Page 11 of Closing the Distance

“Let’s head in. I don’t want to have to keep telling this story over and over cause it’ll just piss me off more, and I know Gabe and Romel will want to hear it.”

We enter the house without knocking because Gabe always leaves the door unlocked when we’re coming over. It was only awkward once when we walked in probably less than a minute after he and Danae had clearly had sex because her hair was a mess, their clothes were in disarray, and they were both still panting. None of us asked any questions, but we all gave him high fives later because that’s the kind of supportive friends we are.

“Yo, anybody home?” Dom calls out.

“Out back,” comes the reply, so we head through the vast living room out to Gabe’s back patio. It’s surrounded by tall trees and thick, well-manicured green shrubbery which gives it a very private feel.

Gabe and Dom give each other a quick handshake and then a pat on the back before Gabe moves to me and offers the same. Alayna and Danae, Gabe’s wife, curl up on the lounge chairs by the pool and start chatting away.

“Where’s Romel?” I ask.

“He should be here any?—”

“I’m here,” Gabe’s cut off by Romel’s voice behind me, and I spin around to find him carrying a half-asleep Kaylee in his arms.

“Want to put her in the guest room?” Danae asks, standing from the lounge chair and walking over. She’s got a soft spot for Kay. All the women do. So do all the men for that matter.

She may have lost her mother before she ever got to know her, but she’ll never lack for female role models in her life. Or men willing to go to battle for her if necessary. Her future boyfriends will piss themselves when they come to meet her dad and see the four of us ready and waiting to interrogate them. Poor kid.

Romel shakes his head. “Thanks, though. She’s been pretty needy for daddy time since the season kicked off. This last away stretch was rough on her.”

His voice is rougher than usual, and he’s made it no secret that every season gets harder now that his wife is gone and he’s Kaylee’s sole provider. I think all of us are just holding our breath and waiting for him to announce his retirement. It would be the end of an era—no more Fierce Four—and I’m not sure any of us are ready for that.

We all take a seat at the round table set up near the barbecue while Gabe grills up some burgers.

“Okay, time to talk,” Dom says to me.

“Talk about what?” Gabe asks.

“Something’s up, and he didn’t want to spill it all in your driveway, so now he needs to share. I suspect it’s about a woman.”

Gabe shakes his head. “Not unless it’s about that one from…what, a couple of months ago now? I’m pretty sure he’s still hung up on her.”

“It has been a long time for you, hasn’t it?” Romel adds. “Normally you go out when we’re in other cities, but you’ve called it a night like the rest of us.”

“It’s no fun going out without my guys, but yes, she’s been a big reason.” I lean my elbows on the table. “I found out she came back to my place today, and my doorman sent her away.”

“Why the hell would he do that?” Gabe asks.

“Because he thought she might be a jersey chaser just trying to get to me. Don’t worry, I chewed him out for not checking with me first. But you’re missing the point. She came back. Maybe that means she hasn’t been able to stop thinking about me either. Maybe I shouldn’t have stopped looking for her.”

“Damn. Do you think she figured out who you are?”

I chew the inside of my lip. I hadn’t considered that. I was so excited to see her on that security camera, I hadn’t thought what the driving factor was for her coming back. “I don’t think so,” I say slowly. “But I suppose it’s possible.”

“She’s not like your ex, right?”

“She’s nothing like Emily,” I state. My ex was a piece of work. She was shallow but hid it well for the first six months we were together. Over the last six, her cracks started to show, and then when I found out she just wanted to marry me so she could be a trophy wife and spend my money, that was the deal-breaker. My brother Tanner told me the first sign that it wasn’t going to last should’ve been when I refused to bring her home for the holidays because I was ninety percent certain my mom wasn’t going to like her.

He’s not wrong.

I want a partnership like my parents have. I want a woman who can be my best friend and my lover. Emily was never going to be that partner for me, but ever since her, I’d started to wonder if I’d ever find a woman who wanted me just for me instead of what I could provide for her.

And then I met Lexi.

Maybe it would’ve been better not to sleep with her that first night, but there was no going back after that first kiss. I craved her the way I’ve never craved another person.

I still do.

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