“Aw, thanks. But I think you might have more things on your mind than looking at a healing tattoo. You ready for the engagement party on Saturday?”

“I’ve been ready to marry Elise for a long time now. I’m just annoyed I have to wait another few months.”

She heard the smile in his voice and smiled herself. They were good together, a family. Unconventional, just like all the Browns were. But it worked, and it was genuine. They gave her hope that once she put dating back on the menu, she might find something like what they had too.

“Stop hogging her.” Elise got on the line, and Ella heard the noisy kiss her friend gave her very sexy fiancé. “I hear Raven is asking to photograph it for that tattoo magazine she works with down in L.A.”

As if she’d bare her back from hip to shoulder for strangers to gape over! Raven could do that, Erin, bold, brash women like them. In any case, things were complicated between Raven, one of Brody’s exes, and Elise in the best of times. Therefore in the time-honored tradition of girlfriends everywhere, Ella kept her distance when Raven was involved. She actually liked Raven because the woman was totally herself. There was pretty much no bull when you dealt with her; she said exactly what she thought, when she thought it. Which was uncomfortable sometimes, but once Ella had gotten used to it, it made her easy to be around. Well, since she’d finally backed off and accepted and respected Elise’s place in Brody’s life.

“Ha. Yeah, not so much. I will be really happy when it’s finished though. What’s up?” she asked.

“Just wanted to check in. You looked tired today. I wanted to be sure you were okay. I would have called, but I didn’t know if you were still with your parents at dinner.”

“I’m good,” she said to Elise and meant it. “I’m making a mental promise to try harder with them. I have a fridge full of leftovers, and now I’m here drinking some tea and trying to wind down for bed.”

“Good. Okay, just FYI, we’re all going out dancing on Friday night. Girls only. Meet me here, and we’ll all get dressed and head out together.”

Ella laughed. “Okay then. I thought I was supposed to plan this, and you said not to bother?”

“I decided going dancing would be fun. Erin says we can make it her baby shower too.”

“I’ll grab some red velvet cupcakes then. That’ll be fun. I haven’t been out dancing in forever and ever.”

“Friday. My house no later than seven. You’d better bring some hot clothes, or I will dress you myself,” Elise warned, and Brody chuckled in the background.

“You doing all right? Anything I can help with?” Erin was the official maid of honor, but she and Ella had shared a lot of the duties.

“It’s all good. I’m marrying Brody in a few months. What could be better than that?”

Ella smiled, truly thrilled for both of them, and for Rennie too. “You’re right. I’ll see you Friday.”

3

Cope knew exactly what he was doing when he showed up at Brody’s door on Friday night. Brody had invited friends over for a guy’s night while the women would be heading out dancing. Not a bachelor party with strippers or anything. Brody and the rest of the crew were past that.

He had no intention of sitting around playing cards and drinking beer while Ella was out looking hot and dancing at a club. In a while, he’d make the suggestion that they go out and connect with the ladies to have a unified bride and groom party. The rest of the guys would pretend to fight the idea for all of thirty minutes, and then they’d head out.

The idea that men didn’t want to be in the company of beautiful women when they were dressed up and ready to dance and have fun was absurd. He found men who proclaimed to want man caves, without the presence of women, hard to understand. If the ladies didn’t want them along, that would be different. He wasn’t a stalker or anything. But from everything he’d ever learned about women, they liked being around their men too.

“Wait up,” Ben called as he caught up with his brother on the porch. “You can carry this.” He shoved a bag full of chips, dogs and five kinds of dip at Cope.

“Glad to be your pack mule. I hear that happens to you when you get old.”

“What? You’re smart enough to con younger people into hauling your shit?” Ben snorted. “Hey, listen, I’m going to support you when you inevitably suggest we go and hang out with the ladies, won’t I? You can carry some chips.”

Oh. Well, yes then. “Sure.” He shrugged, and they went into the house. The place had been a single man’s paradise a year before, but now a family lived there. Cope liked it better now. He smiled as he thought of Brody’s daughter. Rennie’s backpack was hung on a peg near the door, her little rain boots lined up under the bench. They’d filed all the paperwork for Brody’s formal adoption of Elise’s daughter earlier that week. She was a tough little girl, smart, funny, and his friend loved her fiercely. Watching them grow into a family had taught Cope what it meant to truly love another person. He wanted that, craved that connection and rhythm that was so much bigger than him.

The sound of laughing women caught Ben and Cope both as they slowly entered the main family room where Brody sat talking to Adrian.

“They’re jammed into our bedroom.” Brody tipped his chin in the direction of the back hallway leading to the master bedroom. “Women and skimpy clothes all over the place.” He grinned. “I’m a lucky man.”