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Maybe it was because Ruby Rose had come into my life and turned it upside down. Making me want things that I shouldn’t.
Queenie.
Romeo paid the bill and tucked the ring box into his coat pocket, and we all walked the short distance to Reynolds’ Bar & Grill.
Lincoln’s brother- and sister-in-law, Hugh and Lila Reynolds, owned the place, and they supposedly had the best food in town.
When we arrived at the restaurant, we were led to the back, where a table was set up for us. A big dude with long hair madehis rounds, introducing himself as the owner, Hugh. He was a nice guy, that much I could tell right away, and Lincoln made introductions as the next few guys walked in. There was Maddox Lancaster and his brother, Wyle, whom Romeo had talked about before. Maddox was married to Brinkley’s sister, Georgia. They shook our hands and congratulated Romeo on coming to town to pick out an engagement ring. Next came Finn Reynolds, who I recognized right away, as he starred in a show calledBig Sky Ranchthat Ruby had insisted we binge last weekend. He was pretty famous, but you wouldn’t know it; he just acted like a regular dude. The broody guy beside him, his older brother, Cage Reynolds, settled in the chair beside me. We seemed to be putting off equally grumpy energy, so I was good with that. Hugh asked if we were all okay with the ribs, which we were, and he ordered a shit ton of appetizers for the table, as well.
“So, first, you win the fight of the century, and now, you’re proposing to your girl. It’s a good year to be Romeo Knight,” Finn said.
Romeo nodded in thanks, and the conversation started flowing. Cage and Nash were deep in conversation about their kids, who were the same age, and they were both complaining about all the homework kids had these days.
Lincoln sat on the other side of me, and we both reached for the onion rings that were set in the center of the table.
“I’m telling you, it’s the best food you’ll ever have. I can’t get enough,” he said, and I laughed as I shoved an entire onion ring into my mouth and nodded.
“Damn right. Whiskey Falls needs to step up their game.”
“I’ve eaten there a few times, and it’s a damn close second place to this food.” He reached for his water. “Thanks for coming here to help him pick out his ring. You guys are family to Romeo, which means you’re family to me.”
“Same, brother.” I tipped my chin up because I was not only a fan of the number one quarterback in the league, but I liked the dude a lot. He was down to earth, and he’d shown up for Romeo and his sister, Tia, from the moment he found out he had siblings he hadn’t known about.
“So, what’s this moodier-than-usual shit you’ve got going on about? You want to talk about it?” he asked.
“Oh, for fuck’s sake. Why is everyone always analyzing the grumpy dudes? Maybe we just like being quiet,” Cage grumped from the other side of me.
“Trust me, he’s not being quiet. He’s being a moody little bitch because he’s in love and too chickenshit to admit it,” Kingston said.
And now the whole table turned their attention my way, and they were all going to get involved.
“Did you not get enoughme timethis morning? Did you not work your feelings out in your Zen garden and write in your diary before we left to come here?” I hissed.
Kingston’s head fell back in laughter, and Finn did the same.
“Damn. I like this guy.” Cage nudged me, and the table erupted in laughter again.
“Two fucking peas in a pod right here,” Lincoln said, looking between me and Cage. “So, give us the breakdown. There’s a girl involved?”
“Oh, yeah,” Romeo said. “It’s always about a girl.”
“Well, that is, until your girl fucks your coworker,” Hayes said, and now everyone was laughing.
“There are good ones and bad ones. Lucky for me, I found myself the best girl around,” Maddox said, and his brother smirked.
“I could say the same,” Wyle said proudly, as the server set our food down in front of us.
“So, is there a girl, River?” Finn asked. “Does she have you all messed up?”
The table was quiet as I ate a rib and dropped the bone onto the plate and wiped my mouth. “There’s a girl.”
These fuckers all started cheering and hollering like I’d just said something out of left field.
“There always is,” Cage said. “It’s always that one fucking girl that gets you wrapped around the axel. Hell, it took me years to finally get my shit together. So I’m kind of an expert now.”
“Oh, for fuck’s sake,” Finn said. “Now you’re a therapist?”
“He has been more sensitive than he used to be since he and Presley got married.” Hugh reached for a rib and started eating again.
