Page 95 of Love On and Off Set

“My parents live in Chilliwack.” Inwardly, I winced.

“Lovely town. I enjoy the drive up to Hope sometimes. When I need to get out of the city. Or I go north to Whistler. That highway’s a little crazier.” He offered another smile. “May I buy you another cider? I might try one of those myself.” He waved to a server who’d magically appeared. He pointed to my glass. “Two?”

“You bet. It might take a bit, though.” She took off through the overly enthusiastic crowd.

Brody turned back to me. “You’re having a nice evening?”

I blinked. Was I? I’d been here for hours, sitting on a stool at the bar and trying to find someone to pick up. Then, when I’d gone to the john, I’d spotted ghost guy.

Brody. Get that straight. Guy has a name.

I’d found an empty table where I could sit and watch him and had been doing so for the past little while. I wasn’t certain how long. I kept trying to reconcile that I knew this man was dead with the fact that he obviously wasn’t. My mind couldn’t wrap around the facts.

“Are you okay?” Brody gazed into my eyes. “Because you seem…uncomfortable. I can go—”

I grabbed his arm, even as he started to rise.

“Please don’t go—”

“Get your hand off him.” Hallstein was back. Should’ve known he hadn’t gone far.

Brody placed a hand on Hallstein’s shirt. “It’s really okay. Robbie and I are just going to sit and talk. Why don’t you and Myles go home and…” He made some inarticulate gesture.

Hallstein glared at me. Then his expression lightened at Brody. “Yes, I believe Myles has plans for us. Myles always has plans for us.”

“And the five cats?” Brody picked a piece of stray white cat hair off Hallstein’s pristine jacket.

“Motherfucker. That’s Claude. She’s always getting into my stuff. And I can’t run through the house without catching some of her fur.” He smiled. “And I love the little fluff ball.”

“I always say Minnie’s way simpler.” Brody grinned, then turned to me. “My mastiff. You, uh, sort of met her earlier. She’s easy to manage.”

“Unless she’s chasing a squirrel, and then she’s a one-hundred-pound menace.” Hallstein glared.

“Just be glad she’s only one hundred. Her father was closer to one-fifty.” He smiled at me. “They can go up to two-hundred-pounds.”

Holy shit. That’s about what I weigh.

“Are we talking about Minnie?” Bleach-blond guy pressed a hand to his chest. “She’s just the sweetest dog.”

“Except when she’s chasing squirrels.” Hallstein put on what I was starting to think of as his grump face.

Wait…does he have any other face?

Bleach blond extended his hand to me. “I’m Myles. I didn’t figure my boo was going to introduce me. I can see you’re cozying up to our Brody. Take care of him, eh? He’s a super-sweet guy, but—”

“Myles.”

Both Hallstein and Brody spoke at the same time.

The blond—Myles—pressed a hand to his chest. “What? I was just going to say that he’s had a rough year, and now that we’re starting fresh, maybe…I’m sorry, I didn’t catch your name…”

“Robbie.”

“Right! Maybe Robbie can make it all better. Soothe his battered soul.”

“Thank you, Myles.” Brody rolled his eyes. “I think I can handle the rest of this on my own.”

“Well, I’m just making sure you get all the TLC you deserve.” Myles pressed himself against his husband. “Take me to bed and make me yours.”