Page 146 of Before Now

Colt snorts and mumbles an, “Asshole,” which could apply to me or Chase at the moment.

“I have both of you, and believe me, I do not envy the lives you live.” He licks his lips, smiles. “And I have a hot-as-fuck wife who’s smart, talented, so fucking bratty, and has an ultrasound appointment in about seven hours.”

“The fuck?” Colton’s out of his chair, hands on his hips in my peripheral, but I’m entirely focused on Chase.

He shrugs. “Val told me I had to wait until after her appointment, so if you want me to live to see my fucking kid, act surprised.”

I’m grinning as I remember she pawned off her beer on Colt when we were axe throwing. “Congrats. It’s cute you think it’s yours, brother.”

Chase pulls a face and flips me off. “Fucking bet it is. Don’t make me detail it for you.”

“We already know enough,” Colton says, cringing. “I know more about the interworking of your dick and little dudes than I ever wanted to.”

“Preach.” I raise my beer bottle to that one. “No more demonstrations either.”

Colt nods, eyes wide in his agreement. “But … I am going to wake up Val and tell her you spilled.” He dashes for the stairs the second the last word’s out of his mouth.

“Shit.” Chase grabs a votive candle off the table, intending to launch it at him, but he rethinks and sets it down.

I smile at him when his head swivels around. “I’m fucking happy for you and Val.”

“I’m happy for us too.” He tips his head back and forth, weighing it. “I am until Val comes for me. Which means, we better solve your shit while I’m still with you.”

“Right.” I pull smoke into my lungs, using it as an excuse not to say more.

As if Chase would allow it. He’s still waiting when I blow it out, his brows raised.

“Someone close to her got hurt because of me. When I found her at the lake, I did something that caused her a lot of pain. All this time, she thought it was her fault, but I was the reason it all played out like it did.” I groan and take a swig of my beer, shaking my head as I rest the bottle on my leg. “She said she just needs to process, and I’ll see her when the tour ends, but … I need more. I need to know she can forgive me, and we’ll get what we lost out on before.”

“So get started.” When I look over, Chase nods like he’s onto something. “You need more, do more. You need to know she can forgive you, start your groveling tour. If you want to make sure you have a chance at the life you lost with her, build it so when you have her back, it’s already there.”

I let out a puff of air and half-smile. “I have a head start on one of those at least.”

My call with Smith finally happened, and what he said was so much better than I ever hoped for.

“Make a plan, Foster. Be the charming motherfucker I know you can be and then kick on the broody looks to guarantee results. She’ll be there when the tour ends, and you’ll realize she missed you as much as you’re missing her.” Then he shrugs. “They always say distance makes the dick grow harder and shit.”

There it is. The bro-spiration.

I snort, shaking my head. “You are the worst.”

“Yeah,” he sighs out as I kill the joint. “And you’re in love, brother. Again.”

Exhaling, I correct him, “Still.”

When I glance over, he claps me on the shoulder and grins. “Another thing that never ends, huh?”

Colton waltzes back over, looking put out. “She said she’d punish you in the morning. Ruined my night if I’m being honest.” He pulls the wicker chair so he’s facing me and Chase when he sits.

“You need to be done being petty, my brother,” I tell him.

He wrinkles his nose. “Give me a good reason, and I’ll consider it.”

I slump back in my chair, looking at the horizon beyond him. “We have stops to add on the tour for groveling.”

He sighs. “Fine. And we’re renegotiating my contract for more pay.”

Of course we are.

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