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Talk turns to the fundraiser and how well it went. They’re still totaling the donations, but they think it’ll be a record year.
“We should recruit your brother for next year. His little show was a hit,” Sam jokes with me.
“I’m sure he would be down to come back. He never shies away from an opportunity to show off.”
“He’s younger than you, right?” Sam steps away from the table with a curse after missing his shot.
“Yeah, by a year and a half.”
“How many siblings do you have again?” Brody asks.
“Four. And then there’s Natalie, Tucker’s wife, who we count as an extra one.”
Taylor whistles. “Damn, I thought having two younger sisters was a lot.”
“Let’s just say family dinners get a little crazy.” I laugh.
“I can’t even imagine what that’s like.” Sam shakes his head.
“Loud, hilarious, and utterly ridiculous most days. I feel bad for my siblings’ significant others. They’re probably the bravest people I know for being willing to jump into the fray.”
Rick and Daniel run the rest of the table, sinking the eight ball with ease. It sets off another round of razzing Brody, as if it’s his fault Sam and I lost the game. He refutes the claims with a smile on his face and then challenges Taylor to a game to prove he’s not bad at pool.
With a smile on his face, Sam steps over to me. “You want to grab a drink?”
He places his hand on my lower back, and my brain blinks out for half a second. I manage to nod and then follow him toward the bar.
We both order beers and carry them back to the pool tables. It seems a heated round of doubles started while we were gone. Rick and Taylor are on one team, while Daniel and Brody are on the other. Smack talk is being thrown back and forth.
“Are they always like this?” I ask Sam as we sit at the high-top table together.
“Pretty much.” He laughs.
“Then you know what it’s like to have a bunch of brothers who enjoy teasing you mercilessly. Even my sister, Sara, can be brutal.”
Sam’s eyebrows furrow as he looks at the guys playing pool. “I’ve never thought about it like that. These guys are absolutely like family to me.”
My phone buzzes, and I pull it out to find another text from Chase. He’s been quiet these past couple of weeks, so I’d hoped he was finally going to leave me alone. I guess not.
Chase
I really need to talk to you. Please. Can we meet somewhere? I miss you.
I’ll meet you when hell freezes over.
I slide my phone back into my pocket without answering.
“Hopefully, you weren’t talking to me.” Sam’s words have my head whipping up to look at him.
“Did I say that out loud?”
He half smiles. “You did. I’m guessing you were talking to whoever texted you?”
My shoulders slump. I have no desire to get into this with him in the middle of a loud bar with his firefighter buddies only a few feet away. I don’t need my shame broadcast to everyone in the room. It’s bad enough I have to live with it every day as it is.
“Yeah, my ex has phenomenal timing. He seems to know the exact moment I’m starting to enjoy myself and then manages to ruin it.”
“Does he want to get back together?”
