Page 43 of Stick to the Deal
“How so?” I try for casual but I’m dying of curiosity.
“Nic doesn’t do relationships.” Colin shrugs casually as he continues to feed the baby.
I grit my teeth, “Friend of hers or not, careful how you speak about my wife.”
“Colin, that was a bit harsh,” the big one adds.
“It’s true though. She’s always seemed happiest in a crowded room or completely alone. No boyfriends—serious, casual, or otherwise. So why now? Why you?”
“Is this the part where you threaten me?” I stare him down as I take another bite of the egg roll.
He laughs. “The first time I met Nic, she threatened to bury me where no one would find the body. No, the girl doesn’t need protecting.”
“Maybe you don’t know her as well as you think.” I’m not sure where the words come from, or why I feel so strongly defensive. Deep down, I know he’s mistaken. Nic is in need of protection. The attitude, the clothing, it’s all armor to protect her delicate core. In her I see another lost soul just as desperate for human connection and as alone in a crowd of people like me.
“If you keep trying to scare him away, Col, I’m going to start thinking you miss having the girls all to yourself.”
“Oh, aye, I miss having Anna’s cooking all to myself.” He shoots a dimpled grin at the taller man, before his thoughtful look returns to me. “I’m an engineer. It’s my nature to take things apart and see how they work. And this relationship is fascinating.”
“Well, leave the guy alone. I’m looking forward to a third player for cards. Damn tired of Go Fish.”
We sit around the dining room table and David shuffles a deck from his jacket pocket. “So y’all met on a plane? Or through a matchmaker? Damned confusing putting together the info through the girls.”
I open my mouth to respond, but then pause. This is all unfamiliar to me. Besides Daniel, I never had many friends. Definitely no new ones as an adult. They seem nice enough, but anyone can sell you out to the tabloids these days, and that Wendy has been relentless with her obsession with us.
David’s eyes pinch momentarily, then smooth with understanding. “Sorry, I grew up in a small town, so I’m used to everyone being in each other’s business. And this one,” he jerks his thumb at Colin who is patting a wide-eyed baby on the back, “he’s practically been one of the girls for two years now and doesn’t remember how overwhelming it can be at first.”
“Appreciate it, mate. So how did you all…” I trail off unsure of the right word.
“Join the circus?” David supplies, drawing chuckles from us. “I grew up with Anna—childhood sweethearts. But I fucked it up and went off to join the Marines before finally getting my head out of my ass earlier this year.”
“How did you manage that?”
Colin snickers. “A lot of begging.” David flicks a card at him. Colin ducks to the side, his hand protectively covering his daughter’s head. “Careful! Precious cargo here.”
“Pretty sure there’s video evidence of your begging,” David dryly adds.
I lift a brow at Colin, waiting for the story. He doesn’t disappoint.
“Bree and I met at work on a project. Things were going well until there was a slight misunderstanding…”
David snorts, interrupting Colin, who glares at him in return. “A naked woman in your hotel room is a misunderstanding?”
“I wasn’t in the room, now was I, eejit? Anyway, then Anna helped me make a grand gesture and win back my girl.”
“He’s skipping the part where he proposed and she said no. The whole thing is up on social media. I’ll send it to you.”
“She said yes eventually,” Colin grumbles.
We play a few hands of poker. It’s not a serious game, repeatedly interrupted by Nora’s cries.
After the tenth time, David scoops the baby out of Colin’s hold. The infant looking incredibly small in his thick arms. “Does she cry like this often?”
Colin runs his hands through his ruddy hair, the slight curls standing up. “All the time lately. Poor thing just screams all night long.”
David lays a burp cloth on the table and then settles the baby on her back. He pumps her little legs and makes silly faces at her.
“Isn’t she a little young for leg day, Dave?” Colin quips.
