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“Just us?” Elijah asked.
Talon glanced at him in the mirror. “You two were the ones that got invited.”
Elijah didn’t reply and Talon couldn’t work out whether he was pleased or angry at something. Finn had stayed late at the department catching up on work to leave himself free for Thursday and Friday. They were moving in officially. Friday all the new furniture the kids had picked out was being delivered. They’d decided to throw a furniture-building barbeque Friday night after they collected the kids from school, and of course everyone was invited.
“It’ll be cool to see Luis next weekend,” Kai said after Talon had finished explaining the plans for Friday.
“Didn’t you see him last weekend?” Elijah almost snapped the question out and Talon just about held his breath. He knew what Elijah was asking. Kai shook his head. “Course not,” Kai said as if it was obvious. “The guys went to get rid of the big stuff. We were saving the party for Friday, so you guys could be there.” He glanced at Richard. “That’s what you said we were doing, right?”
Richard nodded, turning to Elijah. “Vance, Jacob, Talon and I went down on our own to clear the really big stuff so Finn wouldn’t get into trouble.”
Elijah gazed at them both, obviously absorbing the fact that the party had been cancelled. Talon would have explained if Elijah had either seen him or taken his phone calls. He’d done neither. “Why would Finn get into trouble?” Elijah asked after a moment.
Richard coughed and muttered “strangulation” under his breath. Talon shot him a glare because he was pretty sure both boys had heard the not-so-quiet whisper.
Kai grinned and piped up. “Liam told me Finn’s going to the foster parents’ meeting at our house on Wednesday because he was really upset you couldn’t go last weekend, and Connie said he wasn’t allowed to strangle anyone.”
Talon knew Liam had overheard this, and normally wouldn’t condone eavesdropping, but this might just be what Elijah needed to hear. In fact, for a foster mom of her experience, she’d been remarkably careless talking where kids might hear her. Talon smirked, knowing Connie had been anything but careless. Next time they met, he owed that woman a big-ass glass of wine.
And funnily enough, Elijah cheered right up.
Jack Silver, or Jacko as he told the kids—with their dad’s permission—to call him was great, and no-one corrected Jacko’s assumption they were brothers. Talon liked that Jacko hadn’t let the fact that Elijah and Kai looked nothing like each other alter that either.
Jacko was the exact opposite of what Talon imagined a boxer to be. He wassmall, for starters. But then again, he’d never followed the sport at all, and was pretty sure that apart from the greats he wouldn’t be able to name any. He had no idea of any rules or equipment and watched in awe as Jacko practically had Elijah and Kai eating out of his hand.
He showed them how to hit a bag, on the solemn promise that unless they thought their lives, or the lives of their friends, were in immediate danger, they wouldn’t use any of the tips he taught against anyone. Bullies, he added simply, weren’t welcome in his gym.
They both fervently promised, and Talon had to hand it to the guy, Elijah might have just learned a very valuable lesson, and actually taken notice of it.
“I hear they’ve had a couple of sightings,” Richard murmured when both boys went to get showered. Talon had already checked the locker area out to confirm that as promised, Jacko had closed early to ensure the boys had a safe environment.
Talon sighed. “Supposedly, but at the same time as he was seen in Georgia, he was spotted in Miami.”
“Let’s hope he’s dead,” Richard said flatly, giving Talon the distinct impression that if Richard ever caught up with Clive Reynolds, he soon would be.
He smirked. “Sawyer’s bringing out your violent tendencies, huh?”
Richard flushed. It had been pretty obvious to everyone that Sawyer completely doted on both Richard and Adam. “So, wedding at home, huh?”
Talon nodded. “I just need some realistic fake snow.”
Richard laughed. “I’m not even gonna ask.”
“Why do you want fake snow?” Elijah asked as both boys appeared, obviously having heard his last comment.
“It’s a long story,” Talon grinned, stood, and looked at his watch. “We just have time to go through the drive through for a milkshake if we hustle.” Both boys hustled.
If Talon could have seen the speculative gleam in Kai’s eyes he might have worried.
Finn gazed at Zuri as she stopped sucking on the bottle. Her lips parted and she looked dead to the world.
“Such a bonnie wee baby,” Maureen commented, her Scottish accent obvious.
Finn sighed happily. He agreed, not that it would have mattered. She could have had horns growing out of her temples and he wouldn’t have cared. He lifted her over his shoulder and rubbed her back. She’d just started on solids but didn’t like them, so they were recommending another month on milk to get her settled. “I can feel she’s put on weight.” He sounded proud even to his own ears, which was a little ridiculous.
“I hear the mum officially surrendered rights.” Maureen leaned over and squeezed Finn’s hand. He nodded.
“You’ve done this a lot, yeah?”
