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“About him screwing my sister?” I took another swig of ginger beer.
“Yeah. That.” She touched my arm. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine. I lost nothing when I kicked Tristan Blaylock to the curb. Wish I could do the same to my sister, but blood complicates everything.” Tristan’s exit had opened my life to genuine love, genuine support, genuine compassion. I’d opened my heart and two amazing men had walked in. “I have zero regrets over the end of my two-year relationship with him. Except me not recognizing it was over after the first six months.”
Candace surprised me with a quick hug. “It’s seriously fucked up.”
“Heseriously fucked up,” Drew corrected.
Tobias elbowed Aithan. “That’s why you fired him?”
He nodded, watching me, probably looking for signs of an imminent freak out.
“It all came out on Thanksgiving Day?” Tobias’s normally affable expression was nowhere to be seen. “Unbelievable.”
“Yeah,” Drew replied. “But dinner was frickin’ amazing and the conversation was significantly better without the Bay Area Bitch at the table.”
I laughed because what else could I do? Cry? No thanks. I’d done enough of that. I had other things to think about, like Tobias’s smile and our upcoming move and Drew’s next novel. And Aithan’s hand gently caressing my thigh.
I swallowed and considered the pale liquid in my bottle. “This is really good shit, Tobias.”
He tipped his hat back and squinted at me. “Yeah? It passes the Zelda test?”
I laughed. “Well, my mouth likes it. Not sure about the gut yet. I’ll let you know.”
“Let’s hope.” He raised crossed fingers. He had the sweetest smile I’d ever seen. Drew’s was impish and sexy. Aithan’s was beautiful but reserved. Tobias’s smile? That was pure, fucking sunshine and he turned its rays on me now.
“The ingredients are clean enough,” he said. “Seltzer, fresh ginger, lemon juice, and coconut sugar. It’s closer to ginger ale than ginger beer. I figured beer might be a problem for you ’cause that’s made with brewer’s yeast.”
“Good call,” I said.
Drew asked him, “You met with the new attorney yet?”
“Yeah man. They’re getting really aggressive on the whole thing. Got nothing but harsh words for my last lawyer. They’ve made my case a priority ’cause Amara’s been through so much bullshit.”
Drew nodded. “Poor kid. Glad she’s got such great support from your family.”
Tobias drained his beer bottle. “When they dug into the records and stories about Maeve, they couldn’t believe she still has visitation rights. They’ve petitioned the court to have her visits shortened and supervised, and they’ve requested an injunction to prevent her from having me followed.”
Candace tapped her bottle against Drew’s. “Thanks again for kicking him in the ass.”
Drew grinned. “I just bitched him out. Aithan’s the ass kicker.”
Tobias said, “Speaking of that, Aith, my attorney wants to meet with you ASAP to take your deposition about the dude Maeve hired to follow me.”
“When was this?” I asked.
“A week before I met you,” Aithan replied. “The guy was sitting in front of Blue Water, taking pictures of Tobias with Amara. I called the cops, since he was on private property and photographing a minor. When they interviewed him, we learned Maeve had fed him a bunch of lies.”
“Like I didn’t have custody and was violating court orders,” Tobias explained.
“Jeez, she never quits,” I muttered.
“Nope,” Aithan answered me, then said to Tobias, “Just name the day. I’ll clear my calendar and be there. You know it.”
“I do.” Tobias rubbed his hand over his short black hair and sighed. “Just gotta hold out until this shit is over.”
Candace rested her chin on his shoulder. “Soon, little brother. Hang in there.”
