Page 52 of Worth the Chase

“We do.”

“May I say that you both look incredible?” He grinned, and I thanked him.

“We’d better get over there. Don’t want to be late.” I gave him a nod and squeezed Bells’s hand in mine. “It was good to see you, Mr. G.” I smiled before heading that way.

As soon as we rounded the corner toward where the restaurant entrance was located, I stopped walking. Bells took another step before my hand yanked her back, and she almost lost her balance. Grabbing her body easily, I steadied her, making sure not to let her go until I knew she was stable.

“Why’d you stop? I could have broken an ankle.”

“I’d never let that happen,” I whispered before letting out a long sigh.

“I didn’t believe it,” Thomas said as he nudged Patrick.

“Me neither,” Patrick sighed.

“You really agreed to go out with him?” Thomas looked at Bells.

“Did he bribe you?” Patrick added. “Are you here under duress?”

“Oh, hey, guys,” Bells said with a smile, almost like she wasn’t surprised in the least that they were here.

Maybe she wasn’t. They did work here after all.

“Why are you here?” I bit out, unsure if I was more annoyed or amused.

My brothers closed the gap between us.

“We told you we’d see you later,” Patrick said with a grin before giving my girl a hug.

Thomas followed suit. He squeezed Bells, his eyes on me the whole time. They were doing this solely to irritate me.

“Get off her already,” I ground out, and my brothers both laughed.

“Awww, someone doesn’t like it when it’s done to him,” Thomas mocked, reminding me that I really used to fuck with him when it came to Brooklyn.

“Someone does not,” I growled.

“Are you guys coming with us to dinner?” Bells asked sweetly, and I wasn’t sure if she was trying to mess with me too.

Patrick’s gaze met Thomas’s, and silent words passed between them.

“I could eat,” Thomas said.

I let go of Bells hand and gave him a shove.

“Neither one of you is hungry.” I pointed at Patrick. “And if you are, you can go visit your fiancée at her restaurant and get some food there.” I then moved my pointer finger to Thomas. “And you can go home to your wife and daughter. Now, if you’ll excuse us, Jaquess will murder me if we’re late,” I said, referring to the head chef, who would not take kindly to my being tardy.

Thomas and Patrick started laughing like I’d said the funniest thing in the world, even though they both knew that it was true. Bells simply shifted her weight, and I thought she might be uncomfortable.

“We didn’t believe this date was real,” Thomas said.

Bells tried to stop herself from laughing and failed, all previous signs of any discomfort gone.

“Had to see it for ourselves.” Patrick nodded.

“Well, you’ve both seen it. Now, go away,” I snapped.

“Thanks for checking on me,” Bells said in a tone that told me she was enjoying this.

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