Bryce by Miranda P. Charles

Author:Miranda P. Charles [Charles, Miranda P.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: MPC Romance Publishing

Chapter 13

Four weeks later…

* * *

“Here we are.” Bryce slowed down in front of the house of Xavier Stirling and Eve Marrin—his fellow IRs who’d become two of his closest buddies. He glanced at Emma and smiled at her apprehensive look. “Nervous, babe? You don’t have to be.”

“How can I not be? I’m attending Eve Marrin’s birthday! I watch Your Eyes and Ears religiously. As far as I’m concerned she’s the best investigative journalist around. What’s more, you said Holly Stirling’s gonna be there too. I’m meeting the Holly Stirling in the flesh! She’s my favourite ever singer. And you tell me not to be nervous? I’m afraid I’m going to fangirl and make a fool of myself in front of everyone and end up embarrassing you.”

He laughed, spotting an available street parking a little farther up from Eve and Xavier’s place. “You won’t embarrass me, no matter what you do. And they’re down-to-earth people. I’m sure you’ll relax the moment you meet them.”

Emma sighed. “I can’t believe you know them. And I still don’t know how I missed those articles that speculated you were Holly’s boyfriend when you worked as her bodyguard.”

“You should read the tabloids more often,” he said teasingly.

“So you said that Holly’s fiancé, Jaxon Caine, is one of your best friends.”

“Yes.” God, he hated that lie, but what could he do? Emma couldn’t know that Jaxon was his brother.

Given the usually intense public interest in Holly and Jaxon, the IR chiefs had decided that no one outside the IRs could know about Bryce and Jaxon’s true relationship. The only exception was their mother and stepfather, who’d been told that Bryce’s ten-year stint away from home should be kept secret to avoid unwanted publicity for everyone involved, hence, the lie. Fortunately, it was something to which their mother agreed wholeheartedly.

Bryce wished he could let Emma in on that little secret without revealing their IR identities, but with Addison most likely unaware that Doug Green had another son, it was too much of a risk to take.

“You said you’re also best friends with Xavier Stirling. Who did you know first—Jaxon or Xavier?”

“Well…” Bryce eased the car to a stop into the parking space and took a deep breath. “I knew Jaxon first. We were neighbours when we were kids and we played together a lot. We did lose contact when I moved to the Whitsundays to work at Plank Island, then we reconnected when I came back here in Sydney. From then on, it was as if we were never apart.”

“Some friendships are like that, aren’t they?” Emma murmured.

He nodded. “Then, with Xavier being Holly’s brother, I also got to know him and Eve very well. I hang out quite a bit with those two couples. I’m usually the fifth wheel.”

“You won’t have to be tonight,” Emma said, smiling.

He grinned. “Can’t wait to introduce you to them. Let’s go.”

They got out of the car and Bryce reached for Emma’s hand as they walked to Xavier and Eve’s house.

“So do you think we’ll have to surrender our phones at the door?” Emma asked.

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