Cole parked behind another vehicle and Ren waited as he walked around to get her door. He reached down for her hand and pulled her up to stand beside him.
“I meant it, you know,” he murmured.
She lifted her brows questioningly.
“You’re beautiful.”
She smiled and relaxed. He twined his fingers with hers and started for the door, keeping her beside him the whole way.
Like Lucas, he just had a way of ensuring she felt comfortable.
She closed her eyes. Enough about Lucas. She had to stop with the mental comparisons. It wasn’t fair to either man, but it sure as hell wasn’t fair to Cole, who was doing everything in his power to make her happy.
A tall, imposing man answered the door. Ren’s brow crinkled and she glanced warily at Cole. The guy looked like a bouncer. A higher-class version, but someone into personal security for sure.
Cole just grinned. “How are you, Sam? Is Serena keeping you on your toes these days?”
Sam grimaced and then stepped aside to gesture Cole and her inside.
“Mr. and Mrs. Roche await you in the sitting room. Would you like something to drink? And your lady?”
“This is Ren,” Cole said. “Ren, this is Sam, Damon’s jack-of-all-trades.”
Ren smiled while Sam gravely shook her hand.
“Would you like a drink?” Cole asked her. “Damon stocks very good wine. Well, and everything else. Chances are, if you want it, he has it.”
“I like white wine. I’m not picky.”
Cole nodded. “Make that two.”
Sam disappeared and Cole took Ren’s hand again and led her further into the house. It was opulently furnished but nothing was gaudy. Damon, and perhaps Serena, had excellent taste. The artwork was beautiful. The furniture was tasteful and elegant. The entire house had a look of refinement that was hard to achieve on purpose.
But it still made her vaguely uncomfortable. Almost like she was in a place she could look but not touch. Already she felt the urge to tense up, put on a fake mask and never let these people see inside.
They walked into a spacious sitting room, although it looked like a regular living room to Ren. But perhaps when people had this many rooms in a house, they felt the need to name them all something different.
Damon and Serena were sitting on one of the sofas and another couple sat on the loveseat diagonal to the sofa. The woman was small and curvy, with beautiful caramel-colored skin that told of her Hispanic heritage and long dark brown hair. Her eyes were dark as well, a perfect match to the dark-haired, dark-eyed man who sat next to her.
Both couples rose when Cole entered the room with Ren. Ren hung back automatically even though Cole bore her forward with him.
“Cole, so glad you and Ren could make it,” Damon said warmly. “It’s very nice to see you again, Ren.”
Ren smiled back until her jaw felt frozen. Serena stood at Damon’s side and offered Ren a genuine smile as well.
“Come with me, Ren. I’ll introduce you to Micah and Angelina and then we girls can let the guys do their thing.”
Damon rolled his eyes but let go of her hand. Serena reached for Ren’s wrist and guided her in Micah and Angelina’s direction.
“Micah, Angelina, this is Ren Michaels. Ren, these are dear friends of ours, Micah and Angelina Hudson. Their daughter, Nia, is at the sitter’s tonight.”
“It’s a pleasure, Ren,” Micah said, his husky, deep voice washing over her. It had that thread of authority she so craved, one guaranteed to make her sit up and pay attention. He too was a man confident of his dominance.
“Hi, Ren,” Angelina offered sweetly, her shy smile delighting Ren.
“Okay, let go of Angelina so we girls can go sit. There’s only so long a pregnant woman should have to stand, and my feet are screaming,” Serena said impatiently.
Micah cracked a grin. “Sure thing, doll. I know when I’ve been given my marching orders.”
He leaned down to kiss Angelina and then stepped around the women and ambled over to where Cole stood with Damon. Not two seconds later, Sam appeared with wine for Cole and Ren.
After Ren took her glass, Serena motioned her and Angelina toward the couch. “Let’s go sit.”
Angelina grinned and leaned toward Ren. “She’s cranky. Don’t mind her.”
“I heard that,” Serena grumbled. She eased back onto the couch and sighed so loud that the men threw amused looks over their shoulders.
Ren perched on the loveseat across from Angelina and Serena, still unsure of what to make of these women.
“She and the others were all about cracking jokes about me when I was a waddling house,” Angelina continued with a smug smile. “It’s not so fun for Serena now that the shoe’s on the other foot.”
Serena glared at Angelina. “Shut up.”
“Who are the others?” Ren asked curiously.
“Our other friends. Girlfriends,” Serena explained. “There’s Faith, Julie and now Lyric, and of course Angelina and I.”
