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There was a devious glint in Beck’s eye I didn’t like.
“Fine. I’ll fucking do it.”
I took out my phone and decided to make it as boring as possible:
Me:I’m going to the bar with Beck. Can you watch my kids?
Aunt Lori:
Me:???
Aunt Lori:I’m so happy you’re joining the 21stcentury! Time to celebrate!
Me:I’ve texted you before.
Aunt Lori:Oh, that’s right. When you were afraid to swim at Millie’s place.
Me:I wasn’t afraid. So will you watch them?
Aunt Lori: I’ve work to do with you yet. But yes, I’ll watch the twins. Have fun.
Lowering my phone, I sighed. “How the fuck is that fun?”
Beck laughed and pushed me toward the stairs. “Hey, it’s not for me to say. But it makes our aunt happy, so why not?” He narrowed his eyes. “But if you ever fucking tell her I said that, I’ll take you outside and dump your butt in the horse trough.”
“I was the one who did that to your stubborn ass. You couldn’t lift me if you tried.”
Beck raised an eyebrow. “Why? Getting fat, old man?”
“It’s all muscle, brother. And you’re not strong enough to handle it.”
Beck rolled his eyes. “Let’s go before this turns into a childhood tussle and Aunt Lori takes us by the ears again.”
We made our way out the door and into Beck’s truck. Even if he wasn’t as chatty as Zach, Beck more than filled the silence, letting me stew in my own thoughts.
While I rarely did so, getting a little drunk sounded like a great plan for the night. My daughter wasn’t the little girl I still thought her to be. Soon she’d be dating and doing more than kissing, and before I knew it, she’d be moving in with a partner and maybe even having kids of her own.
At the thought of being a grandfather, I decided a little oblivion for the night sounded fucking wonderful.
* * *
A short time later, we walked into The Watering Hole and headed toward the bar. The familiar weathered wood and collection of road signs and pictures on the wall reminded me of home for some reason. Even though I’d been too young to drink when I’d left Starry Hills, I’d been spending more time here with my brothers since returning, shooting the shit and beating them at pool.
Once we each had a beer and ordered a plate of nachos to share, we sat down and Beck asked, “So what kind of dating advice did your kids give you?”
I scowled. After Beck not bringing it up in the truck, I thought he’d dropped it. “You’re annoying, you know.”
Beck shrugged. “And yet, Sabrina loves me. Sometimes I wonder why, but she does all the same.”
He got that goofy look on his face, that of a guy in love, and I grumbled, “Do you have to be so damned happy all the time?”
“Yep,” Beck said before taking a swig from his beer bottle.
“Then maybe we should play pool so I can destroy and humiliate you.”
Just as Beck was about to reply, he stopped, and his gaze fixated on something near the door. I glanced over and mentally cursed.
What the fuck were Emmy, Abby, Katie, and Amber doing here? “I thought they met for tea at the bakery or some such shit.”
