Page 42 of Trusting the Team

“Yeah.”

Gumby looked between the two of them, settled on Dari. “What the hell is going on?”

Dari shook her head, “Let’s hope I was right.”

Sidney sidled up into the driver’s window with Gumby, “Are the guys gone?”

“Yeah, we have a girls’ night tonight,” Dari answered.

“Cool!”

Gumby pulled Sidney and himself back out of the window, “If you need anything, you know how to get us.”

“Thanks, Gumby.”

47

MADDOX

When the parking lot cleared Dari turned in her seat, “What’s with your dad?”

“He’s an asshole.”

“Please.”

Maddox took a deep breath. “He uses people to get what he wants. He uses anyone to get what he wants.” Dari nodded. “My turn?”

“Ok.”

“That was your mother?”

“That woman took me to Afghanistan when I was young and let her brother get rid of me. I never saw her again until today.”

“Um, you have a pregnancy test in...” Maddox pointed toward the bags in the back of the Jeep.

“Oh, Jeezuz, that’s not mine,” Dari turned back toward the steering wheel and turning the engine. “And given what just happened, thank to whoever. But I’m not baby craving.”

“Arianna?”

“Well, Trey, so yeah.” She smiled, heading toward Arianna’s house.

48

ARIANNA

Arianna had grown up in a big family. The bustle of her place with the spouses, girlfriends, and kids there reminded her of it. They were all different, independent, and drawn to the men on her boyfriend’s team. Dari and Maddox had shown up together from the grocery store. Brooke had both her sons with her; Asher, 4 and Cael, 1. Scott had arrived with the stash of Bold in Red they all loved drinking. Embry was missing, back out on a sea tour.

Brooke came out of the back room, having gotten both boys down. “Finally.” She sat down on an available overstuffed chair in the main room. Scott handed off a wine glass. “Thank you,” she sighed. “What did I miss?”

Scott gave a quick rundown. “Dari and Maddox both ran into estranged parents at the grocery store, weird. Arianna is waiting out her pregnancy test, stressful. I may not have brought enough wine, unusual.” Everyone giggled. “Are you working at the bar again?” Scott asked Brooke.

“I’m trying to focus a little more on school when Hammer is around. I wasn’t a good student. I want to be better.” Brooke started hedging.

“Is the age gap weird for you?” Arianna asked.

“Of all the things to be weird age is the least of it,” Brooke kicked back the rest of her glass. Maddox and Scott’s eyes widened,here it comes.Arianna leaned in, ever the educator. “He’s smarter, provider, better. Honestly, I don’t know why he took me in and why he wanted to marry me.”

Arianna started, “It isn’t a savior complex. They are protectors of what they deem is theirs or their responsibility. Hammer wanted you. You’ll go crazy if you get stuck thinking there’s some kind of expectation from him.”

---