sighed and ignored Adam’s veiled threat. He laid out what had happened two weeks ago between him and Katie, keeping the details light for both her sake and his.
“Dude...” Devlin flopped back against the cushions. “Even I didn’t go there. Not that the thought didn’t cross my mind, but still. She’s practically family.”
Nolan braced his elbows on his knees, his eyes locked on the beer bottle hanging from his clenched fingers. “Would you guys please stop saying that?”
“I guess this explains why every time we called from London you were working out of your home office instead of here,” Dev continued, jerking his head toward the rooms connected with the family business farther down the hall.
“And why our office manager’s been quieter than usual,” Bryant added. “Laurie said she thought Katie might still be hurting from her breakup with the deputy.”
“That was months ago.” Nolan hated the idea she might still be hung up on Jake. “She’s over him.”
He waited for his brothers to argue that fact, but silence filled the air for a long moment. Nolan let it go on, knowing he’d given everyone a shock.
Hell, if any of them had made this same announcement he’d be pissed, too. More so. Not that he had a right to be.
“So, what’s next?”
He looked up when Bryant spoke and found three sets of eyes all mirroring that same question. “Nothing. We...decided things would go on the same. Like before.”
“Good.”
Nolan turned to Adam, not liking the steely glint in his eyes. “Good?”
“She’s been through enough in the last few months.”
“I know that. What happened was a—” Mistake. Nolan held back the word, the taste of it sour in his mouth. “A surprise. To both of us. And yeah, things are a little awkward, but it’ll go back to normal. Eventually.”
Because that’s what they’d agreed upon. What they wanted.
“It’s the right...answer,” Nolan said.
“Is it?” Devlin asked. “If she’s interested and you’re interested—”
“I’m not. Never have been.” Nolan cut him off, ignoring the way his heart pounded in his chest. Li-ar. Li-ar. It didn’t matter. The last thing any of them needed was for his stupidity to wreak havoc with the family and the family business.
He cringed at the F word again. “Katie’s always been...just Katie.”
“Until now.” Adam set his beer on the table with a thud. “You changed that. Changed everything.”
“Not on purpose,” Nolan replied. He could see his brother wasn’t going to let this go.
“Well, you better purposely find a way to fix things with her. Fast. Before we lose—” Adam stopped, his gaze intense. “What?”
Nolan pulled in a deep breath. “She offered to quit. That morning.” His brothers started to protest, and he made a slashing motion, cutting them off. “I told her to forget it. She’s too valuable to the company.”
“Damn straight.”
“Look, neither one of us wants to make anything of this. She’d be mad as hell if she finds out I said anything. Keep your mouths shut. Okay?”
His brothers nodded in agreement, Adam going last.
Nolan set his beer on the table, not interested in it anymore. “It’s going to take time. To get beyond...whatever this is. Sorry if I cast a gloom on the baby-making pride you guys got going on.”
“Not all of us,” Devlin pointed out, reaching into his jacket for a small velvet box. “I’m not at the baby stage yet. I’m still trying to wrap my brain around this.”
“What—what the hell is that—are you serious?”
Nolan’s words overlapped Adam’s and Bryant’s when Devlin shared the diamond ring he’d found in a store in London and his plan to surprise Tanya with a Thanksgiving Day proposal.
“And don’t tell the folks,” Devlin warned, stowing the box away. “About this, or that Liam is planning to bring Missy and Casey back for Christmas. He tagged along on the ring shopping, so Missy should be sporting a sparkler on her finger when they arrive.”
“Well, it seems Mom’s going be surrounded by babies and weddings next year,” Bryant said. “She’ll be over the moon.”
“And pestering you and Liam for more grandchildren not long after the I dos,” Adam added before glancing back at Nolan. “Guess this makes you and Ric the last single Murphy brothers.”
“That’s fine with me.” Nolan leaned back, more relaxed now than he’d been all day, glad the topic of conversation had moved away from him and Katie. “Don’t forget, I did my part already by providing the first round of grandchildren.”
Besides, he’d decided a long time ago he and marriage weren’t a good fit. Not after those unhappy years with his ex-wife in Boston.
Now there was a union that never should’ve happened. And probably wouldn’t have if there hadn’t been a need for a hasty wedding.
He didn’t regret his marriage entirely because of Abby, Luke and Logan, but fatherhood was a far better fit than being a husband.
“So, three and out?” Devlin asked.
“That’s right. Messy diapers and 3:00 a.m. feedings are in my rearview mirror.” Nolan grinned. “I’m busy enough with work, and while I’m not happy with the arguing, at least my kids can feed themselves. I’ll leave the happily-ever-afters and babies to you guys.”
* * *
Katie bit hard on her bottom lip and hurried back to the party on tiptoes.
She’d slipped out to her office to hunt up a couple of notepads and pens to keep track of who gave what gift to the mommies-to-be.
Overhearing Devlin sharing with his brothers his plans to propose to Tanya stopped her in her tracks.
She was genuinely happy for the two of them. If anyone deserved to find true love and happiness, it was Devlin. He’d gone through a tough time recently. A helicopter he’d been piloting had crashed, stranding him and Adam in the forest with Devlin badly hurt. It’d taken him a long time to get better, and Tanya had been a big part of his recovery.
And hearing Nolan’s familiar I’m-happy-the-way-I-am mantra wasn’t surprising.
Not really.
Listening to him say aloud what he’d often said in the past, in one way or another, reaffirmed what she’d always known.
He considered his life complete.
Lead architect in his family’s successful business. With five brothers he loved and who were his best friends. Single dad to three great kids.
A happy bachelor.
Her long-held, silent crush on the guy wasn’t heading anywhere. No matter how attracted she might be to him—and had been from the moment they met—there would never be anything between them.
Well, nothing more than one stolen night of passion.
Girl, get over it!
Another familiar refrain, one she’d repeated daily to herself over the last few weeks. Getting back to normal—whatever that might be—was harder than she’d thought it’d be.
That morning after Nolan left, she’d cleaned up the room and hurried home, determined to live up to the agreement they made. To make sure everything stayed the same. Between her and Nolan. Her and the Murphys. Her and the job she loved so much.
Easier