What the fuck did I miss?
She glances up at him, and he smiles down at her. “Thank you. It’s been a long couple of days. I’m barely hanging on.”
He winks. “It appears my job as Cupid will never end. I’ll send you an invoice in the mail.”
She laughs, wiping at the corner of her eyes.
EJ forces another drink into Declan’s hands while he squeezes through bodies to get back to his seat. Penny’s eyes flicker to her soon-to-be husband, and as if attached by aninvisible string, he meets her eyes—a soft, sympathetic smile sprouting at the stress clearly written all over her.
When he finally slides into the chair across from hers, Penny’s throat bobs. Avery stays completely wrapped around her arm, talking to Arden and Ari around Penny’s body, but Penny might as well not be in the room. She’s teetering on losing it and she needs a real second to breathe.
She reaches across the table, and although he’s in a conversation with his boys, Declan reaches back without having to look. He lays his palm upward across the tablecloth and she takes it. She traces that clover tattoo over and over with her finger, her breathing evening out with each pass, until Lowesy eventually curls his hand in hers and gives her fingers a squeeze, and then another, and then one more.
By the time they pull away from each other, her eyes are brighter and her smile is genuine.
That, right there, is what the real kind of love looks like, I think.
When Forker finally makes it to our end of the table, Saltzy relaxes even deeper in his seat. He’s managed to collect two familiar faces to sit by. He and Wyatt are right next to each other, literally side by side, but when you’re surrounded by history, and all of that history is finally back in the same room together, it’s hard to feel like you’re one of them.
Saltzy glances at Fork, who smiles with ease, lifting his chin in greeting as he drops into the seat beside mine.
“How the fuck do you do it?”
Forker pauses, brow furrowing. “Do what?”
“Belong everywhere?” Saltzy asks.
Forker opens his mouth, probably to say something stupid, but Caulfield overheard that comment. He turns in his seat, glancing over his shoulder at Cap, who is completely unaware ofhis attention. Without a word, Wy reaches around and captures Saltzy’s chin in his hand, forcing his face back toward him.
I watch Tiffany’s eyes soften.
I watch Lauren’s throat bob.
I have a feeling I still don’t know a lot of the story when it comes to this group.
Wyatt studies Saltzy’s face carefully. Every line. Every slope and angle. He reaches over with his free hand and removes the Pittsburgh hat sitting on Cap’s head, turns it around, and puts it on his head backward instead.
“You belong here just fine,” Wy grumbles, leaning forward to gently press his mouth to Callum’s. He pulls back, but keeps his face close and Cap’s chin in his hand. Wy’s dark eyes scan his. “Understood?”
Cal sucks in a flustered breath, blinking. He nods.
I hide my smile behind my glass. That was probably the most open these two have ever been in front of us. It’s not every day that I see Saltzy all hot and bothered.
Forker is grinning from ear to ear when Saltzy turns back to us, neck pink, clearing his throat.
Caulfield returns to his conversation, but leans back a bit so that Saltzy can be included if he chooses to be. He drapes his hand casually over Cap’s thigh, too, because again—he belongs in any room that Caulfield’s in.
“What?” Saltzy barks out, giving Forker a lethal look.
Fork grins, leaning back on the legs of his chair, shrugging. “You’re cute as a button when you’re in love, Cap.”
“Oh, shut the fuck up,” Saltzy grumbles, bringing his beer to his mouth and chugging the rest of it.
EJ reaches across the island, a Jäger and Coke in his hand now. Forker’s eyes light up, happily surprised by the gesture. He takes it with a loud thank you, and only realizes his mistake when Lauren and Tiffany’s heads whirl in EJ’s direction.
“Ernie!” Lauren shouts.
“We’re going to vote you in as designated driver intenseconds,” Tiffany threatens.
