“Anything we can help with?” I asked.
“No, it’s okay. I’m taking care of it.”
“You sure?”
“Positive. More importantly, congrats, Juliette! I’m so proud of you!”
“Thank you! I’m excited. And nervous.”
“You’re going to be amazing! And I’ll help you with ideas for whatever you need.”
“Thank you!”
Nicky glanced over at the guys. “Dylan looks so proud too.”
“Yeah, he’s been really sweet.”
“Ugh, I bet he has. He looks at you the same way Thor looks at Jenna.”
Jenna’s dog was obsessed with her and followed her around the house with hearts in his puppy dog eyes. “Wow, that’s true love.” I said it sarcastically, but my chest squeezed. Dylan did look at me with love, and it was the best feeling in the world.
“Sure is. For Thor and me, and for Dylan and you,” Jenna agreed. “And now I’m excited to go snuggle with him. Let’s go beat them at darts, so we can go home soon.”
We linked arms and joined the guys by the darts.
“The new, best-ever lead therapist goes first, so clear the area,” Nicky ordered. “Nope. Further back.” She tried to shoo them away from the darts area. “I trust her wholeheartedly to lead the department, but not to throw sharp objects.”
“Nicky!” Dylan admonished, but everyone laughed, me included.
“She’s not wrong. I like you in one piece, no holes. Move back.”
“I trust you.”
“See, just like Thor,” Nicky said.
We only hadthat first round of drinks, but anyone watching us play could reasonably think we were wasted, we were having such a good time, laughing so hard. I’d always been able to laugh at myself with Jenna and Nicky, and I loved that it extended to the guys too.
I wanted to soak it all in, to forever remember this moment with my best friends and my boyfriend, and his friends who were now also our friends, laughing and talking, sharing our hopes, excited for new opportunities, making plans to all go out again, feeling so open and free and happy. How did I get so lucky?
25
Dylan
Idropped the weights I’d been lifting when I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket. Beth’s name flashed across the screen. Shit. I’d been waiting for this call. It could be great fucking news, or it could add to the suffocating fear I felt whenever I thought of Juliette being hurt by Kayla and Leo. Which I thought about way too fucking often.
I swiped the screen to answer. “Beth?”
The clanking of weights and whir of the treadmill faded as my brothers paused their workouts. I felt their eyes on me, listening without shame. That’s the way it was with us. We faced danger together too often for secrecy.
“I have good news and bad news,” Beth said, cutting right to the chase. “The good news is, I found dirt on Leo that I think we can use against him. He’s deep into drugs and gambling and he’s been borrowing from Peter to pay Paul. But in this case Peter and Paul are badass loan sharks who’d shoot him in thekneecaps if they found out. The bad news is, Cade won’t let me do anything useful with that info.”
“That’s not bad news. That’s a good husband.”
Beth huffed and I laughed at her faux frustration.
“Let Sledge keep you safe, and give me all the info you have on Leo and the loan sharks. I’ll find a way to use it to keep Juliette safe.”
“I can do better than that. Do you know Tex?”