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“If your parents know you’re safe and that you’re here, I don’t care if you sleep over.”
“Yes.”
“Legit.”
“Let’s watch the movie!”
I grin at Jake, and he smiles back, and then I make my way out of the room to leave them to it. Brady and Mac are waiting for me outside on the outdoor patio, where there’s a fire crackling.
With a Coke in my hand—I’m not going to break my own rule tonight—I open the glass door and step out to join them.
“You have owls,” Brady says with a grin. “They’ve been hooting for the past twenty minutes.”
“That’s cool.” I sip my Coke and sit on the couch, stretching my legs out in front of me, and one of the owls hoots. “I wonder if they’re a mating pair.”
“Owls mate for life,” Mac informs us.
“Thanks for that info, Steve Irwin,” Brady says, making me laugh, and Mac tosses a pillow at him, hitting him in the head.
“What’s up with you and Abbi?” I ask my brother, who immediately sobers and leans on the throw pillow.
“Absolutely nothing.”
“Didn’t look like nothing,” Mac adds.
“We bought popcorn and hotdogs,” Brady says with a scowl. “So what?”
“You’re awfully defensive for someone who has nothing going on with the hot single mom,” I reply and sip my Coke.
“Abbi is hot,” Mac agrees. “Nice curves on that one. Good hair. I’ll bet she’s fun?—”
“Okay, shut the fuck up,” Brady grumbles and reaches over to snatch my Coke out of my hand, taking a sip. “Why can’t we have beer again?”
“Because it’s a bad influence on those teenage boys in there.”
“Fuck.” Brady scowls and stares out into the darkness. “I don’t know her, okay? I mean, I barely do. She comes around with Erin and the other girls, and her kid is cute. That’s all I know.”
“Is that all you want to know?” I ask him, and my brother continues to scowl.
“She has a kid.”
“So?” Mac and I ask at the same time.
“You already said she’s cute, and you’re good with the kid,” I add.
“It just adds a level of responsibility. Sure, I’d like to take her to bed. She’s…well, she’s every man’s fucking wet dream, but she’s a mom, and you don’t fuck around with that.”
“At least you know that much,” Mac says with a shrug. “Maybe you want more than to fuck around.”
“No time for that,” Brady replies, shaking his head. “I’m practically married to the rodeo. When I’m not there, I’m working the ranch, and I eek out a few minutes here and there to see the family. That’s it. A woman takes too much time.”
I think of Polly and all the time that I’ve missed with her this past week.
“Sometimes, you want to give them your time.”
“I know, and that’s what I’m saying. I don’t have it to give. So, it’s not even worth talking about. Are you seeing anyone, Mac?”
“Fuck no,” my best friend says, shaking his head. “No time for that shit.” Brady and I both bust up laughing at that answer.
