Page 58 of Bad Boys After Dark - Brett
Thank you, Lindsay. “Okay…Where’s Poppi?” Sophie scanned the crowd. “I’m afraid you might drool on my man if we stay here too long.”
“Now, there’s an idea,” Nana said, laughing loudly and making the rest of them laugh, too. She leaned in closer to Brett and said, “I like you. A good man doesn’t get embarrassed. He takes the ball and runs with it.”
“Thank you, Nana. I like you, too.” Brett chuckled.
Nana pointed across the yard. “Poppi’s over by the barn with Chet Hudson and his nephew, Scotty. Such a nice man. They’re teaching Scotty to hike the ball.”
“Nana and Poppi had a small kitchen fire a few years ago, and Chet was one of the firefighters on duty,” Sophie explained. “He’s been like family ever since.”
Nana touched Sophie’s hand and said, “Look at Poppi, tossing the ball to that boy. Isn’t he the sweetest?”
“I see a love of football runs in the family,” Brett said.
“You don’t think Sophie picked it up out in the city, do you? We might be country folk,” Nana said, “but we have our priorities straight, and football is right up there with Sunday brunch.” She reached up and touched Brett’s biceps, then patted his cheek. “I bet you played football. With all those muscles, it’d be a shame if you didn’t.” She peered around him, checking out his backside.
“Nana, stop!” Sophie said with an incredulous laugh. “That’s my boyfriend’s butt.”
“Tsk. I was checking out his hamstrings. Although his derriere is quite nice.”
Sophie hugged her and said, “I love you, Nana, but I’m taking Brett to meet Poppi before you start talking about leaving his balls on the field.”
“Don’t be silly, sugar. The way he’s looking at you tells me they’re right where they belong.”
“About those Tumblr pages…” her mother said to Nana, pushing her away from Sophie and Brett.
“Sorry. I told you my family members have no filter.”
“Soph, I love your family. My grandparents aren’t around anymore, and I’d give anything to have them in my life, even if they made inappropriate comments like Nana. I think she’s adorable, and it’s easy to see where you get your sass from.”
“You really don’t wish you’d stayed in the city?”
“No, not even a little. Let’s conquer your grandfather so we can sneak off and make out by the creek. I might not be able to be your first boyfriend kiss, but maybe I can be your last.”
A STEADY STREAM of visitors came and went throughout the day, each taking time to chat with Sophie and Brett. He had met so many people he needed a roster to keep track. The party was markedly different from the events he was used to attending. No one was checking their phones or rushing to get to the next thing on their agenda. It was like he’d stepped into another world, where nothing mattered except catching up with friends and family and enjoying the moment. And what a beautiful collection of moments it was. Long after meeting Sophie’s grandfather, who was just as much of a jokester as the rest of her family, the sun dipped from the sky, and guests danced as Sable and Axsel, who was about as laid-back as Carson, played their guitars.
Brett stood by the makeshift bar gazing at Sophie and her father dancing beneath the lights. A few feet away, her grandparents danced cheek to cheek, swaying with the grace that told of a long, loving history.
“How long have you and Sophie been going out?” the bartender, Justus “JJ” Jericho, asked. He was a nice guy with an affable personality and a shock of dark hair poking out from beneath his cowboy hat.
“Not nearly long enough,” Brett said thoughtfully. Something had happened to him today, or maybe it had been happening for a week, or two years. He had no idea how long, or why, but his worries about being in a committed relationship with Sophie seemed like a distant memory. He wondered if it was because they were away from the constant reminders of his family falling apart, which came at him from all angles when he was in the city, or if this was enough of a break to let him finally remember what it felt like to be truly happy. There was so much joy all around them, and he knew this was only a moment of time, a snapshot of their lives, but it reminded him of happier times. And man, had he missed them.
