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Thankfully, Beast finished up with the last in his line and Byron began approaching him before Nine could say anything. “Dude, you’re gonna be here all night. That line outside is insane.”
Beast shook his head then shrugged as he took a swig from his bottled water. “It’s for a good cause. I’ll save my complaining for when I have to do this all-day shit out of town, and I don’t even get to see my girls that night.”
The girl’s laughter in one of the other lines now, had Nine turning in that direction though Byron kept his eyes on his brother. Nine chuckled under his breath but loud enough to have Beast turning to see what he was looking at. “Never any shortage of groupies at these things, uh?”
Beast turned to Nine, his expression as soured up as Byron was fighting doing the same. “Those are all someone’s baby girls, you idiot.” Beast’s comment didn’t exactly make Byron feel better, but he was at least glad he’d confirmed what he’d first thought. “First year college students at ESU this fall. Had me signing things for their daddies’ and boyfriends.” Beast play jabbed Nine in the gut. “If my girls ever stood in a line this long to buy me something I’d be pissed if anyone mistook them for groupies.”
Nine took the jab to his gut with a laugh. “What’s wrong with groupies? They’re some of my favorite people.”
Finally easing up a bit, Byron smirked shaking his head. “Oh, Dee’s gonna hear about this.”
“I’m just saying they’re people too,” Nine said to Beast with a grin, but turned to Byron looking more serious suddenly. “You better not say anything to her, ass.” He patted his fist to his chest. “This ismantalk.”
“Get outta here.” Beast nudged him as they all began to walk. “Your wife hears you sticking up for groupies and your ass will be down on yourmanlyknees begging for forgiveness.”
“Yeah, so?” Nine said loudly. “At least I’m manly enough to admit it.” Both Beast and Byron laughed now. “Seriously, they may be young.” Nine held up two hands moving away from Beast a bit. “And now that you have two daughters you probably don’t wanna hear this, but I’m not sure who’s worse. The groupies or young college girls. ‘Specially ones away from mommy and daddy for the first time. This is their time to getfreakyand trust me.”He turned to Byron this time with an arched brow. “Backin the day,longbefore Dee Dee, I had my share of these so-called little innocent college girls. They may be young but they’re adults now—legal—and dying to live it up.” He nudged Byron now with his elbow. “FYI, out of townies are the best ones to get your freak on with. Kind of like what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas. Those chicks are open toanything. Doesn’t matter what kind of reputation they get because once they’re done with school, they go back to mommy and daddy, start their new careers with a clean slate, and never look back. It’s why so many of them like experimenting in college.” He bounced his brows. “Good way to get some three-way action going.”
“Alright, alright,” Beast said looking more annoyed than earlier. “Not all girls are the same. Just ‘cause you were always drawn to that type. Until Dee Dee,” he added when Nine began to protest. “Doesn’t mean all college girls are looking to get theirfreakon. This guy.” Beast shook his head. “Tell ’em, B. How much time did you have to get your freak on when you were going to school full time?”
Byron thought about that for a moment remembering all those weekends he was up into the wee hours of the morning writing papers and studying for finals.
“Zero,” he said with a frown knowing that was a bit of an exaggeration since he had gotten hisfreakon more often than not.
Then he had to laugh because he was sure what Nine was thinking. Byron remembered also going into college under the assumption that it was going to be one big party. While he had enjoyed his college days, it’d also been a lot of hard work. Still, given Byron’s own experience with the majority of young collegefreaks, but especially the one he’d deemed different and turned out to be completely wrong about, he wouldn’t bother arguing.
Byron turned to his brother ignoring the temptation to ask if he could clarify who was getting things signed for daddy and who had theboyfriend. Especially not after Nine’s spiel. Instead, he got right to what he knew his brother would want to know about ASAP—his wife and their temporary sitter. “Checked on Ali like you asked. She’s good but your sitter Natasha’s sick or something.”
“Sick?” Beast asked peering at him. “She seemed fine this morning when she got there.”
“Yeah, well you know Ali. Guess Nat’s sniffling and shit got Ali worried about her getting the girls sick, so I told her to go ahead and send Nat home and I’m picking up the girls at school.” He glanced down at his watch. “Matter of fact I gotta go. They’ll be out in about twenty. Don’t worry your housekeeper is with Ali until you get home. I’m taking the girls to eat and the movies, so Ali won’t have to worry about them for at least a few hours.”
“Thanks, man.” Beast started to dig in his pocket. “Easy on the candy and don’t let Elsie talk you into McDonalds. That kid can live off that crap. They like Olive Garden at least that’s better—”
“I got it.” Byron shook his head motioning to the money Beast was trying to hand him. “These are my girls too, remember?”
Beast smiled nodding as he slipped the two fifty’s he’d been ready to hand Byron back into his money clip. “Don’t spoil them too much. Ali says she doesn’t want them to start feeling entitled.”
“Yeah, does that ever stop you?”
Turning away with a smirk, Beast didn’t comment as Nine started asking him something about the shop. Byron said his goodbyes and walked away. Nine’s spiel about young college girls was still in his head. It didn’t happen often, but Byron actually had to agree this time about Nine’s theory. He just hated that Nine had dredged up an unsolicited memory. One he’d since buried way back in his head.
Ever since, he’d sworn off any girls he deemed too young, immature and likelier to put him in a situation like that again. He wasn’t about to allow a repeat of that shit. It’s why he was axing any temptation of getting involved with someone like the little college girl who’d caught his eye today. Especially one who looked young enough to be jailbait. In fact, he shook off all thoughts of her and decided he’d concentrate on the only other thing that ever had him smiling genuinely lately. He’d do just the opposite of what his brother had asked—indulge in some big-time spoiling.
“Did you know that owls are nocturnal, Uncle B?” Elsa asked as she twirled her pasta with her fork.
Byron nodded wiping his mouth as he finished chewing. He turned to Lucy whose little brows were furrowed just above her glasses and seemed confused. “Of cose, they’ah not tuhtles. That’s silly.”
Trying not to laugh outright because he knew from experience sensitive Lucy didn’t appreciate being laughed at, he took a sip of his soda.
“Not turtles,” Elsa said then giggled. “Nocturnal. It means owls are mostly active at night. Like bats and raccoons. We learned about them last year in the first grade, so you’ll learn about them next year, Lucy.” She turned to Byron with her big front toothless smile. “But we had an assembly in the auditorium today. They brought in animals from the zoo. One of them was an owl.”
“I didn’t get to go,” Lucy said her bottom lip beginning to tremble.
“It was only for second and third graders.” Elsa turned back to Byron wide eyed now. “I had no idea owls were that big. He washuge. My teacher called him majestic.”
“I’ve never seen an owl in puhsun.” Lucy’s eyes welled up and her lip was really going at it now though Byron could see she was trying to hold it together by pressing her little lips together.
“You just turned five, baby girl.” He reached out for her hand and kissed it. “There’s a lot you haven’t seen or experienced yet. Means you got a lot to look forward to.”
