Page 96 of Charm

He tugs on the lapels of his suit jacket. “It’s nice, right? I had it made just for me. Trying to follow in my big brother’s footsteps.”

That hits me right in the center of my chest because recently I’ve been feeling like I’ve been the one chasing his footsteps.

He may be seven years younger, but his life is exactly where I want mine to be.

I don’t need a newborn baby to fulfill me at the moment, but I would like to have a family someday in the future. Admitting that to myself has been hard. Allowing myself to imagine that family including Greer and her daughter is fucking scary, but the thought has crept into my mind since she confided in me about Olive’s birth last week.

We’ve seen each other a few times since. We’ve talked more and fucked more. Every second I spend with her helps me to realize what a gift she is.

“I like it,” I tell him. “I’m proud of you, James. I don’t know if I tell you that enough.”

“You don’t.” He shoots me a smile. “I’m proud of you, too, Holden. I’m proud of how far you’ve come since the Finella bullshit happened.”

That feels like a lifetime ago.

“Why the new suit?” I effortlessly change the subject because my ex-wife doesn’t warrant another second of my time.

“I’m taking my wife out for dinner tonight.” He brushes a hand over the sleeve of the jacket. “Before you ask, Berk andAstrid are watching Morgan. I argued the case for you, but Berk and Astrid are a package deal with Stevie, so they won out.”

Sinclair’s oldest brother and his wife have a nine-year-old daughter who is in love with her baby cousin. Denying Stevie time with Morgan isn’t something I’d ever willingly do. Besides, I have plans that are too important to cancel, even if those plans involve my nephew.

“I’m meeting Greer’s daughter tonight.”

I wait for my brother’s reaction, and it’s exactly what I anticipated. He rushes over to where I am to grab me for a bear hug. “This is big, Holden. It’s huge.”

He’s right. It’s a monumental step, but it feels natural. I want a future with Greer, and Olive is an integral part of that.

“Take Olive some candy,” he says.

Since I sat him down a few days ago and explained that Greer is a mom, he’s now aware of Olive’s name. I didn’t dive into the details of her birth or the resulting collapse of Greer’s marriage.

That’s Greer’s story, and I won’t tell it without her permission.

I grin. “Have you forgotten her mom owns Sweet Indulgence? She’s already eating some of the best candy in this city.”

“In this country,” he corrects me, fake frowning while he does. “It still hurts that we didn’t score that deal.”

“You’re already over it, James.”

“True.” He winks at me. “Don’t tell any lame jokes tonight.”

My arms cross my chest. “I don’t tell lame jokes.”

“Says the guy who only tells lame jokes.” He rolls his eyes. “What was that one you told Sinclair the other night about a bike?”

I laugh because it’s a joke Stevie texted me earlier that day.

“Something about a bike falling down?” he tries to remember the setup.

“The bike fell over because it was two tired,” I say, chuckling while waving two fingers in the air.

Despite his protest about the jokes I tell not being funny, he laughs out loud.

“You know how happy I am for you, don’t you?” he says as his laughter fades. “No one deserves this more than you, Holden.”

The fact that I can hear the sincerity in his voice and see it in his eyes hits me hard.

“Denia would be proud of us.” I choke up a bit when I mention our grandmother’s name.

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