. She deserves that.”

Cope nodded. “She does.”

“I need to get popcorn because this will be amusing. Maybe I’ll swoop in and snag her. Take her to some swank resort on a private island. Spoil her mercilessly and have sex with her a few thousand times.”

“Ha. If you could walk again after I broke your legs.” It was a good thing Cope knew Adrian wouldn’t do anything like that. Jealousy was an odd sort of feeling. Not entirely unpleasant, but pretty unusual. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d felt jealousy over a woman.

Adrian’s brows rose. “Wow. You are gone for her. About damned time you took yourself seriously and stopped f**king every woman who crossed your path.” Adrian’s smile was rueful then. “We’re getting too old for that shit.”

“I don’t regret what I was before. I didn’t have an epiphany or a checklist as to when I’d fall for a woman in a big way. She’s always been special. Always been different. Maybe it’s that she was my friend first. I don’t know.”

“Nothing to regret.” Adrian shrugged, diffusing Cope’s defensive-ness. “You and I like women a lot, and unlike my ugly brother here, we have an unusual amount of talent with the fairer sex.”

Brody rolled his eyes. “It’s that she sees you. All of you down to the bone.”

That was exactly it.

“Humbling, that. Scary, because underneath is where you put all the shit you don’t want others to see and judge. So she’ll make you a better man because you want her to see you that way.” Brody shrugged.

Adrian stood there quietly for long moments, along with Cope.

“Yeah. That’s it, I guess. You’re pretty smart for an old guy.”

“Oh, go on then, cover your emotions with humor.”

Cope realized for the millionth time just how fortunate he was with his family. The one he’d been born to and the one he’d made with his friends.

“And now I’m off in search of a drink for that gorgeous redhead I’m wooing.” He paused and looked at the Brown brothers. “Thanks.”

“Meh. Just don’t f**k up my bike.”

Just across the yard, Ella stood with Elise. “You just, god, you glow with love for that man, and he’s mad for you.” Elise’s smile in response to her comments made Ella give in and hug her friend. “I’m so happy for you. What you have together is so special. You and Rennie have your prince charming.”