Logan thought about his own answer of, “I’m not sure,” and he still felt that way. He wasn’t sure if he was okay with it, but it wasn’t like he had a choice. He just hoped that Cole didn’t recognize his old ‘study partner.’

Buttoning his suit jacket, he watched Tate do the same and then made his way around the front of the car. Ahh, who knew Tate could pull off a tux so well? He looked like he was born to wear one.

When Logan stopped beside him, Tate asked, “Ready?”

The moment felt full circle for him.

It had only been weeks ago that he’d been asking the same thing of Tate as he’d faced his fears, and now here Tate was, helping him face his own.

Logan winked, and when Tate held his hand out to him, all of his worries disappeared.

He slipped his palm into Tate’s and moved in closer to whisper, “In case I get busy in there and don’t say it, thank you.”

“For?” Tate asked as his eyes softened.

Logan squeezed his fingers, and as they started walking inside, he answered, “Always being willing to try.”

* * *

Tate scanned the opulent room and tried not to feel overwhelmed.

As soon as they’d stepped inside the banquet hall, Logan had been pulled away by his paralegal Sherry, and he’d told him that he’d be back as soon as possible. He’d known he would more than likely spend the night in the corner on his own, so it wasn’t like it was a surprise, but at the same time, it left him standing in a room full of—

“Tate!”

Strangers?

He turned in the direction of his name and was more than relieved to see Rachel Madison waving her arm and making her way through several people in his direction.

She was stunning, draped in a bright-red dress that plunged low at the neckline and then fell away to her knees. With the slight baby bump, she was radiant.

“Hello,” she beamed, and as Tate smiled at her, she opened her arms and embraced him in a warm hug.

“Hey.”

“I thought you might like to see a friendly face. I remember my first function with Cole down at the Shedd Aquarium, and it was—”

“Intimidating?” Tate suggested.

“Yes. And overwhelming,” she sighed and stepped back. “I spent the whole night talking to a complete stranger. Well, not the whole night.”

The grin that came across Rachel’s face was deviant, and it almost reminded him of the way Logan looked when he was thinking of something particularly…sinful.

“Lovely lady though,” she finally finished.

Tate winked down at her and nodded. “I’m sure.”

“You look hot by the way. Seriously…smokin’ hot. I think I’m probably the luckiest female on the planet tonight. I’ve got Cole, and I saw Logan walk in with you. Don’t tell him this, but I’ve never seen him look more handsome than he does tonight, and then you? Yep,” she said, popping the ‘p’ and making Tate laugh. “Pretty sure everyone in here is gonna think I’m one lucky lady.”

“Well, we’re all very lucky to be seen with such a beautiful woman as yourself.”

Rachel practically glowed as she giggled. “Ahh, flattery. It will get you everywhere.”

“Yeah, it’s how I put up with Logan. Tell him he’s hot and he rolls right over.”

“Does he now?” Rachel taunted as she leaned in and bumped Tate’s shoulder.

Laughing, Tate shrugged. “Get your mind out of the gutter.”

“Oh, but it’s so fun down there.”

“How about you point out our table and then I’ll get us a drink from the bar.”

Rachel turned around and pointed over to where Cole was standing at the other end of the room, and then he saw Logan walk up and stand next to his brother.

One was light, the other dark, but both men were equally commanding.

It was easy to see how their practice was so successful. They were intelligent and charming, and as Tate stood there sizing them up, he also realized they were both ridiculously attractive men.

They shared a father, Tate knew that, but the man must have had some seriously strong genes, because these two men were something else.

“They’re impressive, aren’t they?”

Tate looked down at Rachel to see that she too was staring over at her husband and brother-in-law.

“Logan’s never looked more attractive. It’s all in his smile. This is the first time I’ve ever seen him really happy.”

Tate touched a hand to Rachel’s lower back and felt his heart warm at her words. “He makes me happy too.” She looked as if she may tear up, so Tate gestured behind him. “I’m gonna go get those drinks. What can I get you?”

“Hmm…A virgin strawberry daiquiri please.”

Tate gave her arm a squeeze and then turned around to make his way toward the bar. He needed something to kick these nerves down a notch, and one quick shot of something would do the trick.

* * *

Logan stood beside Cole, drink in hand, as a long-standing client of theirs walked away to their table.

“You arrived on time tonight,” Cole joked as he turned his way. “Should I thank Tate for that?”

“Definitely not. He’s late for everything.”

“Well in that case, I’m happy to see you both here and on time.”

Logan raised his glass of champagne and took a sip. “Yeah, about tonight. I need to tell you something.”

“What did you do?”

“Nothing.”

“Does this have something to do with Tate’s ex? Because I sent off everything we needed to. If you did anything—”

“Would you stop? It’s nothing to do with that lunatic.”

Cole sighed and rolled his shoulders as if he were relieving himself of that burden. “Okay…then what is it?”

“The new client you met with last week—LPCW Architecture. Did you meet both partners?”

Cole frowned at him. Logan knew his brother was getting annoyed—more so over the fact that he was questioning him than anything else.

“No. I only met Lance Powell. His partner, Christopher, was out of town.”

Logan said nothing, just stared at Cole for a moment, and that was all it took.

Cole was nobody’s fool, and when he felt as though he’d been played, you better get the fuck out of his way.

“Are you trying to tell me that the Christopher Walker who owns half of the biggest architecture firm in Chicago is algebra Chris?”

Logan brought his glass to his lips and nodded as he drained it and then placed it on the tray of a waiter walking by.

“Yeah, pretty much.”

“Fuck, Logan.”

Logan grabbed ahold of Cole’s arm and steered him over to the side, since he looked like his head was going to explode.

“You think you might have said something, oh, I don’t know…this week?”

Logan sighed and reached up to fiddle with his tie. “I’ve kind of been trying to deal with making Tate feel comfortable, and then I found this out, and just…Well, fuck. I don’t know what to tell you.”

Cole looked like he was grinding his teeth, and Logan wasn’t surprised. He was also more than aware that, if Cole found out the entire truth about Chris, he would likely go postal.

“How long have you known?”

“Since Monday.”

“Of course. This is great. Just fucking great.” Cole’s eyes scanned the room, and Logan knew he was searching for him.

“He’s not here yet.”

“How do you know? We probably won’t even recognize him. It’s been years since college.”

Yeah, Logan thought, but not since I last saw him.

* * *

Tate stood at the far end of the bar and waited as the other guests were served. He’d been keeping an eye on Logan throughout and just saw him walk off to the side with Cole, where they were now standing in the midst of what seemed like a very heated debate.

Oh shit. Probably smart to wait until that simmers down.

“Good evening.”

Tate turned to his right and saw a blond-haired man stop beside him.

“Hi,” he offered, figuring it’d be rude of him not to try and at least make small talk with Logan’s associates.