ie turns her attention on the uncomfortable man at my side who is getting closer to me every time a girl gives him a threatening look.
“I’m glad you’re here. Can you help me get a TV out of my car? It’s a present for my dad, but it’s a big son of a bitch.”
Rye almost leaps out of his seat. “Fucking love to,” he says gratefully, and Maggie works hard to suppress a grin when he almost sprints outside.
She walks over to the fridge to pull out a drink, and then she goes pale. I turn back toward the women at the table as they vent and slam men. I don’t miss this hell. But when I was married, I only had Maggie to vent to.
“Um... Brin?” Maggie says, her eyes wide as she waves me over.
“I’ll be right back,” I say to the girls who don’t even pause.
When I reach Maggie, she points to the fridge and whispers, “Why are there two things of blood and worms in there?”
“Oh,” I say with a shrug. “The less you know, the better.”
She rolls her eyes, trying to look exasperated, but then she accidentally smiles. “You two need to fuck and get it over with.”
I just laugh. If she had seen the girl he was with at Ash’s house, she wouldn’t be saying that.
The sound of Rye coming back in interrupts the conversation, and Maggie goes to instruct him on where to put the TV. Once he’s put the oversized box away, he walks out of her room, acting like he’s going to escape.
“I’ll see you ladies later.”
I practically fly over to him, and block his path, refusing to let him leave me here alone with this, but he picks me up and moves me behind him. “Rye, stay,” Ash says, a whimper in her voice. “We need a man’s opinion.”
He groans long and loud as he stares longingly at the door. “My opinion keeps getting me barked at,” he mutters under his breath, turning his glower on me once more.
But he relents, and sluggishly walks back to the table, casting a look of pure hatred over his shoulder at me once more before sitting down. I smile at his misery and take my seat.
A small rapping on wood doesn’t even disturb the rant going on in my dining room, and Maggie runs out in her short, sexy dress on her way to answer the door. When she opens it, Carmen walks in. Striking blonde hair, long, tan legs, and a perfect body that is encased in a tight red dress are what makes up the exterior of Maggie’s bombshell girlfriend.
Rye’s grin slowly crawls up as he takes her in, and the girls all turn to face the new woman in the room.
“Everyone, this is my girlfriend, Carmen,” Maggie says, practically glowing as Carmen leans in and kisses her.
Rye’s jaw falls unhinged, and I roll my eyes at what a damn guy he is.
“I really should have started coming over sooner,” he says, and I slap him in the chest, earning a grunt and chuckle from him.
Considering he’s a frigging brick wall, I inwardly whimper while rubbing my hand under the table. Damn, that hurt.
Still snickering, he goes to the fridge but pauses when he opens the door. After a beat, he grabs two beers and returns, offering me one. I’m going to have to restock the alcohol after tonight.
“We should get going,” Maggie says, still grinning.
Carmen waves at us, her smile matching Maggie’s, and they walk out hand-in-hand. The girls all stare at the door for a moment until Ash finally says, “I think she has the right idea.”
Rain starts to grin, but covers it quickly with a serious face. “Yeah. Men suck.”
Rye drops his head to his hands while groaning and mumbling something about burying me alive.
***
BRIN
“It’s not like I’m opposed to having another child. Tag is an incredible father, and I love the hell out of him. I just wanted us to plan out our next baby,” Ash says, drinking her virgin margarita. “We’ll be fine. Tag should have told me, but he didn’t want me worrying. Trip is still in diapers, and he’s a handful, so Tag didn’t want me to freak out unless I had to.”
I’m positive that she’s the only sober person at this table.