Page 14 of Brooke's Bliss
She snorted.Definitely not in New York anymore.“I’mmeeting some friends.I’m sure they can take me back.So everything is the samehere?”
“Besides all the babies and the school and the new store andthe new deputies?One of them is Ms.Leal’s sister and she’s living with thenew guys.”He huffed.“There’s actually a lot of new stuff when you think aboutit.”
“Anything to worry about?”She’d discovered the Farleybrothers knew more than a lot of the adults around town imagined, and they werewilling to talk.Those boys loved to gossip, and they had ears everywhere.Literally.They’d created a device that amplified sound and had gotten caughteavesdropping from afar many times.
Just last Christmas she’d found out Rachel was pissed off ather brothers for forgetting her birthday.Luckily in advance.Rachel hadcomplained to Callie and Nell that herhusbandshadn’t planned anything for her birthday, and Bobby had gone into detail abouthow Rachel’s pregnancy hormones were making her a little on themurderyside.Brooke had thought maybe her brothers werejust planning a surprise.
And then she remembered they ran a business and had threekids under seven, with one on the way.
Yeah, she’d saved the day that time.Max and Rye had time toput together a surprise party and give their wife a signed set of her favoriteromance novels.
So she checked in.
The idea of that family breaking down wrecked her.Shecounted on coming home to happy families so she could at least believe happilyever after could happen.
“So Jen wants another baby, but Stef isn’t sure he canhandle her being pregnant again.He had this whole like heartfelt conversationwith your brother about it.Rye.Not Max.”
This was what she was here for.What no one understood wasthat she often played fairy godmother.Quietly.From behind the scenes.“Whatdid Rye say?”
“That Jen was strong, and he needed to man up.It was onething to not want another kid, but he shouldn’t hold Jen back if it was abouthis own fear.”Bobby nodded as though he agreed.“It was a real niceconversation.Nell is worried that she’s added to the world’s overpopulation,but Henry tells her this baby is going to be the sweetest, kindest girl in thewhole world, and that she’s a gift.”
“Oh, that’s sweet.”She was happy little Poppy was getting asister.Though she supposed Poppy wasn’t so little anymore.Nell still hauledher around, but the kid was definitely a full-sized toddler.
“Also, Max is real upset about his bloodwork, but Rye’scholesterol was actually worse than his, so they are both on diets and theyboth sneak in wings at Trio.If you need pocket change, they can beblackmailed.”
“Good to know.”She sighed and asked the question she trulywanted the answer to.The question that had been running through her brainsince the minute she’d seen them in the diner.Probably before, if she washonest with herself.“What have you heard about the Kent brothers?”
“Bay and Shane?They’re real quiet.They keep to themselvesa lot, but they seem nice.When Will and I first started the business, we got aflat.”Bobby frowned.“We’re better with engines.Anyway, they were on theirway into town and stopped and taught us how to change the tire.Bay said theinside could use some work.He’s the one who told us rich people who needdrivers like amenities.He suggested the snacks and that the LED lights wouldmake it feel like a club.”
That was kind of them.It didn’t answer her question.“Mybrothers told me they’ve been friendly.”
“I wouldn’t call them unfriendly.They’re like mostcowboys,” Bobby explained in a cheerful tone.“They come out to the townparties, though.Usually with the group of hands from the G.They always offerto help out.I like them.Especially how they whip Max up in a frenzy.”Hesobered.“Sorry.I bet you don’t like that part.”
Her brother could handle himself and usually deserved it.But he wasn’t answering her question, and she should probably know that aseventeen-year-old boy who’d spent his whole life with his nose in a bookwouldn’t get the subtleties.“Bobby, are they dating anyone?According to mybrothers they’ve been active, if you know what I mean.”
“I do not.I mean, they seem fit, and I suspect they get alot of exercise out at the G.”
She bit back a groan.“Max calls them walking STIs and saidDoc better have upped his orders for penicillin.”
“Why would he order penicillin?Doxycycline is therecommended antibiotic for most sexually transmitted infections,” Bobbyreplied.
“I don’t want to know how you know that, do I?”
He grinned, and she wondered if she’d ever been that young.“It was a Jeopardy question.I’m going to be a master one day.But now Iunderstand.You like them.”
“I don’t like them.I don’t know them.”She liked how theylooked.She was on the fence about how they made her feel.In one way it wasgood to have a little bit of a libido again.
It was bad that it was the only thing she could think about.Those men and their big hands and broad shoulders and the way they looked ather like they would eat her alive and she would thank them for it.
“All right.I’ve listened in a bit and I think they used tovisit that guesthouse at Stef’s often.I’m not supposed to know about it.Mymom says it’s like a reading room or something, but I think it’s probably aweird sex thing.She prays for Stef a lot.”
No one ever said he wasn’t smart.“It’s definitely a weirdsex thing.So they go there often?”
Bobby shrugged.“They spend time out at Stef’s, but fromwhat I’ve heard through the grapevine, Bay spends time in the studio working onart stuff and Shane plays Xbox.He even invited me and Will to play with himthis weekend because they have time off and Bay wants to work.Stef has weirdtreats.If he’s there someone brings us a plate of all these meats and fancycheeses.If Jen’s in charge she tosses us a couple of bags of chips, and onceshe made us pizza rolls.I like it when Jen’s in charge.”
She would never turn down a nice charcuterie, but she couldsee how it wouldn’t be the hungry teens favorite since she was sure thosecheeses weren’t anything so ordinary as cheddar.Stef would bring out thestinky cheeses.She wondered how Bay and Shane reacted to those.She would betthose cowboys were more chips and meat stick guys.“So there are no rumorsabout them having a girlfriend?”
“Nope.And Mel certified them alien free when they took thejobs on the G.He gave them the pamphlet about what to look out for if theydon’t want to end up as an incubator for an alien species.”
