Page 103 of Angel

And I agree. With Angel… “Always.”

CHAPTER

THIRTY-SIX

ANGEL

It took us a while to find a Saturday that worked for everyone. Rhys had his brunch with the boys one week. Then Nico and Ariana had to take their kids to Jersey to visit her side of the family. But eventually, we found a day that everyone was free.

And now I’m on my hands and knees in Nico and Ariana’s living room, pretending to be a horse. The two Gallo kids have put Jonah on my back and I’m currently “galloping” across the Wild West.

“He’s really good with them, isn’t he?” I overhear Rhys saying from his spot on the couch next to Ariana.

“Yeah, he is. Would you…?” Ariana trails off.

“Want kids?” Rhys finishes the question for her. He sighs. “I don’t know. I mean, I kinda just assumed I never would. But… I do want to see Angel be a dad.”

“Gurl, you can have my kids whenever you want.”

Rhys laughs softly. “I’m sure Angel will be thrilled.”

“Drinks!” Sabrina announces as she comes in from the kitchen. “Bloody Marys, sangria, and lemonade for the little humans. Nico says brunch will be ready in ten.”

The kids abandon Jonah on my back to grab their lemonades and Sabrina plucks him off me.

“Thanks, sis.” I straighten, rolling my shoulders and bending side to side to work out the kinks.

It’s nice seeing Rhys with our siblings like this. He’s not quite as flamboyant as he is when he’s with his boys or at The Bronzed Rail, but he isn’t tense either. He doesn’t have his guard up, isn’t eyeing everyone with suspicion.

Since the wedding, Nico and Ariana have made a point of reaching out to Rhys. He went to their place for dinner once, then he stayed with me that night. There’s been discussions about them visiting The Bronzed Rail to see him perform, but I’m not sure anyone is ready for Nico to watch his kid brother on stage, practically naked, humping a pole.

Sabrina got a job at a nail salon, so she’s been leaving Jonah with me more often. It means I can’t get out to Brooklyn as much as I’d like, but Rhys has been great about coming down so we can babysit together.

I join Rhys on the couch, taking the sangria he holds out to me, and he snuggles right into my arms. Sabrina asks him about some new foundation that’s gone viral on social media and Rhys immediately gives her the rundown on whether it’s worth buying.

“Time to eat!” Nico calls out from the kitchen.

The kids race out of the living room while the adults follow a little more slowly. They’ve got their own kiddie table that Nico has set up for them, while the rest of us take seats around the kitchen table.

Brunch is waffles with all the fixings, including bacon and fruit. Rhys is quick to pile my plate high before grabbing a couple things for himself. He’s still not much of a breakfast person, even though I try to feed him as much as I can when we’re together in the mornings.

“How’s work going, Angel?” Nico asks.

I shrug. “It’s fine. Maybe another month before this project wraps up.”

“Mario still being an asshole?”

I grimace. “He’s not that bad.”

“Don’t defend him!” Rhys jumps in. “Yes, Mario is still being an asshole.”

The truth is, we try to avoid each other on the jobsite. He’s never said anything rude or offensive, and as far as I know, he hasn’t been talking about me behind my back. But we don’t eat lunch together anymore or carpool to and from work. I’m sad about losing the friendship, but having Rhys more than makes up for it.

“Screw Mario,” Sabrina says as she bounces Jonah on her knee. “He can go suck it.”

“Sabrina!” I hiss, looking pointedly at my nephew.

“What? He’s too young to understand.”

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