Page 37 of The Only Reason (The Trident Trilogy 2)

“Good thing we’re headed to a bar then.”

“Don’t tell any of the other guys about Millie. Just between us.”

JJ nods. “I know this is the wrong time to talk about it, but when this is over, I think you seriously need to reevaluate your relationship. I told you from the beginning you were stepping on a land mine with that one.”

“You’re right. It’s not the time to talk about it, but it’s definitely entered my mind more than a few times today,” I say as we pull into the bar parking lot. “By the way, sorry about that dent I put in your dashboard.”

As soon as we walk in the door, the jaw jacking starts hitting me from all sides.

“Well look what the cat just drug in,” Butch drawls as he points his pool stick at me. “We got a California boy in our presence.”

I give him a harder than necessary chest bump. “Man, you know this blood is all Texas. That California air isn’t strong enough to change that.”

Hawk comes over and shoves me from behind. “I don’t know, man. Your hair is looking real pretty. You getting Hollywood on us?”

“I live in San Diego, dumbass,” I say as I duck to avoid his attempt at messing up my hair.

“What’s up, Bryce?” I say to the rookie of the group. “Man, you leave for a couple months and your kids are full-grown when you get back. You almost have a real man’s beard now.”

“Ah no, that’s still just baby peach fuzz,” Ty says as he tugs on Bryce’s beard on the way over to me. “Good to see you, brother. You’ve been missed.”

I chuck him on the shoulder. “Damn. I hate to admit it, but I missed your ugly faces, too. Where’s Mouse? He hiding in a corner somewhere as usual?”

They all start laughing, shaking their heads. “Mouse has got himself a lady friend since you’ve been gone,” Butch says. “And she’s got him on a short leash—barely lets him poke his head outside when we’re in town.”

“Speaking of leashes, did Millie give you permission to leave town?” Hawk says. “Or did she finally come to her senses and break up with your ugly ass?”

“Are we going to talk about relationships and then braid each other’s hair?” JJ steps in. “Let’s play pool. Butch and Mase owe me at least five thousand dollars in losses, and tonight is my night to get it back.”

“Never going to happen, brother,” I say, patting him on the back.

Butch hands me a pool stick. “You still got any skill, or am I going to have to find another partner?”

I shove him toward the head of the table. “Just shut up and break.”

As I watch him break, I get a text from Culver.

You’re in. Meeting at seven hundred tomorrow morning. Wheels up likely tomorrow afternoon. Welcome back.

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