What Happens in Vegas... by Kimberly Lang Page A

battle, but it was certainly still raging. So much for thinking her family was normal. Gwen seemed unperturbed by what was going on outside.
    She patted him on the shoulder. “Don’t worry. Neither of them will end up over the balcony rail. They’re volatile, but not homicidal.”
    “They do this a lot?” He couldn’t keep the shock out of his voice.
    “Will’s a bit overprotective of Evie, and she’s always chafed against that. When you throw in that Harrison temper they both have…well, it can get explosive.”
    Still… He could see Evie’s wild gesticulations and Will’s increasingly deepening frown. Will didn’t seem like the kind of man who would take a swing at a woman, but at this point he wasn’t sure about anything as far as Evie’s family was concerned.
    Gwen’s eyes followed his to the balcony. “It was hard for me to watch at first, too. It still is, but I understand them both better now. I don’t like the boys to hear it, though, so they take it outside. Can I refresh your drink?”
    This family was truly nuts. Gwen was playing gracious hostess while Evie and Will fought it out on the balcony. He’d witnessed plenty of violence growing up, and it usually started with people shouting at each other much like Evie and Will were. Rich people—those so-called “good families”—weren’t supposed to have that problem. Maybe that was a myth. But he’d be damned if he was going to stand here…He moved for the glass door, but Gwen stayed him with her hand on his arm.
    “They need to get it out, Nick. I promise you, she’s fine.” Gwen’s eyes darkened in understanding, and her voice turned serious. “Really, she’s perfectly safe out there. Will has never raised a hand to Evie— would never.” She led him away from the door, explaining the whole time. “Evie is probably the only person in the world who will go nose-to-nose like that with Will. And, oddly, I think they both enjoy it. I do know that they won’t be able to discuss anything like adults until they get this out of their systems. They fight fair, though. Don’t worry about that.” She cocked her head. “I can’t believe Evie didn’t warn you.”
    “She did. Sort of.” He wondered what else Evie hadn’t fully prepared him for. But Gwen didn’t have that scared-rabbit look most women wore when they knew someone was about to get hit and were powerless to stop it. If anything, she looked exasperated. That relieved his mind a little.
    “Why don’t you tell me a little about yourself while we wait? I’ll admit I’m terribly curious. Evie’s very picky and wouldn’t marry just anyone, so you must be something very special. What do you do in Las Vegas?”
    This was surreal, but he tried to keep up his end of the conversation while keeping one eye on the balcony. “I run nightclubs.”
    Gwen beamed. “Oh, Evie should enjoy that.”
    Here was a chance to learn a few things about his new wife. Like how much she loved the nightlife. “Why?”
    “Well, she does love to dance, but she had to give up clubbing a couple of years ago just because the press gave her so much grief over it.”
    He bit back the remark he wanted to make. “She has mentioned that.”
    “Evie does her best to avoid the limelight wheneverpossible, but that’s just not possible for someone like her. Not here, at least. I’m glad you two met in Vegas—you’ve been allowed a little privacy at least.” Gwen leveled a steady look at him. “How did you two meet?”
    The question was simple enough and her tone was simply curious, but that steady look carried weight. Will might have exploded loudly, but Gwen’s inner Mama Bear looked eager to eat him alive if necessary. He tried to put himself in their place and not take offense. It was getting harder by the moment, though.
    Evie had wanted to handle this part of the conversation, as well—something else she’d asked for while they were getting their story straight—but since she was occupied at