Page 2 of Bad Wolf
Scott’s our other brother. He’s not in the NHL, though he could have made it pro and was courted by scouts his whole college career. But our hero chose bravery and service over fame and fortune, joining the FDNY instead.
Although he is the department’s starting goalie, so I guess he’s living out both his passions.
“Huh, no. Where’d he get to?”
“To the airport.”
I blink. The rest of our family have checked in with us about arrival times and stuff.
“Why? Wouldn’t his buddies just meet us…” A grin explodes on my face, “He’s not goin’ to get them. He’s gone to meet Jenna.”
“Yes.” Jason pumps his eyebrows.
“Fuck, why didn’t I think of that? Even if Lex wasn’t having her bachelorette out here, he’d make her come.”
“That’s what she said.”
We both burst out laughing so much that I have to put my glass down.
Scott and his best friend, Jenna, have been in love with each other since about the fifth grade, but they’re either too scared or too dumb to ever do anything about it. The rest of us get to just sit back and watch as they make a mess of it all.
It’s highly entertaining.
“What’s so funny?” Casey asks, appearing out of nowhere and looking a bit dreamy-eyed. I guess being on a relaxing vacation away from work with your incredibly hot girlfriend will do that to you.
A stab of something a lot like jealousy slices through my chest, but it’s fleeting and I decide to pay it no notice. It’s just an old scar that pulls tight every now and again.
“Guess what?” Jason says, mirth dancing in his eyes. “Scott ducked out a while ago, headed to the airport.”
Casey’s eyes flare and his lips tip up in a knowing grin, “Jenna.”
We both nod like bobbleheads.
* * *
“Could you be any more of a fuck boy?”
“This outfit costs more than you make in a month,” I retort without turning around on my bar stool, knowing it’s Scott.
“Then you were robbed.” I look down at my crisp fitted shirt, cropped tailored trousers, and suede Tom Ford loafers.
I look hot as fuck and this jealous dick knows it. The woman still tangled in my sheets as I got ready earlier this evening said so too. Turns out she wasn’t so shy after all.
“You are allowed to wear things other than long-sleeved t-shirts,” Troy says, wearing a similar outfit and appraising Scott from my left—never one to miss out on giving him shit for his wardrobe choices.
Troy is our other cousin, Theo’s younger brother, and my best friend. Rounding out the Madden kids to seven in total. Six boys and one girl.
Every single one of us has varying shades of blond hair and blue eyes. No one can ever get over how similar we look, but I don’t really see it until I look at a photo of us all and then it’s hard to dispute it.
We’re close too. Not only bonded in blood, but a friendship that runs just as deep. Best friends, cousins, brothers. I’m sure us all being so tight was easier on the Mamas—that’s what we call my mom and Troy’s mom—but we just all tended to stick together anyway.
It was our thing when we were little kids. Inseparable as teens and now in our twenties, even though we’re following both the same and separate dreams, the distance has never really affected us.
“I like ‘em. I get hot, I roll up my sleeves.” Which is exactly what he’s done to the navy blue one he’s sporting.
Troy and I side-eye each other and chuckle.
“Where’s Jenna?”