Page 35 of C*cky Best Friend
“I’m really sorry,” Gabriel laughs, reaching for Paige. “With Grams not here I figured I could swear.”
“You can’t.” He looks around like he’s offended but there’s a twinkle in his grey-green eyes. “What, do I not get the respect my mother gets?”
Grandma Nance touches his arm with love. “No honey, you don’t.”
That inspires a lot of laughter. Even Uncle Jake is more relaxed as he strolls up with Clara still in his arms. “Did you hear that my daughter is giving birth right now? Did you hear that I’m going to be a grandfather again? How does that make you feel, Dad? Ancient or dinosaur?”
Grandpa eyes his second-youngest son. “With modern medicine as it is today, by the time I get to my mother’s age, people will be living to 250. And I’ll still be looking this good.”
Lexi giggles, “There is something terribly right about us.”
Our brother arrives, holding hands with Natalie. Lexi and I break away to talk to them. Max tells us, “I just spoke to Caden. He left you a message about your show. He really wishes he was there. And now there’s this. He’s completely bummed. You should give him a call, Sam.”
“I’ll do that now.”
“Why not me?” Lexi demands.
“Did you star in a musical tonight?”
She glowers at him. “Oh.”
Dipping my head as I excuse myself, I pull my phone from my jeans pocket and dial Logan first, silently imploring him to pick up as I walk into a less-cramped corridor. Muttering to myself, “Probably fell asleep already,” I wait for the beep and listen to his voice say the message so familiar I have it memorized:
Hi, this is Logan. Actually it isn’t. It’s a recording of my voice probably made years ago. And if you don’t know what to do, probably shouldn’t be calling me.
“Emma is having her baby tonight! Can this night get any better? First we’re living our dreams and now this. If you’re awake and you want to come over…”
Asher finds me in the corridor. “Hey, there you are.”
“Hi Asher. Give me one second. Anyway, Logan, we’re probably here for a while. Send me a text or just show up. Otherwise I’ll talk to you in the morning.”
Hanging up, he gives me a smile I feel in my knees. He gets closer, voice intimate. “I was searching for you. Didn’t have your number.”
Laughing softly, I push him back. “Seriously, my dad is over there.”
Asher touches my hand, fingers playing with mine. “You don’t want him catching us again?”
“Who the fuck is this?!” Hunter says, unimpressed.
I jump back in surprise at both his appearance and volume. “Don’t be like Max and Caden. I already have two over-protective brothers.”
“Three.”
“You’re younger. It doesn’t count.”
“Does so.”
“And you’re never around.”
“You’re looking at me, aren’t you? I’m around.” Hunter’s green eyes cut to Asher. “And I’m looking at him.”
Lexi flies through the double doors. “Everyone can hear you, Hunter, calm the fuck down.”
“I don’t care who hears me. Where’s Logan. Why isn’t he stopping this lame ass from kissing our sister?”
I moan, “Oh my God,” covering my face.
Lexi pokes at Hunter’s broad chest. She is just as loud as he was. “Where were you tonight? You were supposed to hang out after the show!”