“What exactly is an L-O-L, anyway?” Slade asked, stepping up beside Brantley.
Brantley took a swig of beer, frowned. “How the hell should I know?”
Slade nodded at the two little girls playing with palm-sized dolls with a dozen accessories scattered on the coffee table. “They said it. Not me.”
Brantley couldn’t even pretend to translate little-girl speak. He’d listened to them earlier and hadn’t followed a single word. It was like being around his nieces, which was nice, but it always left him feeling a tad overwhelmed.
Slade stepped in front of him. “I wanted to say thanks, you know, for givin’ me this opportunity.”
“Wasn’t nothin’ given,” he told the man. “They think you’re a good fit for the team. Now it’s up to you to prove yourself.”
“I’ll give it two hundred percent.”
Brantley knew he would. Slade had been the one to approach him, taking a brief moment after Kylie’s funeral to introduce himself and let Brantley know he was around if they needed anything at all. Although they’d grown up in the same small town, he didn’t know Slade all that well. Since Slade was five years younger, they’d never run in the same circles but had interacted a time or two at various family functions considering his aunt Lorrie’s family was as ingrained in Coyote Ridge as Brantley’s own.
“Did you and Reese hang out when you were kids?” he inquired, realizing they were roughly the same age.
Slade’s dark brown eyes shifted to the sliding glass doors and beyond. “He was a grade higher. I remember him, but we didn’t hang out, no.”
One never knew in this town.
“Hey, boss,” Charlie called out. “Reese is looking for you.”
Brantley excused himself to join Reese outside. He was then relegated to carrying in the food, put to work dishing it up, too. He should’ve known his man wouldn’t let him sit back with his feet up. Not that he minded doing a favor for Reese.
After all, he had every intention of calling in that favor later tonight.
“Looks like you might have another mouth to feed,” Evan informed him when he took a plate loaded down with French fries that Charlie had kindly cooked in the oven.
Brantley looked up, saw Magnus Storme talking to Reese on the back deck. Tesha had strolled over to him, clearly wanting to greet her trainer friend. Brantley watched as Trey took a few steps back, putting distance between them but never taking his eyes off Magnus. He recalled the conversation he’d had with Trey when his brother first showed interest in Magnus. He knew curiosity when he heard it, and his brother had certainly been curious about Magnus. The question was, why?
As he watched Trey watching Magnus, he thought back to New Year’s at Moonshiners when Magnus had flirted ruthlessly with Trey. Had they…? Surely not. What could those two possibly have in common?
Brantley’s thoughts dislodged when he noticed Jay Hernandez approaching.
“Hey, man, thanks for inviting me,” the man said with a smile.
Brantley turned his attention to the newest of their analysts. “Next time you should bring the wife and kids.”
Jay glanced over at the two little girls playing with their dolls. “I will, definitely. But my boys’ll likely run roughshod over everybody.”
“I’ve got a nephew,” Brantley told him. “Plus, I’ve got three brothers. They can’t do nothin’ I ain’t seen or done myself.”
Jay smirked, a dimple forming in his clean-shaven cheek. “I might have to take that bet.”
Brantley laughed, passed him a plate with a burger and fries.
He couldn’t remember the last time he’d gotten together with a group of people who weren’t his family. Back when he’d been in the Teams, no doubt. In those days, whenever they were stateside, they made a point to hang out. Wives, girlfriends, kids. Although Brantley had usually been the odd man out—no wife, no girlfriend, no kids—no one had given him shit about it. Not too much, anyway. It had been a good time all around.
As much as he missed those days, those people who’d been an extension of his family, this was his life now. These were his people.
His gaze swung to Reese, who was laughing at something Trey said.
Yes. This was his life now.
And to be honest, he wouldn’t trade it for anything.
*
JJ lingered at the party longer than she’d originally intended to.
Before they arrived, she and Baz had decided they would make an early night of it, go back to the apartment and watch a movie, have some popcorn. It had become their routine on the weekends. Friends enjoying one another’s company. Usually, they had a good time unless Molly called and interrupted, which she did regularly. When that happened, JJ had no choice but to face reality and the fact that Baz was having a baby with the woman. Baz was going to be a father, something she knew he would excel at. And because he would dedicate his whole heart to his child, their friendship would become an afterthought.
“You okay over there?” Baz asked from the driver’s seat of his truck.
JJ glanced his way. “Of course. Just thinkin’ … about the party.”
No way would she tell him that she was once again thinking about Molly Ryan and how that woman had come along and derailed JJ’s life entirely.
Not that Molly was at fault. Not even Baz. Everything that happened was because JJ had pushed Baz away for so long it finally took, and he went walking right into the arms of another woman. And then the universe had decided to pay JJ back for being so stubborn by impregnating Molly with Baz’s baby.
Just the thought of Baz with another woman made her stomach churn.
“It was a nice party.” Baz’s voice was low in the quiet of the truck. “Better turnout than I expected.”
“Yep,” she said absently, staring out the window.
“Talk to me,” Baz urged. “What’s wrong?”
She forced a smile, looked his way. “Nothin’. Really.”
“I can tell you’re not thinkin’ about the party.”
When he reached over and his fingers brushed her wrist, JJ didn’t pull away. Instead, she slid her arm closer, allowed Baz to link his fingers with hers. It was something he’d been doing as of late, touching her like that. Sweet gestures here and there, something to solidify what was transpiring between them.
Not that they’d picked up where they’d left off last year, but they had found their way back to a point that was comfortable for her. They still had separate bedrooms, but from time to time, JJ would find her way into his bed, and Baz always welcomed her with open arms. The sex between them was off the charts, even if it wasn’t nearly as consistent as she would’ve preferred.
But it always circled back to Molly and the fact that Baz was no longer JJ’s for the taking. He had other commitments, ones that were far bigger than a relationship with JJ.
JJ rubbed her chest over her heart. Even thinking about it hurt.
For the longest time, JJ had tried to convince herself that Molly was lying, that her erratic behavior was of a woman who was hiding something. Unfortunately, that hadn’t been the case, and Baz had finally confirmed for himself that she was in fact pregnant. Very pregnant by the time he was able to get past her constant avoidance. And now they were counting down the last five weeks before the baby was born.