Page 54 of Bossy Baby

Apparently, Byron was a silent partner in another club several hours away and had experience setting up clubs. Byron had offered to help Master Finn with changes he wanted to implement. One big change that had been discussed when Hayley had been at the club as a guest was a new play area. A play area specifically forlittles and pups.

Avery had been so excited he’d spilled his apple juice all over Jace.

Hayley thought it would be cool, too. Even if he wasn’t a member yet, he could look forward to having a place to play and make new friends.

“Are you done yet?” Caleb whined.

Hayley snapped his attention back to his friends. He was being silly. He trusted Mac. And Mitch was his friend.

“Here.” Mitch pushed the marker into Caleb’s hand, even as he continued to admire his work.

“Finally,” Caleb said dramatically. “I want to write in the pink part.” He gently turned Hayley’s arm over.

“Careful,” Mitch warned. “Mac would kill us both if either one of us hurt his boy.”

Hayley cleared his throat. He didn’t know if he should deny Mitch’s claim or not. He was in fact Mac’s boy. And Mac wouldn’t be happy if his friend inadvertently injured him.

“So…” Mitch drawled as he leaned against the counter. Now that Mitch wasn’t distracted by Hayley’s cast, it seemed like he had something to say. “How are things between you and Mac?”

There was no way he could contain his smile. “Good.”

“Good?” Mitch frowned. He looked over his shoulder to the front of the shop before turning back around and leaning even closer. “Good is not good enough. Hurry and spill the beans before Mac comes back.”

Laughing and shaking his head, Hayley was amused. “You know Mac will ask me what you were doing in here. Do you really want me to tell him you were grilling me on our relationship?”

Mitch flinched.

Caleb laughed loudly. “You’re mean—I like it! That exactly what Mac needs. Someone who’s not afraid to have his back.”

“Not fair!” Mitch complained. “I took my lunch break early just so we could try to get the dirt.”

“How did you know Mac wouldn’t be here?” Hayley asked.

“We were going to tell him that we needed coffees,” Caleb said. “But we also wanted to spend time with you. If you haven’t noticed, Mac is pretty much of a sucker for us boys.”

Huh. So it wasn’t just Hayley? He frowned.

“Whatever thought that just went through your mind, you need to get rid of,” Mitch scolded him. “Mac has been interested in you before he was even friends with us. The first time I ever met him, he mentioned you. Not you by name but…” Mitch waved his hand in the air. “Let’s just say that Mac thought of you as his boy before any of us even met you.”

Hayley propped his good arm on the counter. “How did you meet Mac? He never told me.”

Mitch paled. Dang, that couldn’t be good. “Uh, well…” He shifted nervously on his feet. “It’s a really long story. My father is not a good man. He was screwing me over and doing bad things. Mac helped me see that I needed to get away from him.”

“Your father’s in prison, isn’t he?” Hayley thought he’d seen that in the news.

“Yeah. It’s where he belongs.”

Hayley turned to Caleb. Caleb was usually better about opening up to him. Mitch’s explanation hadn’t made much sense. Hayley had so many questions. How had Mac helped? Why? Did Mac know Mitch’s father well? “How’d you meet Mac?”

Caleb looked up at him as he put the top back on the pen. “Grant,” he said simply. “Although I’d seen him around the neighborhood and around town before that.”

Maybe Grant knew Mac because they all lived in the same neighborhood. Or maybe through his work?

Glancing up, he spotted Mac heading back across the street. He didn’t have much time to press.

“Have you been to his house?” Hayley asked quickly. “It is the most amazing place I’d ever seen. And it has so many rooms! I still don’t think I’ve seen them all.”

Mitch and Caleb exchanged a look.

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