Page 34 of Not A Whisper

Attempting to tamp down my nerves, I head over and sit on the couch beside Carlos’s recliner. After swallowing hard, I force myself to smile and ask, “How are you feeling? Trip says that the doctors believe you’re in remission?”

“Not a cancerous cell in sight,” Carlos boasts proudly. “I feel like shit occasionally but better than I have been and that’s saying a lot.” He waves his hand away. “But let’s not talk about me. I want to know about the woman who’s captured my son’s heart.”

If I wasn’t sitting, I’m pretty sure my legs would’ve given out from under me. He knows that I’m seeing his son as well? My stomach knots so tightly that I feel like I could throw up. I shoot a sheepish glance toward Luane who looks over her shoulder from where she stands at the kitchen counter and smiles at me.

“Aw, now, don’t be shy. Our boys don’t hide much from us,” Carlos says, chuckling. I look back at him. There isn’t any censor in his gaze. “Truth be told, I don’t think any of us were all that surprised. Trip, Jay, and Grant do everything together—why not see the same woman?”

So they know about Grant too. God, this is embarrassing. Never in my wildest dreams would I have thought this was a conversation I’d be having with the parents of the guy I’m seeing. But I guess this is what I get for seeing three at once.

“Truth be told… I wasn’t too sure at first, you know, about all of this. But they are very persistent,” I admit hesitantly, but I add with a smile. “Now I’m glad they were. They’re good guys.”

With a few caveats.

Luane and Carlos both laugh.

“I just bet they were,” Luane says. “Those boys can drive a person crazy if they put their minds to it.”

I laugh nervously. Yeah, crazy. That explains a lot about me recently…

Movement out back captures my attention. As I glance that way, I watch as Trip opens the sliding glass door and walks inwith a tray in his hands. His gaze lands on me immediately. I expect maybe a curt nod or something to that extent. Instead, I get a smile. One so large that it looks like it belongs on Jason’s lips rather than Trip’s.

It’s stunning. The smile softens the tough guy persona until I can hardly see it. My breath leaves me as I stare at Trip. I don’t even realize I’m smiling back until Carlos chuckles.

“Yeah, you’re a good girl for them,” he mutters at the same time Trip says, “‘Bout time you showed up.”

Trip moves past the dining room table, into the kitchen. He places the tray beside Luane then switches direction, walking straight toward me. He bends at the waist and kisses my cheek before plopping down beside me.

“Let me guess, Jason drove?” he asks. Rather than let me answer he nods as if I have. “He drives like a grandma. No wonder it took so long.”

“He’s a cautious driver,” I mutter.

“The boy drives five miles under the speed limit even if there’s an emergency,” Carlos argues. “Someone needs to revoke his license.”

“I can’t believe you’re complaining about my son’s desire to keep everyone safe,” Luane protests from the other room. “I, for one, appreciate knowing that I’ll make it to my destination in one piece.”

Trip snorts. “Yeah well, I enjoy getting to placeson time.”

The three of them start to bicker about each other’s driving skills. Their familiarity and playfulness are both disarming and adorable. I sit back and listen. Soon, I’m smiling and even laughing along. Just as a timer goes off in the kitchen, a man appears, coming up the hallway Luane had called down when we entered the house.

This has to be Jason’s dad. Tall, with wide shoulders and a wide chest, I can see where Jason gets his natural strength andstature. But while Jason has his mother’s friendliness, this man’s expression is as hard as stone.

“Hey, I need to go to the stables for a bit,” he says, coming up beside his wife.

As Carlos and Trip continue to banter on either side of me, I watch Luane look over at her husband—her brows coming together in concern. They whisper something to one another before he kisses her on the cheek and moves toward us.

Jason’s dad stops before me. He smiles, but it doesn’t quite reach his eyes.

“Sorry to say hi and dash, but I was asked to check on something. Thanks for all the dinners you provide. It really saves me and my wife the hassle of scraping stuff together.” As I rise to my feet, he offers me his hand. I take it.

“I’m sorry I’m going to miss you. I’m Briella.”

“Kai.” His fingers wrap around and engulf my hand. “If we can do anything to return the favor, please let us know.”

I shake my head. “It’s my pleasure to help in any way that I can, don’t worry about it.”

“Were youaskedor summoned?” Carlos asks Kai bitterly. “What’s Garry want now?”

From the kitchen comes a sharp intake of breath.

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