“Enough! You guys stop it, or I’m going to cry.” Adrian took the microphone back, hugging Elise quickly. “Let’s get the music started again.”

Ella hugged Rennie and handed her off to her grandparents, who delivered hugs, kisses and good-byes before leaving.

Cope moved in to swoop on Ella, but Raven and her friend stepped into his path. He sighed inwardly. Unlike his brother, he saw the good in Raven. She was an odd duck, but beneath her blunt, socially maladjusted manner, she cared about her friends. Didn’t mean he always liked her or wanted to be around her for more than a few minutes here and there, but he understood why Brody still cared about her.

She’d come on to him a number of times over the years, but he’d turned her down, not wanting to get anywhere near the nexus of the drama she often created. Didn’t mean he hadn’t flirted with her; she was a beautiful woman after all. But he wasn’t interested in what she was offering.

The one he wanted to look at most wasn’t there, though; she was just past them, holding Elise’s hands and talking, both women smiling. Erin joined them with Mary, another friend, and he couldn’t help but notice he wasn’t the only man staring at the four of them.

“Hey, ladies, nice to see you.” He kept it casual as he skirted Raven and her friend to get to Ella, only taking his gaze from her to keep from walking into someone.

“Where you off to? We’re going to head back to Raven’s place after this. You want to join us?” Raven’s friend grinned his way.

“Not tonight, ladies, though thank you for the invitation. I’m here with Ella.” He’d never really felt the need to make such a thing clear. But he did now.

“Good.” Raven shrugged at his confused look. “She’s a nice person. I like her.”

Raven kept surprising him, even after all the years he’d known her. “Yeah, she is. You two have a good night.” He nodded and moved on his way.

Damn. He caught her staring. Ella knew she blushed furiously, but the slow, sexy smile he sent her took the edge off her embarrassment, warming it into pleasure. She was emotional enough after Rennie’s speech, and she’d not-so-casually looked for him, only to find him with Raven and her friend again.

She watched, her insides warming up as he shook his head to whatever they offered and looked to her, at first with surprise and then, when he’d caught her looking, sly pleasure.

“I say this because I love you. You need to bang that drum, Ella. Bang it like there’s no tomorrow,” Elise whispered into her ear.

“So romantic,” she murmured back, trying not to laugh.

“Don’t judge, El. Don’t judge. I’m gonna play rock band on my soon-to-be-husband’s body all night long.”

At this, she lost her battle and giggled, right as Cope reached her, taking her hand.

“What’s this all about?” He kissed her knuckles again, casually but sparking heat.

“Elise is giving me her secret recipe for biscuits.” She smiled widely, and he raised his brows at her.

“Must be some kind of biscuits then, by the look on your face.”

“Biscuits are serious business, Andrew. They’re irresistible, and you can never have only one.”

He drew her away from the crowd, back toward the house where it was quieter. “I really must try these biscuits. You’re clearly eating different ones than me, and while I’ve enjoyed them, I’m apparently missing out on something.”

Oh, how she wanted to be bold and say something suggestive just then. She didn’t really know how. It wasn’t that she was ashamed or anything, but she didn’t have much experience with this stuff.

“I have to tell you, the blush you’re working right now really makes me curious.”

She nearly choked; instead, she tried to smile serenely, but she probably ended up looking like she was drunk.

“What made you want to be a social worker?” he asked.

“I thought about being a doctor like my brother. But I totally suck at math and science. It’s sort of a requirement and all, so that was out by the time I needed to choose my classes for second quarter of my freshman year at the UW. I volunteered on a crisis line, and that’s sort of how it started. I thought it was a great direction. I just got . . . sidetracked for a while.”

“Would you like to go for some coffee?” Cope asked suddenly. “Looks like things are winding down here.”

Oh, that feeling was one she hadn’t felt in years. She gave herself a long moment to simply luxuriate in it, that giddy joy at being asked to coffee by a handsome man. Didn’t matter if he only meant it as a friend; it still felt awesome.

“I really would, yes. But I promised to help wrap things up here. There are little gift boxes, and I need to check those, actually right now.” She looked toward the table they were meant to be on and motioned, beginning to hurry over.

“I can help. Just point me, and I’ll do your bidding.”

“All right then.” God, he made her fluttery. “Um, come with me.” She waved at Adrian and pointed to the empty table, indicating she was going to put the little gift boxes out. He nodded.

“They’re in Adrian’s bedroom. Through here.”

“I know where it is.” He laughed. “How do you?”

She turned as she opened Adrian’s door. “How do you? Is there something you haven’t told me?”

“I don’t like that type of dude.”