He let out a bark of laughter. “In defense of my gender, we’re not all dogs. As a matter of fact, I happen to be friends and work with a lot of good guys.”

“Ooh. Anyone you can set me up with?”

He gave her a long, dark scowl.

She’d take that as a no.

“I just breeched the sex-buddy etiquette again, didn’t I?” she asked.

“Quite.”

Sidney fought back a laugh, thinking that Special Agent Vaughn Roberts was rather cute when irritated.

Another person joined the group next to them, pushing her closer to Vaughn. Seeing her getting crowded, he took her elbow and slid them farther along the railing, where a concrete pillar blocked them from the rest of the bachelor and bachelorette party.

“So, I’m wondering something,” she said.

“Yes, he’s a player. Next question.”

She poked him in the chest. “That wasn’t the question. What I’m wondering is how you think your mother will react when she finds out that Isabelle is pregnant. Obviously, that’s one of the main reasons they’re going through this whole secret-baby charade.”

“Funny, Simon and I were just talking about this the other day.” He contemplated her question. “Look, my mother is very traditional in her beliefs. But does she truly believe that her two unmarried adult sons have never had sex? I doubt it. Still, as long as she has no specific evidence to the contrary, she’s got plausible deniability.” He shrugged. “Once she finds out that Isabelle is pregnant after the wedding, what’s she going to say? They’ll already be married by then. Plus, she loves Isabelle. Actually, she loves both of you.”

Sidney perked up, hearing that. “Really?”

Vaughn nodded. “Every time I talk to her, she wants to know if I’ve seen you and how you’re doing.”

“That’s so sweet. It’s great how close you are with her—you’re very lucky to have that kind of relationship.”

Vaughn studied her for a moment. “What was your mother like?”

Sidney smiled fondly. “She had a wicked sense of humor. Before she got sick, she and my father used to tease each other all the time. She was a little hot-tempered—I know, the stereotypical redhead—but also very passionate and loving. Isabelle looks just like her. At times, it’s almost uncanny.”

“And what did you inherit from her?”

She’d never been asked that before. “My mother could be quite sarcastic when she wanted to be.”

Vaughn’s hand brushed against her cheek. “I think she’d be proud to see how her legacy has been carried out.”

It was partially a joke, partially a compliment—or at least, she thought it was—and part something sweet that suddenly made Sidney’s chest pull tight. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” he said huskily.

For a moment, he just looked at her.

“There you are!”

The voice—Simon’s—came from their left. Sidney instantly took a step back, just as an inebriated Simon nearly tackled Vaughn.

“I’ve been lookin’ all over for you,” Simon said, red-faced and slurring his words. “I need to tell you somethin’.” He threw his arm around Vaughn and squeezed. “I love you, man. This has been the best night ever. I got my friends, I’ve got my brother, I got my gir—” He blinked and then grinned as he teetered to the right. “Sidney—hey! How are you?”

Sidney smiled. Yep, definitely a happy drunk. “Probably not quite as good as you, but no complaints.”

Simon pointed his beer bottle at her. “Isabelle told me about the trick you set up with her drinks. Genius.” He threw out his arms and narrowly missed shattering the beer bottle against the concrete pillar. “Best future sister-in-law ever, folks. Right here.”

“Aw, thank you.”

Vaughn subtly shifted his brother away from the column and out of harm’s way.

Simon, still on a roll, gestured between them. “And I gotta say somethin’ else. I know, in the beginning, there was some kind of . . . friction between you two.”

Vaughn and Sidney exchanged a look.

Simon shook his head emphatically. “Don’t know why, and it doesn’t matter. What matters is that you put whatever it was aside for Izz and me. And that is truly cool.” He looked at Vaughn and tapped his bottle to his chest, spilling beer all over his shirt. “You feeling me, bro?”

“I’m feeling you, man.”

Simon turned next to Sidney, tapping his chest again. “You feeling me, Sid?”

“I’m feeling you.”

“Awesome.” He caught sight of someone across the bar. “Dude! You made it!” With a grin, he walked over and threw his arm around a guy wearing a dark blue shirt.

“He is so going to be hurting tomorrow,” Vaughn said.

“Eh, Isabelle will take care of him. Knowing those two, she’ll probably think he’s just so adorable when hungover and hurling in her toilet.”

Vaughn laughed, and then looked at her for a moment.

“What?” Sidney asked.

He cocked his head. “Come with me.”

She raised an eyebrow. “Oh, really?”

“Well, look how fast somebody’s dirty little mind goes into the gutter.” He took her hand. “Come on. There are some people I’d like you to meet.”