I socked his arm. “I’m used to you texting hot Irish men, and Galen’s one of my favourites.”
For good reason. Before Logan had taken his place, Galen McCarthy had kept Nash alive while he’d been crushed beneath the wheels of an HGV, an image I absolutely did not need to revisit right now.
I fought to scrub my brain clean and focused on Locke, on his gaze as it strayed to the iPad he still clutched.
He’s not done.
I stretched my neck and kissed his cheek. “I’m going to pee again and get someone to make me a sandwich. If you’re still worried about Logan tomorrow, we’ll drive up there and see him with our own eyes.”
Locke’s fair brows rose, but I shuffled away before he could tell me I was in no fit state for a six hour round trip and took myself back to the bathroom, leaving Locke alone with his thoughts, but he wasn’t alone when I emerged sometime later.
Nash had found him, their blond heads bent over the tablet, shoulders pressed together.
Lord, my heart.
I backed up, leaving them to it, and slipped into the kitchen, finding it almost deserted—the party had moved to the living room.
Only Mateo remained, doing something with bread and turkey that had me all up in his business. “Who’s that for?”
His scarred and beautiful face twisted in a grin. “Er. You?”
“Right answer, boyo.”
Mateo grinned and stacked the sandwich the way I liked without having to ask me a single thing. I leaned against him, squishing him with affection that wasn’t our norm.
He laughed again. “You all right there, mate?”
“Yeah, I’m just glad you’re here.”
“Me?”
“You make the best sandwiches.”
Mateo snorted and slid me the plate.
My mouth watered, but I let it be a moment and pull him into a real hug. “Sorry I was salty to you about Juana. I know you only want the best for her.”
“I love her.”
“I know that too. She’s lucky to have you—we all are.”
Mateo’s only response was an unconvinced hum, but he knew I meant it. Life was too short for bullshit.
I took my sandwich to the table and demolished it while he made another. For Embry, I realised. If there was anyone more doted on than me, it was the good father. “Don’t give him the last green olives. I need them for my next snack.”
“Wouldn’t dare, sister.”
Mateo saluted me and exited the kitchen, leaving me alone with my thoughts, but it was a solitary moment I didn’t want. I left my plate for Cam to clear up and hauled myself into the living room, wedging myself onto the couch again and dozing off against the nearest solid body.
I woke sometime later to find it was Ranger, and he wasn’t as spiky as he looked. He smelled good too—like incense sticks. “When did you stop smelling of smoke and rage?”
He shot me a dark look. “When did you get interested enough to find out?”
I extracted myself from under his arm. “Since I needed to nap every ten minutes. Did I squash you?”
“Nah, you’re all right, luv.”
Just as well. Moving away from him entirely was a bridge too far, so I stayed where I was, scanning the room for my people—all of them, finding them all where they needed to be. Only Viktor and his brother were missing, taking another moment for themselves, perhaps, but only a few minutes had passed when Viktor returned.