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~oOo~
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“She’s gorgeous, bruh,” Zach said, watching Petra’s dance friend’s latest TikTok for the hundredth time. Jay was starting to feel a little jealous. But Lyra was standing at Zach’s side, watching along with them, so he supposed it was okay.
They’d had breakfast at the clubhouse, and now Tulsa and Laughlin were preparing to say their goodbyes. The whole Nevada charter made the runs to Mexico, and everybody knew how dangerous that run was. Lyra, Siena, and Siena’s kid—no, sister, Jay remembered—Geneva were there to say goodbye to their men. Several sweetbutts, too. And Nevada’s new prospect, Jordan, who was staying at the clubhouse in the patches’ absence.
“She’s so talented!” Lyra said. “Does she have a page of her own?”
“Yeah, but she won’t tell me her handle. She won’t let Keisha tag her, either. She says she only lurks and doesn’t want the attention.”
“I get that,” Lyra said. “Going viral brings all the crazies out.”
The video was over, and Zach put his phone away. “Dunc says she’s older. She doesn’t look it. How much older?”
Jay ignored the blast of preloaded defensiveness that hit the back of his head. It wasn’t a big deal. If he didn’t act like it was a big deal, maybe nobody else would think it was.
Also? Fuck Duncan and his big mouth.
“She’s thirty-two.”
Zach’s eyes flared, and that defensiveness started to catch hold. “Wow. That’s older than I would’ve guessed.”
“It’s not a big deal.”
Jay worked to keep his tone in line with his words. He noticed Lyra looking at Zach like he’d just struck a match near a gas leak, so maybe he hadn’t succeeded in the tone-word thing.
“No, it’s not,” Zach said—and then he smiled and hooked his arm over Jay’s shoulders. “I think it’s great. You obviously think it’s great, and that’s all I care about. I want to meet her.”
“Gotta come back home for that.”
“We’re thinking about coming home for Christmas again. Trying to get Coop in on it, too. Make it a full reunion.”
Truly pleased, Jay smiled. Last Christmas, he’d been too hurt and angry and lost to be glad to see his brother. He’d hadn’t even managed to sit beside him at the dinner table. The tension between them had chilled the whole holiday at the Jessup house.
“That would be cool,” he said.
“If you’re still eating,” Cooper called, “shove it in, fellas. Time to roll.”
Lyra grabbed Zach’s arm. “I’m going to help Siena quick. I’ll come out before you go.” Zach bent and kissed her cheek, and she smiled at Jay. “I’m glad to get to really talk to you this trip, Jay. Can I hug you?”
“Uh, yeah. Sure.”
They hugged. As they started to back off, she whispered, “Thank you.”
Jay didn’t respond. He didn’t know what to say, or what she’d meant.
Then Zach and Jay were standing there alone, facing each other in the middle of the clubhouse.
Jay felt that weight on his chest. For the first time since Zach had left with the setup crew last summer, Jay’s prevailing emotion upon separating from his brother wasn’t fury and hurt. He was just sad.
“Fuck,” he muttered.
“Come on,” Zach said, seeming to understand. He hooked his arm across Jay’s shoulders again. “Let’s head out to the bikes.”
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