Page 304 of The Christmas Wife

"Zara, you okay?" Hunter’s voice reaches me. I open my eyes, take in the concern on his features.

"What do you think? My boss beat up my brother, and you’ve probably made tabloid headlines with that asinine stunt."

My brother winces. "It’s not pleasant to get on her bad side," he says in a conversational tone.

"So I’m learning." Hunter’s lips twitch.

They finally look at each other, twin expressions of wariness on their features. Apparently, they’re in agreement about something, and naturally, it involves their opinion of me. I make a sound at the back of my throat, and both men look at me in alarm.

"You sure you’re okay, Z?" My brother—the clunkerhead asks.

"Don’t keep asking me that as if I am an airhead who needs to be mollycoddled."

Cade raises both his hands. "Just brotherly concern, is all."

"And where were you all these months? You take off touring the world on your job, then show up at a gala. You could have told me you were going to attend."

"I didn’t know you would be here," my brother protests.

"The biggest event of the season, with influencers, entertainers and politicians in attendance, and you didn’t think my job would demand that I be all over it?"

My brother drags his fingers through his hair. "You’re right. I should have thought it through. Should have reached out and checked how you were doing. I took the easy way out and stayed away so I wouldn’t have to visit the folks. And calling you would have reminded me that I haven’t been in touch with them, either." He raises a shoulder. "That was cowardly of me; I’m sorry."

I deflate a little. It’s tough when your sibling is being all reasonable.

Hunter looks from Cade to me, then back to Cade. "How did I not spot the similarity?"

"Probably because you had your head stuck up your arse?" I retort.

Cade whistles. Hunter seems like he’s having a difficult time controlling his mirth.

I glower at him. "You won’t be laughing when your reputation is all over social media, and the two of you become a meme."

He leans forward on the balls of his feet. "No phones in the ballroom, remember?"

I scoff. "Do you think everyone in there followed the rules? There’s bound to have been someone who had a phone stashedaway. Someone who, at this very moment, is uploading footage from your faux pas to the internet, as we speak."

The knobhead grins. He actually grins. "You forget, I have the best PR manager in town who will, undoubtedly, stop anything like this from happening," he murmurs.

"You could have saved me the headache and simply used your grey cells—which I assume you have, considering you’re vying for the topmost post in the country—and stopped yourself before landing that first punch," I snap.

Hunter draws himself to his full height. "I saw a stranger with his hands all over you. What the hell would you have me do?"

"You should have trusted me."

"I cannot look the other way when my?—"

"Stop," I bark, darting my brother a glance. Thankfully, like most men, he’s clueless enough about the undercurrents in the room. If anything, he looks uncomfortable.

"Uh, Abby’s waiting for me outside. I think it’s best I leave so the two of you can sort things out."

"No," I burst out.

"That would be a good idea." Hunter nods.

Hunter and I glare at each other for a few seconds.

This is when the penny drops for Cade, for he suddenly squares his shoulders. "Hold on, are you—" He glances at Hunter. "You’re not—" He looks at me. "Are the two of you— Are you?—"

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