Page 54 of Simply Yours

“Yeah, what she said,” Jason muttered, nodding in her direction like she’d just proven his point.

Caitlin rolled her eyes, extending a hand. “Keys. Or get in my car guys so I can take you home.”

Luke made a vague noise of protest, waving her off.

“What he said,” Matthew added, mimicking the same dismissive gesture.

“No. I’m serious,” she said, firm but gentle. “No driving tonight. I don’t want to be at anyone else’s funeral.”

Matthew scoffed, but the sound caught in his throat. His lip wobbled. “I ain’t goin’ anywhere. Ain’t got nowhere to go anyhow.”

Caitlin’s heart clenched. “Aww, Matthew,” she murmured, stepping forward to wrap him in a hug. “Why don’t you reach out to?—”

Matthew tensed like she’d just set off a firecracker at his feet. He jolted, eyes wide, and shushed her loudly, pressing a finger to his lips. “Shhh! Don’t say crazy things like that! That’s how rumors get started. We don’t blab! Remember?”

Luke doubled over laughing—only to let out a sharp yelp, snatching the tissue from his nose. “Oh, that hurt to suck it in.”

“That’s what you deserve,” Matthew grumbled.

“I can’t believe it,” Luke gasped between chuckles.

“’Cause it’s not true,” Matthew shot back, arms crossed.

Caitlin eyed him, something knowing in her gaze. “Oh, Matthew?—”

“Nope,” he interrupted, thrusting a hand toward Jason like he was throwing a shield in front of himself. “Focus on your own disaster, and don’t try to fix any of mine.”

Jason let out a slow exhale, eyes half-lidded as he leaned against Caitlin’s car. “Hey now—let’s be nice.”

Caitlin shook her head, a mix of exasperation and affection curling in her chest. “You Baird men are so stupidly stubborn—and wonderful.”

Jason smirked, but she could see the exhaustion pulling at him, the weight of whatever had driven them all to drink pressing heavy on his shoulders.

“Go sleep this off in the barn,” she said, her voice softer now.

“I’m going to,” Matthew announced. “And not because you told me to!”

“Yeah! Me too! And not ‘cause you said so,” Luke chimed in, looping an arm around his brother’s shoulder.

She watched as they staggered off, leaning on each other, their figures disappearing into the dark. The soft glow of the floodlight barely reached them, moths dancing wildly against its beam. It wasn’t until they were out of sight that she realized just how alone she was with Jason.

When she turned back to him, he was watching her with a lazy, lopsided grin.

“You look pretty in anything,” he murmured.

Caitlin snorted. “Oh, you are so drunk.”

“Still true,” he insisted, following her as she climbed into the driver’s seat.

“Let’s get you home and tucked in,” she muttered, buckling in.

Jason huffed, slumping into the passenger seat. “But you said we’d cuddle.”

Before she could roll her eyes, he shifted—leaning over until his head was in her lap.

Caitlin stiffened, hands hovering in the air as she stared down at him, stunned.

“When I was a boy,” Jason murmured, voice thick with something that wasn’t just alcohol, “my mom used to sit in the back with us. When I was tired, I’d lay like this…” He swallowed audibly, his breath shuddering. “I miss her so much sometimes.”

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