Page 57 of A Brother's Secret

“He ain’t bad,” I said and more looks were exchanged.

A redhead exchanged a significant look with Everett and said, “You’re either very brave…”

Everett finished her thought, “Or certifiable.”

“Certifiable,” a teen-aged girl said, laughing over the rim of her wine glass.

“You even old enough to be here?” I asked.

She laughed, “I’m nineteen, and Nox’s ol’ lady. My name is Maren,” she held out a hand and I shookit.

“Nice to meet you, Maren,” I shrugged, didn’t give a fuck, I was drinkin’ before her age. Hard to throw stones living in a glass house.

Another woman with hair as black as my own and blue eyes looked me over. “She’s both,” she said judiciously and I laughed. I likedher.

“And youare?”

“Dani, Red-Thirteen’s ol’ lady.”

“Nice to meet you, Dani.”

A woman came out of the dark back area pregnant belly just starting to show round beneath her blouse, her hands pressed to her back, and dropped into a seat heavily, “Thank goodness, he finallywentdown.”

“Aw, Hayley, you have to consider the source,” Shelly said grinning.

“He is certainly his father’s son,” she said rolling her eyes. The women around the table laughed.

“Just a bit of teething,” Red said and there was a tinge of concern at the edge of the look she shot Hayley.

“Thanks for the help,” a blonde woman that’d introduced herself as Melody said. “I don’t know why Chandler took to you like he did, but I am not complaining. Besides,” she said with a wink. “It’s good practice.”

“No problem,” the dark haired woman smiled putting both her hands on her stomach. “I’m sure I’ll find out soon enough and you’re right, it’s good practice.” She turned to me saying, I’m Hayley,” and held out ahand.

“Amalia, Kyle calls me Mali, though…”

“Which do you prefer?” she asked.

“Mali, to be honest, but if you can’t get me to answer to that, try Lexi. I’ve been Lexi for the last twelve years, so Mali sometimes doesn’t feel like it quite fits anymore.” I downed the whiskey and glanced in Kyle’s direction, he was sitting in his desk chair, back to the computers and monitors he was supposed to be checking. Dray was leaning against the open doorway looking this direction, arms crossed over his chest, talking, but not looking at Kyle. His eyes were fixed onme.

I raised an eyebrow and he grinned savagely, made a remark to Kyle, who laughed and said something back, all of it lost to the general din in the room caused by conversation and loud music.

I turned back to what Ashton was saying and said, “I’m sorry, what?” and rejoined the flow of conversation. The women were nice, welcoming, but I still felt like the odd woman out. I especially kind of tuned out when they started talking about their babies. I didn’t want to become a parent. Not with knowing just how fucked up shit could be. Plus, I didn’t think I would be any good at it. I hadn’t changed my mind in the last, shit, twenty or more years on the subject, but honestly, just because I didn’t want any kids of my own, didn’t mean I wasn’t open to the idea of parenting… just not in the traditional sense of theword.

I didn’t want a baby… I figured if I was going to do it, I’d rather get into it with a pre-teen or a teen that needed help. Every-fucking-body wanted a baby and there were some kids out there that would never have a shot because of it. That was me, rooting for the underdog every damn time. Hard not to, when you’ve been one your entirelife.

Eventually, women had to peel off and go check on toddlers or babies, some were dragged off to get hardcore fucked by their men, which I could appreciate, being attracted to both ends of the gender equation, and sometimes in-between. Shelly asked if I wanted to go check out what was going on out at the bonfire and I looked around and realized the bar had emptied out a fairbit.

“Cool,” I nodded and ducked into the room Kyle had dubbed the fishbowl to tell him what wasup.

“Really?” I asked and he paused his game of Diablo, old-schoolDiablo.

“Hey, you looked like you were having a good time, I didn’t want to interrupt.”

“Right, well, Shelly and I are going outback.”

“Bonfire?” he asked.

“Yup.”

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