“How do I know nothing is up with our brother? Because he looks like that the majority of the time now,” she said as she pointed across the room, and Liam’s gaze followed automatically.

Logan was standing behind Abby, one of his hands on her hip as he bent his head low to whisper in her ear. He was about a foot taller than her, but she made a little bit of an effort to close the gap with her heels. She was stunning in her red dress, and there was no doubt she’d worn it in an effort to tempt Logan as he had a thing about seeing her in the color. He had nicknamed her Red after all, though that had more to do with her hair than anything else.

Abby turned to face Logan, both of his hands now gripping her waist as she ran her palms up the lapel of his tux. Whatever she said to him had him grinning down at her like a fool.

“Logan is so beyond happy that it’s ridiculous,” Adele continued, and Liam turned back to face her. “Not only because he’s in love, but because his team just won the Stanley Cup. Yet you,” she poked him in the shoulder, “spend a few hours outside on the porch with him getting drunk and he comes inside looking somber. So yes, I know it’s you. Who is she?”

“How the hell?” He looked at her, shaking his head.

“I really wish you and Logan would give me more credit and stop trying to hide things from me.”

Yeah, maybe that was his own fault. Underestimating Adele was never smart.

“Her name is Harper. I met her a few weeks ago in Nashville.”

“Groupie?” she asked, narrowing her eyes in that intimidation stare he was so used to.

Again, Adele might be the baby of the family but she was just as protective of Logan and Liam as they were of her. She in no way approved of the hangers on, using her brothers because they were somewhat famous. Though, Logan had a lot more stardom than Liam did, and the rink bunnies were more prolific than the music groupies.

“No, not a groupie.” Liam shook his head.

Adele opened her mouth to ask something else but was interrupted as they were joined by Logan, Abby, and two teenage boys.

Apparently the rest of this conversation was going to have to wait.

“I wanted to introduce you guys to Dale Rigels,” Logan said, patting the back of the shorter, and slightly thinner of the two. “And Hamilton O’Bryan.” He then patted the back of the taller boy with thick black-framed glasses and a goofy grin.

The names immediately registered in Liam’s brain, and he forced himself to switch gears from the conversation he’d just been having with his sister to focusing on the two boys.

Last February, Logan had gone to visit a kid in remission. It was something Abby had set up when she’d still worked for the Stampede PR department. Abby’s best friend lived in the same small Florida town as the two boys, and they were all family friends.

Logan was never one to jump in the spotlight. He liked his private life private and wasn’t about being exploited, or exploiting anyone else for that matter. He firmly believed that just because he was semi-famous didn’t give anyone the right to know about his personal business. It was one of the reasons he and Abby had butted heads so hard in the beginning. He’d been pretty unwilling to work with her.

But when she came to Logan and asked him to visit Dale, he’d said yes without hesitation. If there was one thing that he couldn’t say no to, it was a kid in need. And he hadn’t stopped with that one visit, either. He’d developed a relationship with Dale and Dale’s best friend Hamilton. Keeping up with Dale’s treatments, knowing that the kid was in remission, inviting him to Stampede events, and even paying for the kid’s medical bills.

That was just the type of guy Logan was, biggest heart on the planet.

“It’s great to finally meet you,” Liam said, shaking both boys’ hands in turn. Adele did the same, smiling warmly at both of them, clearly knowing exactly who they were as well.

“You know who we are?” Hamilton asked in awe.

“Yeah, Logan talks about you both all the time.”

“But you’re…you’re Liam James.”

“Hamilton here is a bit of a fan,” Logan explained.

“Are you kidding? What you can do with an electric guitar is ridiculous. That part in the chorus of ‘My Kinda Summer’ is genius.”

“Genius?” Adele raised her eyebrows. “I believe that’s a first.”

“Thanks.” Liam shook his head at his sister. “You play?” he asked, returning his focus to Hamilton.

“Guitar? A little. I’m not that great.”

“Don’t let him fool you,” Dale said. “He plays about ten different instruments.”

“Really? Which one is your strongest?”

“The piano.”

“Nice.” Liam nodded. “Well, next time we’re in the same area be sure to have your guitar. We can play together.”

“You’re serious?”

“Absolutely.”

At that moment another guy joined the group. He had about an inch in height on Liam, and his arms were massive and looked to be testing the jacket of his navy blue suit. The short dark blond hair on the top of his head matched the length of the beard on his face.

Abby stepped in, making quick introductions. “This is Bennett Hart, Hamilton’s brother-in-law. And, Bennett, these are Logan’s siblings, Adele and Liam James.”

“Nice to meet you.” Bennett shook Adele’s hand first before he turned to Liam. “Liam James, the singer? I didn’t realize the family connection.”

“That’s because I only claim him every once in a while,” Logan said before he took a sip of the same bourbon that Liam was drinking. They both were whiskey drinkers.

“You know I don’t know what I ever did to the two of you.” Liam shook his head.

“You want a list?” This coming from their mother, who was hand in hand with their father as they joined the group. “Because I can give you one in alphabetical order.”

“Oh great. This is going to be fun. I think I’m going to need another drink before the roast begins.”

“Hmmm.” Adele narrowed her eyes. “With the stuff we’ve got on you, you might need two.”

“Don’t worry.” Logan clapped Liam on the back. “We won’t embarrass you in front of everyone. By the way, Mom, Dad, let me introduce you to Dale, Hamilton, and Bennett.”

Dustin and Edie chatted with the three men, both of them knowing the story behind Dale just as much as Liam and Adele.

“So is it just the three of you that were able to make it to tonight’s event?”

“No,” Bennett answered. “My wife and our friend are here. But they seem to have disappeared.”

“We didn’t disappear,” a blond with curly hair bouncing around her shoulders said as she joined the group, leading a woman who followed behind her. “I was just getting a drink for Harper and me.”

He knew it was her before her name even hit his ears.

Harper’s gaze was caught by something on the other side of the room as she joined the group, her head turned away on that slender neck of hers. A neck that was exposed.

He spotted the cluster of freckles that were under her left ear. Freckles he’d kissed more than once. Freckles he’d know anywhere.

Harper was here.

He’d found her.

Chapter Eight Found…Again

It was one of those slow motion moments, like when Liam had first seen Harper at the bar, where everyone and everything disappeared besides them. As her head turned to face them, his heart started beating out of his chest and he stopped breathing.

And then those violet eyes were on him, going wide as she choked on her drink. She coughed, covering her mouth.

“Are you okay?” the blond with curls asked, turning around.

The sound of someone else’s voice so close brought Liam back to the room filled with people and the reality of the situation.

It had been six weeks since he’d seen her. Six weeks of thinking he’d never see her again. Six weeks of being out of his mind, and here she was. Standing in front of him.