“Yeah?” His eyes are a little glazed like sheer icing on a donut, and his grin is goofy from the many glasses of champagne he’s been drinking. I’ve only had a couple myself, but by the looks of it, Eli’s had a lot more than that.
I’ve learned something new about Eli Hart tonight: it’s not that the man doesn’t drink because he can’t handle it. It’s because he turns into a giddy giggly affectionate cuddler, turning his sternness into something adorable.
I like this version of Eli. All soft and pliable.
I like all of him, honestly.
If only he knew his bow tie is sitting at a jaunty angle and his hair is all messed up because he keeps running his hands through it, then he might not be so relaxed. He needed today, though. Needed the time out just to enjoy himself. Sometimes—sorry, most of the time, he’s stiffer than rigor mortis.
“I liked the part when you told everyone about the time you caught Nathan attempting to joyride your dad’s car when he hadn’t even passed his test yet.”
He chuckles, his chest vibrating against my palm as I look up at him. At only five feet, even with my heels on, he’s still at least a foot taller than me.
“I tattled on him.” Uncharacteristically, he snorts.
I shake my head with a wide grin. “Naughty boy. You both were.”
“I was just a kid.” He rolls his eyes. “I didn’t know any better.”
Michelle Hart deserves a medal for bringing up four strong-headed boys; it must have been chaos.
“You and your brothers get along so well.” Having no siblings myself, I always thought brothers and sisters fought like cats and dogs, but I guess I was wrong.
“We’re tight and they’re my best friends.” Something catches his eye from behind me and I follow his path of focus, landing on Arianna and Nathan dancing a few feet behind me.
“Nathan has a new best friend now,” he says, sounding slightly melancholy.
“Arianna?” I tilt my head back to look up at him.
“She’s good for him.” He hiccups and immediately apologizes, looking a bit embarrassed. “We thought he would never settle down.”
Alcohol also makes him loose-lipped. I don’t think he meant to share such a private piece of information.
“He made my dad’s day,” he continues. “I knew that seeing Nathan married would make him happy.”
I didn’t know much about Hart Law before Janice booked Safire & Spark to host their event, but after spending hours researching them, I feel as if I know them better than my own parents.
Everyone I’ve spoken to today has spoken highly of his father, Daniel, his sons, and his business. They’re not only noble, but they’re also unpretentious and grounded.
Earlier, Arianna and I met in the restroom, where I introduced myself and apologized for the intrusion. She waved me off, reassuring me that she was more than happy to add me and that she’s excited about the upcoming staff conference, as she’s Nathan’s secretary and will be attending.
Like long-lost friends, we hit it off, and when I asked Arianna where the goat yoga was, she started telling me all the antics she booked trying to get Nathan to loosen up when she first started working for him. It seems the Hart brothers are born more tense than a string, except for Max, who’s like a golden retriever, and Cole seems pretty chill too.
I’m learning a lot about one of the city’s most influential families. They’re good people. Not only do they look after one another, but others too, donating to dozens of local charities.
Eli closes his eyes and lays his hand on the back of my head, encouraging me to lay my cheek against his chest, his heartbeat strong and steady, just like him.
“I’m sorry about your dad, Eli.”
He rests his chin on top of my head. “It hurts, you know?”
For once, I don’t know what to say, so stay quiet.
He adds, sullenly, “Dad’s illness makes me feel out of control.”
“Is that why you like things done a certain way? To make you feel like you’re in control?” I ask gently. Every time I’ve visited his office, his desk is obsessively neat. If he saw mine, he’d throw a fit. No one knows where anything is, except for me.
Eli keeps peeling back layers of himself, revealing what’s going on in his life. “My brain hasn’t been right since he was diagnosed, and I don’t like how it works now.”