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“Medical conference,” Mason tells me when my eyes swing in his direction.
“Your sister signed me up for some Sunday morning pilates class,” Dad complains. “If I miss it, she’ll have my head.”
“You?” I ask Davis who’s leaned against a counter, chugging down an espresso.
“Sure.” His yawn rumbles so hard, I swear the empty baking pans rattle on the shelves. So hard I’m shocked muffin trays don’t go tumbling to the floor. “Not like I have anything going on.”
Jasper watches our oldest brother over his shoulder. “Dude, when’s the last time you got a good night’s rest? Should we be worried about you?”
Sparkle babbles and grunts angrily, twisting her little body to steal raisins from her dad’s hand. He lets her have a few before dumping the rest into his batter.
“I’ll sleep when I’m dead,” Davis says, sounding like he already has one foot inside the grave.
Mason observes him. “You’ll be dead a lot sooner than you think if you don’t start taking care of yourself. You go from work to the bakery and then back to work. Do you ever get a minute to yourself?”
“I’m fine,” Davis says, sort of brushing off our concerns.
“Better get your shit together before the wedding,” Cash warns, “I’m not helping Meghan cut your tired-looking face out of all our wedding photos.”
Davis cranes his head from left to right, loudly cracking his neck. Then brings his attention to me. “As I was saying, I’ll cover your shift.” His eyes narrow with suspicion. “Why do you need someone covering you anyway? I thought you didn’t have another game for a few days.”
“It’s not because of a game…I…I…” I clear my throat and square my shoulders. “I have a…thing.”
Eyebrows jerk up around the room and the guys give me dumb looks.
“A date?” Mason asks.
“It’s not a date,” I say defensively. “It’s athing.”
“Well, damn,” Cash mutters. “You should see your face. You are the poster child forthere’s-more-to-the-story.”
Grrr. I’ve always hated how easy it is for them to figure me out. I guess that’s how it is when you’re the youngest of the guys.
“I’m taking this girl to the children’s charity gala. It’s platonic. We’re just friends.”
Jasper’s eyes twinkle as he drops a few more raisins into his daughters little hand. “Aww. Who’s the mean, mean lady that’s got our baby brother in the friend zone?” Sparkle’s fussing and cussing now, frustrated that her dad isn’t feeding her treats fast enough.
“Yeah, who’s this ‘friend’?” Mason asks. “Anyone we know?”
They all watch me expectantly.
Shut up, Harry. Shut up, Harry. Shut up, Harry.
I know I’m going to regret opening up my big mouth to them. But here goes…
“Nadia. Nadia Chester.” I grab Sparkle from Jasper’s arms. Forget the raisins. I hand the little girl a few tiny chocolate chips. ‘Cause I’m the cool uncle.
On my periphery, I see everyone’s jaws hit the floor. Five pairs of laser beams bore into the side of my head.
But I keep my eyes on Sparkle, rocking her on my hip and handing her more chocolate which she greedily eats out of my palm.
“The lawyer chick?” Jasper questions.
“Thehotlawyer chick?” Mason clarifies.
“Someone bring me up to speed,” Dad demands, his eyes crinkling with interest as he leans on the counter and folds his arms across his chest.
“Back at the end of summer, we all took Grammy to the Snow Moon brewery,” Davis begins, his face twisting into a grin for the first time in I don’t know how long.
