Austin turns to see what I’m staring at, watching Jake and Camilla walk toward us, his hand holding hers. “What the fuck?” he says under his breath.
I don’t have a chance to tell him everything I need to.
“Hey, Lauren, what are you doing here?” Jake asks when they stop in front of me.
“Um…” The words stay lodge in my throat.
“She helped make tonight happen,” Austin answers for me, putting his hand on the exposed skin at my lower back. “Austin Mackenzie.” He offers his hand to shake Jake’s.
“Jake Watson, Lauren’s husband.” He shakes Austin’s hand.
“Ex,” I say, gulping down the rest of my champagne. “Ex-husband.” I look to Jake and then to Camilla. “Gabe’s former teacher. Lots of exes in the room.” I laugh nervously.
“Oh, wait.” Jakes snaps his finger. “Are you the Austin who took the kids skating?”
Austin grabs champagne from a passing waiter and hands it to me before he places my empty glass back on the tray. “That would be me. We took the kids out last Friday. They had no school.”
“Are you two dating?” Jake asks, surprised, his eyebrow going up.
I don’t know how to answer this. We’ve never really discussed the status of our relationship. Having sex, yes, driving each other insane, yes. Dating, um… it’s complicated. “We are,” Austin states. “If you’ll excuse us, I see someone we need to say hello to.” When he grabs my hand, I nod at them and follow him wherever he takes me.
He walks over to a couple who just walked in the door. From the shouting that wafts in and the flashing cameras, I know it’s someone important. “Cooper,” Austin greets, raising his hand to him.
The couple walks over to us, and I can’t help but stare at them. The man is huge and gorgeous, obviously not as gorgeous as Austin, but still mouth-droppingly handsome. Austin lets go of my hand to shake his friend’s and bringing him in to hug him. “Asshole,” Austin says. “Good to see you,” Cooper replies with an easy smile at him.
“Thanks for coming.”
“Wouldn’t miss it for the world. Plus, we get to spend the night in the hotel, where I plan to take full advantage of Parker.” I look to the woman at his side who just rolls her eyes.
“Please, he’s all talk. Lately, he falls asleep before the twins.” She laughs at her husband.
“I’ll show you falling asleep,” he tells her, then turns to look at me. “This man has no manners. Cooper Stone.” He reaches out for my hand. “This is my wife, Parker Stone.”
Austin laughs at him. “This is the guy I used to play with in college. He’s now retired and playing Mr. Mom.”
“And loving every fucking second of it.” He leans down to kiss Parker’s lips.
“So, how did you too meet?” Parker looks at me.
“I’m his PA.” I take another sip from the champagne.
“Are you the one who turned his testicles the size of boulders?” she asks me, laughing. “I saw the picture.”
I grab the glass with both my hands, laughing as well. “How is it everyone saw this picture but me?”
“Oh, I can send it to you. I think it’s Cooper’s screen saver.” She laughs at Austin, who is groaning next to me.
“I’m going to fucking kill Noah.” He puts his hands in his pockets. I don’t get a chance to say anything else, because there is more yelling coming in from outside and the camera flashes are going crazy again.
“I guess Matthew has arrived,” Parker says to the group, and we don’t have to wait long before the door opens and in comes Matthew.
He’s got black hair that is parted on the side, a bit longer on top and shorter on the sides. His slim-cut black suit is cut perfectly for his frame. His dark gray shirt is paired with a shiny black tie. With the way his jacket hangs open, showing of his muscular chest, it’s plain to see that he spends a fair amount of time in the gym. “Matthew!” Parker shouts, waving him over. He looks over his shoulder and sees Parker waving. He gives her a big smile and turns to guide himself and the woman who is by his side over to us.
They start to head this way, zig-zagging through the crowd, which has grown, and occasionally stopping to say hello to people on the way.
“Hey, Mom, Coop,” he greets them both with a hug and kiss for Parker. “Where is Karrie?” He looks around for whom I assume is the woman he walked in with.
The blond woman is talking to a man who is kissing her hand and laughing with her. She looks amazing in her figure-skimming white dress. The top is off-the-shoulders with sexy little sleeves that cling to her biceps, and the dress hugs her in all the right places as it tapers down her thighs to stop just above her knees. Her thick hair hangs loose around her bare shoulders. Matthew spots her and walks right up to her, grabbing her hand, completely unfazed that the other guy is still holding her other hand.
Right before they get to us, she pulls him to a stop and says something to him. He leans down and kisses her on the mouth, and it’s not just a peck either. No, that’s a kiss one gives their lover, the kind of kiss that you feel all the way down to your soul. When he finally lets her go, he takes her hand and closes the distance to us.
“Well, that settles that,” Cooper murmurs as he sips the beer that the waiter just delivered to him.
When they make it to us, Parker smiles at the girl and greets her. “Karrie, you look beautiful.”
Cooper looks her up and down and smiles at Matthew. “Good luck, son.” Matthew glares at him.
“Austin,
