10 Years (Time for Love 5)

“I couldn’t be better. Did Victoria show you the baby’s room yet? She picked out the furniture, but the boys and I did the painting.” I thought it was sweet that he still called his brothers boys, even though they had to be twenty-five and twenty-seven.

“Not yet, I just got here and wanted to come say hi.”

“Well, you’d better get back in there before she comes out here looking for you. I don’t want to give her any reason to try and make me go in there, and play pin the baby on the nipple, or whatever crazy shit you guys are going to be doing.”

I laughed as he looked worriedly over my shoulder and gave him one last hug.

“Okay, just let me say hi to the guys, then I’ll go back inside with the womenfolk.”

I hugged Cal, then Scott, who were sitting at a raised table by the pool, having a discussion about Sophie and Emma. They were boasting about their respective baby girls’ accomplishments. It was the sweetest thing I’d ever heard. I left them to their boasting to say hi to Brady and Brendan.

I didn’t know them as well as I knew everyone else, but I’d gotten to know them during visits home over the past few years.

Brady was the older of the two, with short dark hair, dark skin and a killer smile. He was the quieter of the two, and worked with Brock. He also lived right down the street from his brother, which I thought was great. They had a really tight relationship.

Brendan was the younger, more rock-start dangerous of the two. With a long, lithe body, and dark shaggy hair that reached his shoulders, Brendan was the lead singer of the band the brothers had together, as well as a culinary student. After Victoria and Brock got married, Brendan moved out of the house he’d shared with Brock, and had taken a break from culinary school. He’d left and gone on a trip to Europe, which had lasted over a year.

“How are you guys?” I asked after I gave them each a hug.

“Same,” Brady replied with a small smile, and I knew that was about all the response I was going to get out of him. He was a man of few words.

“Great,” Brendan said, a little more enthusiastic than his brother. “I start my last semester in a couple months, so I’ve started researching where I want to work once I’m done. Oh, and, we’ve booked our firs

t gig for a couple weeks from now, over Thanksgiving. If you’re home on break, you should come check it out.” Brendan’s smile turned devilish as he looked me over, but I just patted him on the arm and gave him a grin. I knew what a terrible flirt he was, and although he was a very charismatic and handsome guy, only one person made my blood boil.

“I’ll be there,” I said in response, but I’d already turned my attention to Craig, who was sitting in a lounge chair across from TJ, but watching me and Brendan with a frown.

I said my goodbyes, then allowed my legs to take me where they really wanted to be.

I said, “Hey, guys,” then sat down next to Craig on the lounge chair.

“Hey,” Craig said, then surprised me by leaning over and kissing my cheek. I wanted to place my hand over the spot his lips touched, but saved myself the embarrassment and forced my hand to stay still.

I scooched forward to meet TJ for a quick kiss, then leaned back to smile at the handsome man. Sasha’s husband was not only wickedly handsome, but hilarious, and kind-hearted. Out of all of the guys, he was the one who Craig gravitated toward the most, and looked up to. That’s why he was the person Craig had gone to when he needed help after everything went down with Brad and Dave.

“How’s it going in there?” TJ asked tipping his head toward the house.

“As expected,” I answered with a shrug. “We’re about to start the games, so I’m sure the baby fever’s about to get amped up.”

“Speaking of which, when’s it gonna be your turn?” Craig asked TJ with a chuckle.

TJ just smiled back and shook his head.

“Sasha and I are good with being the kick-ass aunt and uncle, spoiling the kids rotten, then passing them back to their parents.”

I looked over at a knock on the window and saw my sister waving me back inside.

“I’d better get in,” I said to Craig and TJ as I stood. “Talk to you a little later?”

“Definitely,” Craig answered.

While TJ said, “See ya in a bit.”

Chapter Fourteen ~ Craig

(16 years old)

I waited outside the back door of the automotive shop where my brother and TJ worked. The door led to the small apartment that TJ rented from the owner of the shop. I looked around nervously. It was early, so Cal should still be at home, but I didn’t want him to see me like this.