“It’s going to be fine, baby.”

She smiled nervously, “I’m just nervous your friends won’t like me.”

“They’ll love you,” he reassured her. She gave him a small smile as they entered the hall. All of his friends and teammates were there, with their wives or girlfriends. Some were talking, while others danced. Dinner hadn’t been served yet, so everyone was snacking on the hors d’oeuvres while they drank. When Shea saw Alex and Mary Ann, he led Elli towards them. Alex smiled when he saw Shea, before turning Mary Ann a little to greet him.

“Hey, Bro,” Alex said, shaking hands with Shea. Mary Ann smiled big, leaning up and kissing Shea’s cheek. Mary Ann used to be a model or something glamorous like that, but when she and Alex got married, she gave it up to have children and be a wife. She was stunningly beautiful and very sweet; Shea liked her the best out of all the wives.

“Shea! How are you!” she said in her thick country accent. She had grown up in Nashville and was country to the core.

“I’m good, Mary Ann. I want you guys to meet my…”

Shit, his what? He looked over at Elli and she smiled nervously, taking Alex’s hand.

“His date, Eleanor Fisher. But I go by Elli,” she said, shaking Alex’s hand. Alex looked surprised, but smiled as he returned the gesture.

“Well, hello. This is my wife Mary Ann.”

“Hi,” Elli said. Mary Ann smiled while hugging Elli instead of shaking her hand.

“Hi! How are you? You’re just too beautiful for words! I love your eyes!” Mary Ann was also very loud, but she meant well.

“Thank you so much. Your maiden name is Ryan right?”

“It is!”

“I’ve seen your work. A friend of mine used to shoot for you back in the day.”

“Alli Richardson?”

“Yup, I went to school with her.”

“Wow! Small world, huh?!”

“Sure is,” Elli said, giving Shea a grin, as the women began talking about mutual friends. Shea and Alex stood for a few minutes, as neither one of them knew the people who the women were talking about. They excused themselves, and headed straight for the bar. Alex ordered them both a beer, and the men stood drinking them as they made small talk.

“She’s nice, Shea,” Alex said with a nod towards Elli and Mary Ann.

“I think so.”

“She was the photographer from the team pictures we did, right?”

“Yeah, that’s where I met her.”

“Okay. I was thinking she was new because I haven’t seen you with anyone in awhile.”

“Changing it up, I guess.”

“You can say that again. She is not your norm, Shea, not at all. Mary Ann loves her.” Shea smiled, watching Elli talk with her hands, before letting out a gut-busting laugh. She was intoxicating; she looked over at him, giving him a smile, which he returned.

“She’s something.”

“Is it serious?” Shea looked over at Alex. He had known Alex for a very long time. They both joined the Assassins the same year and they both played in the amateur league together, too.

“I think so, but you know me,” Alex nodded, and Shea continued, “but then again, she’s the only thing I want right now.”

Alex nodded his head, and then grinned up at Shea.

“That’s great, man. I hope it works out.”

“You and me both.”

Elli was beyond nervous when she walked into the Union Station. She had been here before with her family for family events, but that didn’t help her nerves. First, she was running late, which made Shea late, but he didn’t seem to mind. Second, she was meeting his friends, his people. What if they didn’t like her? Thought she was a fat cow or something?

But that all changed when she met Mary Ann Welch. Mary Ann was stunning, with big blue eyes, almost white blonde hair, and a face to remember with her high cheek bones and beautiful lips. She was amazing, inside and out. They talked about everything from modeling to photography to kids, all the while, she felt Shea watching her. She loved that he stared only at her, even if it did make her self-conscious.

“Oh, Jakob is here,” Mary Ann said with a big grin, “I love him dearly, he stayed with Alex and me for awhile when he went through his divorce a couple of years ago. He’s our kid’s goddaddy. We just adore him,” Mary Ann gushed.

Divorce? Harper didn’t tell her that.

“He’s bringin’ someone tonight; someone he says is ‘the one’. Bless his heart, but he could fall in love with a rock. He seems pretty sure of this one, though.”

It took everything she had for Elli not to laugh, because she knew for a fact that Harper would never get married. She didn’t think Harper would even consider it, but then again Elli never thought Harper would see the same guy more than once.

So what the hell did she know, really?

“Ooo, she is super pretty!” Elli turned, seeing Harper and Jakob make their way towards Mary Ann. Mary Ann wrapped herself around Jakob, kissing his cheek loudly as Harper stood by with the what-the-hell-is-this-chick-doing look. Elli shook her head, but Harper was getting madder by the minute.

“Harper Allen, this is Mary Ann Welch. She’s married to Alex, they’re the ones I was telling you about. I’m the kid’s godfather.”

Harper face went from mad to understanding in two seconds flat.

“Oh, yes, I have heard a lot about y’all,” she said, and then Mary Ann hugged her tightly.