Page 45 of Street of Dreams
“Yeah.” Jake slung his arm over Danny’s shoulder and gave him a side hug that was more like a headlock. “But it’s nice to be nice sometimes. Right?”
“You’ve been really nice, lately. Since you got a girlfriend,” Danny teased.
Jake almost burst out laughing, until he saw Mac’s face. His cheeks actually turned hot pink and his nostrils flared as he shot daggers at Jake with narrowed eyes. Mac was jealous, and it made Jake’s heart balloon. It made him feel like he belonged to someone and that he was worth fighting for.
While Henry took his next shot, Jake pulled Mac away from the table and whispered, “He’s talking about you, you psycho.”
“What?”
“I had to tell them something about why I wasn’t coming home. I told them I met someone, but that’s it. They assumed it was a chick. I couldn’t exactly correct them, could I?”
Mac visibly relaxed as he exhaled and nodded, but Jake couldn’t help the laugh that finally bubbled from his throat.
“What’s so funny?” Mac demanded.
“You. You should’ve seen you’re face. You were so fucking jealous. I thought smoke was going to come out of your ears.”
“It almost did.” Mac finally smiled. “This is really fucking crazy. Me playing pool with you and your brothers. And they have no idea what’s going on.”
Sometimes Jake thought his brothers were on another planet, oblivious to the things going on around them. “They’re easily entertained.”
“I’m having a really good time,” Mac said.
“Me too.”
“What are you two talkin’ about over there?” Henry called. “It’s your turn, Jake.”
“Business,” Jake said, as they rejoined the game. He let Danny take this round because he was too distracted to bother. He loved the way Mac casually interacted with Henry. And Danny, who was now getting guidance as well.
Henry walked over to Jake and jutted his chin toward Mac and Danny. “I never really talked to Mac before. He’s cool.”
A tiny smile peeked out of the corner of Jake’s mouth. “Yeah. He’s all right.”
