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“Yeah. I wanna meet him,” I said, taking hold of Aaron’s hand and tugging him after me. “And you know you’re the big draw here, love. There’s no way you’re leaving.”

We made it to the line as the first people were coming through, stopping on our way to the end to say hello to Mr. Levin and his wife, who were dressed as Louis the Sixteenth and Marie Antoinette. Aaron shook his hand, and then it was my turn.

“Always a pleasure, Detective,” he said warmly, holding my hand in his grip longer than he had Aaron’s. “You remember my wife, Sarah.”

“I do.” I tilted my head as I regarded her, and both Aaron and the chairman of his board were charmed when she rolled her eyes at me. “You owe me money.”

She grunted. “Oh, please.”

“So, you’re welching?”

“It’s only a dollar,” she reminded me.

“It’s the principle.”

“Betting on college basketball is against the law, Detective,” she informed me haughtily.

“Is it?” I taunted.

“Fine.” She clipped the word. “When we dance later, I’ll give you your money.”

“I don’t take quarters.”

She growled under her breath, which made Mr. Levin break out in a huge grin as Aaron and I walked around Max and Astrid, who had stopped so we could be at the head of the line.

“You look nice in that,” I complimented Aaron. “What are you supposed to be?”

He was nonplussed. “I’m so obviously Phileas Fogg from Around the World in Eighty Days.”

I coughed. “Oh, of course.”

“Are you kidding? This is ninth-grade reading here.”

“You know what they say,” Max chimed in from beside me.

“No, what do they say?”

“If you have to explain it”—he winked at his brother—“it’s not good.”

I coughed again.

Aaron’s distaste for both of us was evident.

Most attendees who moved through the line were pleased to meet me and really couldn’t care less that I was a man. A couple of people were uncomfortable, and a few more were abrupt, but no one was out-and-out rude to me. It wasn’t smart. Aaron did not take kindly to me being rebuffed. When Max jabbed me in the side with his elbow, I glanced up to see a blond man shaking Astrid’s hand.

Prentiss Sutter was handsome—all the sons of Gordon were—but he had neither Aaron’s charisma nor Max’s style. I was a little disappointed.

“So good to finally meet you,” Max lied through his teeth. “Really looking forward to working with you and Father on bringing Armada on board.”

Prentiss jolted, and Max let his hand go as the youngest son took two steps and was in front of me, white as a sheet.

I offered him my hand, and he took it. His head snapped up so our eyes met.

“It’s nice to finally put a face to the name. I’m Duncan Stiel, your brother’s boyfriend.”

He was mute as he let go of my hand, and then he was in front of Aaron.

The man I loved took his brother’s hand in his and then covered it with his other. “You and our father began Armada Brokerage three months ago.”