Page 61 of Wanting a Family Man

“Ew.” Sophie curled her lip. “Sorry about that, Cloe.”

“I barely spoke to him,” she said, starting to grow embarrassed that they were making such a big deal of it.

Biyen yanked his sweaty palm out of hers and ran away. He’d spotted Emma coming with the stroller. They all stayed at the open door, waiting for her.

“Trystan should be the one to get a beer. He handled him,” Cloe said, trying to deflect.

“Trystan radioed Reid and told him to find that asshat a flight before I cooled his temper in the sound,” Trystan said grimly. Then he added with irony, “I would have booked the flight myself, but the signalispretty shitty.”

They all chuckled.

“It’s good theStorm Frontcrew won’t have to put up with him,” Sophie said.

As Biyen and Emma approached, they could hear him repeating the party-pooper information, which was making Emma bite back a grin.

“For what it’s worth, his wife is divorcing him,” Cloe said. “I’m sure that contributed to his bad mood. But he actually said, ‘How am I supposed to enjoy my vacation if I can’t work?’”

“Oof. Why is it always the vacationers who offer the worst lip? The skippers on the working vessels aren’t ever as sexist to me—probably because they come through here often enough that Gramps set them straight ages ago. If someone ever questioned my ability and demanded to see the manager, I’d send Gramps to talk to them. He’d cut them off after ten seconds and say something like, ‘I don’t work half as fast as she does. If you want to stick around a week, I can fix it for you. Or Sophie can get you on your way in an hour.’ They hated it.” Sophie loved it. It was obvious in her evil grin. “God, I miss him,” she added as her smile turned upside down.

Trystan threw his arm around her shoulders and squeezed her into his side, which caused jealousy to stab into Cloe with incredible force. She disguised it by ducking to say hello to Storm.

“You guys are letting all the AC out,” Quinley complained from inside the pub.

They walked through the busy restaurant and out onto the patio. Clouds were building across the sky, promising a summer storm, but they pushed together a pair of tables, one of them still covered in dirty dishes, and took their chairs.

“I would have thought it would be quiet this time of day,” Cloe said, glancing at the full tables.

“This long weekend going into August is the peak,” Sophie told Cloe. “After this it starts to slow down. By Labor Day, it’s so quiet, I’m scraping paint to make my days go by.”

“Who’s watching paint dry?” Logan asked as he came outside with a bus pan.

“Reid, presumably,” Emma said. “Where did you lose him?”

“He’s leaving his card with Quinley. I told him I would just expense this anyway.” He accepted the dishes they all handed him, stacking the tub so the table was clear.

“You called it,” Trystan said with a smirk toward Sophie. He looped Cloe in with a lingering, amused glance in her direction and, for once, she felt like she was in on the joke with these people.

“Called what?” Logan asked, using one of the wet wipes that Emma brought out to wipe the table. “Never mind. I don’t care. Sorry about the POD, Cloe. We’ve all been there. Best to erase it with—Where’s our beer?” he asked Reid as Reid came out to take the chair next to Emma.

“Quinley is only one person. She’s making the pitchers of margaritas you ordered. I asked for nachos to keep us going while we decide if we’re eating here or up at the house. I don’t feel like cooking. You?” He glanced at Emma.

“I don’t mind cooking,” Cloe offered tentatively.

“Good. You can cook tomorrow,” Logan said. “Reid’s buying tonight.”

“And you wonder why we call you the lazy one,” Trystan said.

“I thought we called him shifty?” Reid said.

“That, too,” Trystan agreed.

“I think it’s super hot when you get other people to cook for me.” Sophie gave Logan an adoring look.

“I think he sounds like Gramps.” Biyen didn’t look up from playing patty-cake with Storm, who was still in her stroller. “That man loved a free meal.”

Everyone burst out laughing, but Sophie laughed so hard, tears leaked out the corners of her eyes. She rose to leave the table.

“Babe.” Logan stood, frowning with concern.

---