Page 7 of Stay with Me
Before Brody could say anything else, Drew looked over at Rick and then bent over, laughing his ass off. What. The. Fuck.
“Drew, stop laughing like a hyena. What set you off?” Mike looked as pissed as Brody felt. It seemed like he was on Brody’s side. Almost as if Mike had Brody’s back. How strange was that. They’d only met.
Drew stood upright, wiped his eyes, and snorted a few times before talking. “I’m sorry, Uncle Mike. Brody, I’m not laughing at you or your situation. Rick put his new man on the spot and is having Coop pin his rank. I can guarantee that Aunt Trish and Nova will not feel put out at all. They really will be honored, Brody. Why don’t you come have dinner with us and meet them? We’re stopping to get all of Rick’s and my stuff out of the apartment before heading to the Airbnbs, but then we’ll be there. You could decide after.”
Brody’s jaw hit the ground again. Granted, there was no way that Drew wasinvitinghim to dinner but Brody was going to get to spend time with him. Yes, please and thank you.
Chapter Three
Brody was sitting on the edge of the back lawn. He wasn’t enochlophobic or even anthropophobic — look at him remembering his psych clinical tour— but holy shit. Drew had a HUGE family. Okay, from what he knew they weren’t all biological family but… dang. If Brody knew nothing else, he knew family was what you made of it. There had been a few foster homes where he felt like he belonged; he’d thought his last one could be his forever family. Guess he was wrong since they were ghosting him. He looked down at his soda and wondered when he could sneak out. He’d shown up so Drew and his uncle saw him.See him not being rude. He still didn’t understand how he ended up here.
“You won’t be able to hide for much longer,” a female said from beside Brody.
Looking up from his cup, Brody saw a hugely pregnant woman standing beside him. Hearing one of the OB nurses from that particular rotation in his head, he jumped up and tried to guide her into the chair next to his. “Please? You need to sit down and put your feet up. Do you need something to drink? Eat?” Brody knew he was babbling but the last time he saw a woman this pregnant she’d given birth within the hour. Lord, please, don’t let this woman go into labor while sitting next to him.
“You need to breathe. I’m fine but yes, I will sit down. I’m not due for another five weeks and Lord help me if I have this little girl before Maddy pops out the triplets. At least I could be here. Maddy’s on bed rest. I’m Nova Mullvaney Rogers. Figured I’d throw the maiden name in there so you could figure out the connection. This little lady is going to stay in place. You hear me, little one?” Nova asked as she rubbed her stomach.
“Brody Walker,” he said sitting back down after making sure that Nova was settled. “I’m a cadet with Drew.”
“Dad pointed you out. Said that if Mom and I were willing that you didn’t have anyone to pin on your bars tomorrow. So, I thought I’d introduce myself.” Nova looked around then leaned over and whispered, “If you’d rather someone else pin you, that’s fine. Dad and the uncles are always taking over and making things happen. Think they all spent way too long commanding soldiers and miss it now. I know that Aunt Jeannine is about to kill Uncle Spook if he rearranges the furniture one more time.”
Brody wasn’t quite sure how to respond to that. Did he want two strangers pinning him? Or did he want to look like a loser and have one of the cadre do it? Honestly, what did it matter? It wasn’t like he was making memories for anyone. He risked a glance across the yard and saw Drew wrapped around the blonde that he’d brought to the ball. Brody was glad she had arrived, but dang. There was a small pang in the region of his heart. Not that he’d ever really thought that he had a chance with Drew.
“Oh good, Julia made it. She wasn’t sure if she was going to be able to get over. Her office is still trying to clean up the mess from tax season. Why she would want to be an accountant boggles my mind. I have enough on my hands with the books for the salon. Speaking of, would you like me to trim your hair before the ceremony tomorrow? Glad I brought my scissors and clippers with me. I’m definitely fixing Drew’s hair. You would’ve thought that I’d taught him enough that he would find a good barber to take care of his hair. Of course, he is the baby of the group so I guess I should give him some slack,” Nova paused. It looked to Brody like she was debating with herself as she bobbed her head from side-to-side. “Nah, no quarter given.”
Her deadpan decision made Brody break out in laughter. “Oh my God. You are so a military brat with that comment.” He slapped his hand over his mouth. Shit. He’d just called the woman sitting next to him a brat.Way to go, Walker.
Nova broke out in a loud laugh and doubled over as much as her stomach would let her. In two-point-oh seconds, there was a man and an older woman at her side. The woman looked enough like Nova that she could only be her mother. The man? Yeah, Brody had no clue who he was.
“Hon, are you okay? Is the little one okay?” the man demanded, kneeling next to Nova.
“Nova, sweetheart? Is something wrong?” the woman asked as she put a hand on Nova’s shoulder.
“Mom, Darien. Breathe,” Nova said through snorts as she controlled her laughter. “I’m fine. I just couldn’t hold in the laughter at the look on Brody’s face when he realized that he called me a military brat.”
“Well, you are a brat,” Mike said as he walked up to the group. “Glad you made it, Brody. It seems like you’ve met my daughter and wife.”
Brody jumped to his feet as he saw Mike approach. There was no way he was sitting on his ass with the sergeant major standing. “Ma’am, why don’t you sit next to your daughter?” Brody offered to the woman.
She waved his offer off but held out her hand. “I’m Trish Mullvaney, mother to this one,” she said as she nodded toward Nova. “And I’m this one’s wife,” she said as she moved next to Mike, who leaned down and pressed a kiss on her temple.
“Brody Walker, ma’am. It’s nice to make your acquaintance.” Brody shook her hand and then held it out to the sergeant major.“Sir, thank you again for the invitation. And you are?” he asked as he held out his hand to the man hovering over Nova.
“Darien Rogers. I think you’ve figured out where I fit into this group,” he said, standing and shaking Brody’s hand. Brody mentally doffed his hat to the man who was brave and smart enough to grab hold of Nova.
“I do believe my nephew invited you but sure, I’ll take the credit. Now, tomorrow, Trish and Nova would love to pin your bars on,” Mike said while nodding his head. “I mentioned it to them when we got back from campus. Who do you want to do your beret and who for your shoulders?”
“Dad? Do you think you could let the guy think? It’s just like you and the uncles to push your way into—”
“Nova, it’s fine. Your dad spent years taking care of soldiers. At least that’s what Drew said earlier. It’s understandable that when he found out I had no one to do it that he’d offer to fix that. And honestly? I’m flattered that he would volunteer his wife and daughter. I’ve never had family to be there for me,” Brody said, cutting off Nova.
“What do you mean?” Trish asked, wrapping her arm around Mike.
Brody looked at Mike, who shook his head and said, “I didn’t share anything. Just that you could use a friendly face tomorrow. It’s not my story to tell.”
“Michael,” Trish frowned at her husband.
“Ma’am, there’s—”
