Page 264 of Waiting Game

“Meaning you have no patience for Pops, Callan?” Cody drawls.

“Exactly. Colt’s just not concentrating and he needs to start before I?—”

“Before you what, kiddo?”

I wade into the grumbling. “You manage to get them set up in time?”

“Of course, we did,” Cody derides. “Jesus Christ, I earned the Star of Military Valour and my baby brother thinks I can’t set up a bunch of candles on a fucking lake.”

“This is life or death too, Cody.”

“Cole, my man, it truly isn’t. Though,” he concedes, “Mia’s too good for your ass so I guess it is.”

“Damn straight.”

I shoot Callan a look, well aware of how difficult the past week’s been on him.

Before leaving, Colton and Cody wish me their version of good luck:

Colton: “Don’t fuck this up.”

Cody: “I wouldn’t blame her for saying no so be convincing. Mum likes her.”

I snag a hold of Callan’s arm and keep him back as the others stare at us curiously before jumping on their respective ATVs and taking off for home.

“You all right?” I ask Callan.

“Been better,” he mumbles before he mutters in a rush, “You swear you won’t tell her that I’ve seen her naked?”

“I don’t feel like humiliating either of you, Callan,” I lie because she already knows whose account I stole. I scrub a hand over his head. “Thanks for doing this.”

“You’re welcome.” He tosses a remote at me. “When are you guys going back to NYC again? I’d like to leave my bedroom at some point.”

“You’re out now, aren’t you?”

“Yeah, but this isn’t my idea of a good time.”

I tut as he slouches off into the darkness. “Hey, you’re not going to tell Pops about her past, are you?”

“Why would I? I love her, dude.”

That has me blinking at him. “Awkward.”

“Yeah, but I’m used to being second best to my brothers. There’s no change there.”

Before I can answer, he clambers onto the back of his ATV and lights it out of here.

I watch him go then, with a sigh, reach for my phone in my pocket so I can send him a message.

Me: Second best? You’re better than all of us, kid.

Me: When you find your one, she’ll only have eyes for you.

Me: That’s how it’s supposed to be.

Me: Thanks for your help, Callan. I really appreciate it.

I know he won’t read that until later, but it’s okay—as long as he reads it at some point, I’m fine with that.

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