Laurel hated to admit it but the security blanket of Jace’s company was very welcome. Especially in a new place, with a man she just met in the other room, she would probably freak out if she didn’t have Jace nearby.
“Ummm, yeah, he does when he’s on tour, which he’s not right now. He was talking about getting someone to play backup guitar for his jam sessions while he’s writing new music. That could happen here or even at Hot Rides if you’re decent enough to free him up from playing while he’s coming up with new lyrics and can help him test out harmonies,” Jordan said with a somewhat dreamy smile that shattered his tough-guy demeanor.
“Jace is beyonddecent. He’s incredible.” Laurel might be unsure about a lot of the stuff happening at the speed of light around them, but that wasn’t one of them. If things had been different, Jace would have been signed to a record label a long time ago, she was certain of it.
“Then I’m sure Kason will be happy to hire him. See. No problems.” Jordan spread his hands out wide in front of him.
Jace squinted at the elaborate mansion they were huddled in, then back to Jordan. “Hold on. Who exactly is your husband? Someone I would know?”
Everyone burst out laughing, but not in a malicious way. Jordan smiled kindly and nodded. “Kason Cox. The country star.”
“Oh. Holy shit.” Jace plopped down on the couch again and Laurel joined him. He looked over at her and she could see him struggling, at war within himself. This was a dream opportunity for him, everything else aside.
Laurel took his hand and said, “Let’s do it. Let’s stay.”
He bit his lower lip then looked over at Nolan. “I’m afraid this is sounding too good to be true and that it will turn out to be a giant cluster fuck, but… If you’re willing to gamble, I am too.”
“You were the one talking about our future and how we needed to be brave and go for it if we’re ever going to do better. We’re running out of time day by day, getting older. So much was stolen from us, we’ve got a late start. I’m ready to be bold. To believe that things can be different and that we’ve had enough bad luck to deserve a break. Maybe this is it…”
Jace sighed, paused, then nodded. “Okay. I’m in.”
Laurel flung herself into his arms and laughed out loud, the peal ricocheting around the room when he caught her and cradled her to his chest. She peeked from beneath his arms—which banded around her, sheltering her as always—at James. Her brother grinned and leaned against his husband as his wife settled onto his lap and kissed the trail of his, hopefully happy, tear.
Grateful, Laurel looked around the room at Jordan, Sola, Aarav, Kennedy, Marcus, the two big guys—Ransom and Levi—and, of course, her brother with his spouses. In one evening, she felt like she might have gained an entire new family of sorts. That terrified her. It had been a long damn time since she’d had to care—or worry—about anyone but herself or Jace.
And, hell, she still couldn’t seem to sort things out quite right with him after decades of trying.
Finally, she looked at Nolan and slow blinked at the heated gaze he was shooting her and Jace. One filled not with pity but with longing. She’d seen desire often enough to recognize it immediately. But unlike nearly all the other times it had been aimed in her direction, she didn’t feel like running away.
Instead, she leaned closer. “Sorry ’bout your luck, roomie. I’m pretty neat, but Jace…he’s a slob.”
“Hey, I wash my own clothes and almost always remember to put the toilet seat down.” He squeezed her, then laughed. “I guess there will be no more walking around naked after your showers, though—that’s gonna be a bummer.”
“Why? I certainly won’t object.” Nolan was quick to flash them a grin. “Hell, I’m not a big fan of clothes and I don’t even own pajamas.”
“Old habits are hard to break.” Laurel shrugged one shoulder. She couldn’t say what got into her. Maybe it was pure exhaustion making the filter between her brain and her mouth dissolve. Or maybe it was the thrill it gave her to be in Jace’s arms while another man stared at her hungrily. Or maybe a teensy part of her wanted Jace to know what it was like to be jealous considering she was practically a born-again virgin though he indulged in periodic hookups.
No matter what, it was going to be an interesting couple of months until Jordan could nail Draven and end a very long, very ugly chapter of their lives permanently.
Marcus chuckled, then said, “Why do I feel like Nolan has no idea what he’s getting himself into?”
Kennedy tapped him on the shoulder with the back of her hand and cackled. “I’m sure you’re right and I can’t wait for him to find out.”
Neither could Laurel.
8
The first few days Nolan spent with Jace and Laurel had flown by in a flash. He’d arranged for someone on the team to collect the rest of their stuff from their apartment. Shockingly few boxes of simple necessities had arrived later that same day. It was probably for the best given the limited storage in the tiny home they were sharing at Hot Rides, though Jace and Laurel acted like they’d hit the lottery and moved into a mansion.
Strike that. They hadn’t cared much for Jordan, Kason, and Wren’s sprawling mountain palace. But Nolan had seen Laurel sigh as she ran her fingers over the gleaming stainless faucet in the kitchen sink and the glossy surface of the marble island. With a compact space, the Powertools crew had easily incorporated bits of luxury in the tiny homes they’d built on the Hot Rides campus.
If Nolan was being honest, he didn’t mind the close quarters. It meant he got to spend all of his time getting to know his charges really fucking well. Ordinarily, he’d be bitter about being slapped on babysitting duty. All of the Shields knew it was Jordan’s way of spanking him for taking off to investigate Heels on his own the night of the raid.
Though he’d grumbled to the team, he had to keep reminding himself not to completely fuck up and let his guard down, because living with Laurel and Jace, watching over them, was as natural as breathing.
Just that morning, he’d tried to hide a smirk behind his napkin when Laurel had busted Jace’s balls while they ate breakfast on stools at the kitchen peninsula that doubled as a table.
“Sugar Shreds? Really? What are you, ten?” Laurel rolled her eyes as she cut up a banana to add to the blueberries already topping her oatmeal.