“It’s been too long,” Zach said.
“Too damn long.”
Both men smiled at each other as if they’d never shared a cross word or years apart.
Samantha tucked beside Karen and whispered in her ear, “He’s crashing the party?”
Karen kept smiling. “Just showed up.”
“Well this is going to be interesting.”
That was what Karen worried about.
Michael turned toward the small crowd. “Everyone, this is my brother, Zach.” Michael took a moment to offer a few names to Zach, but it became quickly apparent the man wasn’t going to remember most of them. Or if he did, it was because of their fame and not the brief introduction. “And you’ve met Karen.”
Zach once again took her in with his blue gaze. “I’ve met your wife.”
Zach allowed Mike to lead him around and introduce him to his friends, though Zach didn’t think there were many people in the house his brother could actually count on. He wasn’t sure what he thought it would be like walking into his brother’s world. He knew the level of success his brother had achieved, but he’d never experienced it. The plastic Hollywood scene was light-years away from the life they’d grown up in. Maybe that was the appeal. Lord knew growing up in a small town in Utah had its drawbacks.
Like never finding a woman as stunning as the one Mike called his wife. Zach had seen pictures, right before their mother went on a tear about having never met Karen. None of the pictures did the woman justice.
Her eyes were the shade of blue seldom seen outside of an ocean. Her blonde hair was too pure to come from a bottle, and despite all the activity around her, she didn’t seem to let any of it affect her. Zach understood his brother’s attraction and that had happened exactly never. Not once could Zach remember them both having the same girl in their thoughts.
He pushed Mike’s wife out of his mind and remembered why he took this little trip to his brother’s.
It was their youngest sister, Hannah, who prompted Zach to jump on the back of his motorcycle and take the road trip to LA. Mike could be Mr. Hollywood with everyone else, but his family missed him. Their mother was pissed, their father ready to disown the youngest male in the Gardner line, and the girls were convinced that Michael Wolfe wasn’t blood related after all. But Hannah had practically begged Zach to drag Mike home.
“Hon?” Karen captured Mike’s attention. “The caterers are ready to serve.”
Michael placed his arm over Karen’s shoulder and kissed the top of her head. “Thanks.”
Zach had seen the move from Michael before. It certainly appeared as if Karen and Mike’s marriage was happy.
“Can you excuse us for a second, Zach?”
“It’s your party, I’m just crashing.”
Mike waved at the disc jockey, who turned down the volume on the music playing in the background.
Zach had found a beer and sipped it now as he watched his brother welcome his guests and thank them all for coming. When he drew Karen next to his side and thanked her for being his wife, Zach found himself looking away. He noticed Samantha, Karen’s friend, watching him before she diverted her gaze.
A few guests started mumbling to his right, catching Zach’s attention. “Wonder how long it can possibly last.”
“It’s hard to get sick of your spouse when he’s never home. Hasn’t he been on location nine of the past twelve months?”
Zach sipped his beer and continued to eavesdrop. “At least. And he’s headed out next month for another three.”
He spared a glance and recognized an anorexic actress he’d seen, but couldn’t name, talking with an older woman who appeared to love her Botox.
“I hear he’s scored over thirty million on his next film. I’d let my husband travel wherever the studio wanted him to for that.”
Disgusted, Zach forced his attention away from the gossiping movie stars and circled the edges of the courtyard.
Samantha caught his attention and brought him into her circle of friends, who were all chatting after Mike and Karen started the line at the buffet.
“Zach, I’d like you to meet some friends of Karen and Michael’s. My husband, Blake Harrison. His sister Gwen and her husband, Neil MacBain.” Zach shook the men’s hands, happy he didn’t recognize any of them.
“Are you actors?” he asked.
Gwen laughed. “Not everyone here is in the industry.” Gwen’s British accent laced her words.
“I’m in shipping,” Blake offered.
Samantha snuggled into her husband’s side, obviously very in love with the man. “He’s also a duke, but we refuse to call him Your Grace.”
Blake rolled his eyes.
“We do when he pisses us off,” Gwen said.
“A duke, seriously?”
Blake sipped his cocktail and shrugged. “Can’t pick your parents.”
Samantha indicated the linebacker that stood by Gwen’s side. “Neil is in private security.”
That, Zach could buy. The man was huge; his narrow gaze took in everyone around them, and Zach guessed he was armed to the teeth.
“There you are!” A voice rose behind them, twisting Zach around.
The couple coming at him didn’t need an introduction. He leaned toward Neil. “Is that the governor?”
“Yeah.”
“Damn, didn’t think Mike knew everyone in this state.”