I arched a brow. "Oh, you're an expert now?"
"Yeah, I am." She nodded, crossing one leg over the other. "Remy showed me that there is much more to life than protecting your heart and emotions."
Raven had had every reason to do both for most of her life, and I was genuinely thrilled she'd found someone who cherished her the way she deserved.
I exhaled a deep breath and gave her a reassuring smile. "My heart and emotions are both doing just fine, thank you very much for your concern."
Admittedly, though, both my heart and emotions had been through the wringer the past few years.
Another burst of laughter from Stevie, and my gaze instinctively drifted once again in that direction, watching as she now danced with our sister Cara, both of them bouncing on their feet with their hands waving in the air in time to the music.
At some point Stevie had kicked her heels off, and as sexy as she'd looked with them on, I loved that she'd opted for comfort and
didn't give a damn about decorum.
"Why don't you just ask her out already?"
I returned my attention to Raven, feigning confusion. "Who?" I asked.
Raven rolled her eyes, clearly not fooled. "Stevie, that's who. You've both been skirting around your attraction to one another since I introduced the two of you well over a year ago."
I shook my head. "Raven, the last thing I'm looking for is a relationship."
She laughed. "Who said anything about a relationship? You're both consenting adults, so why not just enjoy each other's company and have a good time together? That's what dating is."
"Because my life is shit right now?" I reminded her.
"My life was shit when Remy barged into it, remember?" she countered.
I winced because it was hard to forget how Lance had terrorized Raven, though I was grateful that Remy had become her savior, even when she'd tried to resist his protection.
The look in her eyes softened. "Look, all I'm saying is, work and everything else aside, you need to do things that make you feel good and make you happy. There is nothing wrong with that. It doesn't take away anything from Owen for you to enjoy someone else's company. You haven't
dated anyone since filing for divorce and that was, what, two years ago?"
"Times flies," I quipped sarcastically.
She narrowed her gaze at me. "Don't be a jerk, Caleb."
I sighed and rubbed my palm along my jawline. "I'm not trying to be."
She reached out and touched my knee. "I just…want you to be happy."
I took her hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze. "Once this custody case over Owen is finalized, I'll be the happiest man around."
She frowned. "I hate that Alyssa is doing this to you. That joint custody of Owen isn't enough for her."
"You can't be surprised," I said, both of us well aware that Alyssa didn't really give a shit about how much time she spent with Owen. The custody suit had never been about that.
"No, I'm not surprised," she said, sounding sad. "Just disappointed that she'd use Owen as leverage to try and get back together with you, and if that doesn't work, then hurting you is no doubt her second option."
"Not gonna happen," I assured her.
"Good." Raven nodded succinctly. "You deserve so much better than what she's put you through."
"Hey, I've been looking for you, wife," Remy said, interrupting our discussion—as he strolled up to where we were sitting.
Raven's entire face lit up with adoration, and she grinned at her husband. "Ahh, the sound of that word, wife, never gets old."
"It better not," he said in a low, possessive growl that made me chuckle, and Raven blush.
"Samantha and Dex are heading out and want to say their goodbyes, so I'm stealing my wife," he said again. Smiling and enjoying their dynamic, I waved a hand in the air. "She's all yours."
"Damn right she is." Remy extended his hand toward Raven, and she placed her own in his, allowing him to pull her up from the chair.
Raven glanced back at me. "Just think about what I said, okay?"
"Sure," I said, mostly to appease her. After Remy and Raven walked away, I stood up, needing a breather after that conversation.
I strolled over to the far side of the terrace, away from the party and where the music was more muted and the area provided
some quiet and solitude.
The lighting didn't extend to this far corner of the rooftop, and it wasn't until I was in the secluded area that I realized someone else was already there, standing at the decorative stone balustrade that secured the perimeter and overlooked Manhattan.
Stevie, to be exact, who looked to be texting someone on her phone, the light from the device the only thing illuminating
her beautiful features and blonde hair.
"And here I thought I was the only one who needed a break from all the noise," I said as I approached her.
She jumped at the sound of my voice, obviously not expecting company. But as soon as she saw that it was me, she relaxed and smiled.
"Yeah, I wanted to find someplace quiet to check in with my sister."
"She left already?" I asked, surprised. I hadn't noticed and assumed she'd been sitting at a table while Stevie was out on the dance floor.
Stevie nodded. "Yes, a while ago." She put her phone in her small purse, then set it on top of the wide stone wall before meeting my gaze in the shadows, caused by the reflection of the city's lights.
"She's had a rough couple of weeks and I'm just worried about her."
I stood next to her at the railing. "Is everything okay?" I ventured to ask.
She exhaled a soft sigh. "I hope so? I mean, she's fine right now. She's assured me that she's in bed watching trashy reality TV but…well, she went through a bad breakup, one that required a restraining order against her abusive ex, and I'm just worried that the asshole isn't going to leave her alone.
Narcissistic, entitled men like Mark don't like being put in their place".