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Apparently, Kane knew what he was talking about.
“Guess I’m pretty shallow.” Robby winced.
Before his friends could answer, the man in question came in from where he had been working in the master bedroom and swiped a slice of the pizza. He drifted to the corner of the room before he took a bite.
Brick cleared his throat. “We’re, uh, having a little party at my house tonight for Kane’s birthday if you want to come.”
Matt kept chewing, his eyes trained on the floor.
“Matt?”
The man’s head shot up with a confused expression that was almost comical. “You’re talking to me?”
To Brick’s credit, the big man didn’t laugh at Matt’s confusion. “Yeah, man. It’ll be fun. My wife is making fettucine. Come reap the benefits of her pasta of the week.”
As they waited for an answer, Matt seemed to shrink a little under the weight of their attention. He bit into his slice of pizza without answering.
There’s no time like the present.
Robby took a step toward him. “There won’t be anyone there you don’t know. Besides,” he grinned, “I’ll need someone to talk to while these two are making cow eyes at their wives.”
Brick must have been slouching because, somehow, he seemed to stand taller than his normal six-feet-and-change. “I’ve never made cow eyes in my life!” he sputtered at the same time Kane scowled and muttered something unflattering about Robby’s anatomy.
A hint of a smile flickered across Matt’s handsome face, but he didn’t say anything.
“You don’t even have to talk much,” Robby coaxed. “And Liv’s a good cook, so at least you’ll get a nice meal out of the bargain.”
Brick elbowed Kane in the side. “And birthday boy here can convince himself there are people in the world who don’t think he’s a complete asshole. At least for one night.”
The glower on Kane’s face gave way to a slack jaw. “What the fuck, brother? If this is what birthdays mean to you guys, I’ll take a pass.”
It was impossible not to laugh at his outrage. Even Matt chuckled. As the laughter died out, he nodded. “Okay. Sure. I’ll be there. It’s the house on Burgundy Street we finished last year, right?”
“Seven o’clock.” Robby beamed.
Kane didn’t share his enthusiasm. “I hate to break up this love-fest,” he groused. “But none of us are going anywhere unless we finish up here for the day.” He muttered under his breath about birthdays being bullshit as he stalked out into the garage, signaling everyone it was time to get back to work.
***
Every time Robby stepped into Brick and Liv’s house, he felt a ripple of pride. Not for anything he’d done necessarily, but for the amazing craftsmanship put into building the place.
It was a Cooper Construction original, built by his own crew. Well, technically, Xander’s crew, but same difference. No one had any idea when they were building that Brick would eventually buy the place.
The investment had helped the company at a time it really needed it.
Now, whenever he walked into the living room, he remembered sharing a pizza with the guys during the sheet rock process. Or in the kitchen, the time Xander, the foreman, remembered his birthday and gave him one of those birthday cards that played a little song when he opened it. This was also the build where he and Brick had become friends.
Brick’s wife, Liv, welcomed him inside after he rang the bell with his elbow. “Robby! I’m so glad you could make it. Here, give me one of those.” She took one of the two bottles of wine he carried and ushered him inside. “Leave the other one there on the table. Jonathan is with Kane in the garage.”
He smiled at her use of Brick’s given name and left the wine where she’d indicated before seeking out his friends. He thought he’d find them playing darts with the board on the garage wall. Instead, they were side by side, staring at a small square of paper in Kane’s hand.
“—the size of an avocado right now. I still can’t believe it’s real.” The former biker glanced up as Robby entered the room, a shell-shocked expression on his angular face. Just a hint of a beard shadowed his jaw these days. His once-long dark hair now barely touched his collar, but it was a tousled mess, like he’d been running his hands through it a dozen times or maybe tugging it out at the roots.
Brick, on the other hand, was all smiles. He slapped Kane on the back, then rose to his feet. “Kane here’s gonna be a daddy!”
Kane held out the paper in his hand, a gobsmacked expression on his face. When Robby took it, he realized it was an ultrasound photo. Happiness for his friend warmed his heart, and he sent up a quick prayer of thanks for the blessing. “Congratulations. I’m really happy for you.”
Raking his fingers through his hair, Kane blinked rapidly, his expression giving no sign he’d heard a word Robby said. “We’re having a baby.” He launched to his feet. “A baby!”
