Weldon looked at his hand for a second, then grinned, the expression bittersweet and a little embarrassed, he thought. “No problem. It was my pleasure.”

  “You holler if you need anything.” It wasn’t an empty offer. Dan liked Weldon a hell of a lot.

  “Yeah. See you, hon… man. Have a good one.” Weldon didn’t meet his eyes again, the man just heading for the big SUV.

  Dan sighed, then shut the door and turned to find Audie staring at him. “I’m gonna put a bell on you. What?”

  “My house, soldier boy. I pick who’s going to be belled. Weldon get off okay?”

  “Yeah. He’s a great guy, huh?”

  “He’s solid as they come. I like him a lot.”

  “I can tell.” Dan hunched up his shoulders. “You’re staring at me.”

  “Am I? I just… I guess I’m curious. Y’all didn’t like each other? It didn’t work? You can tell me it’s none of mine, but then I’ll sic Dixon on you.”

  “That’s blackmail.”

  “That’s right.”

  “I like him a lot. I mean, I just met him. We had sex. More than once.” Dan paused, trying to put feelings to words. “Hell, I don’t know. I don’t think it’s fair to string along a guy with five kids. No job, no idea what I want to do when I grow up….”

  “Five kids.” Audie sighed and nodded. “You know, that’s fair. I mean, until Dix, no one was going to date a gay cowboy with one, much less five.”

  “Hey, I suck. I fully admit it.” His ears heated. If Weldon had one kid, like Audie had…. He’d snap the man up. Boom.

  “Why? For knowing what you want? Shit, I can’t blame you for that. Better to know, right up front. Weldon’s looking for long-term. There’s not a short-term bone in the man’s body.” Audie shrugged, clapped him on the back. “I’m disappointed, sure. I’m a happy son of a bitch, and I want all y’all to be happy.”

  “Yeah. You and Dixon are a powerful thing.”

  “We are.” Audie’s grin bloomed over his face, and it sort of made Dan want to hit him a little. He wouldn’t, because his hang-ups were not Audie’s fault.

  “Well, it was a good night. I got that much.” He winked. “Is there any leftover dip?”

  “There is. Come sit with me and have a snack? Dixon is sitting with the kids, living through another round of Frozen.”

  “Oh, God.” If he had to hear “Let it Go” one more time…. “I’m in.”

  “Yeah, I promised him a… well, a reward.”

  “Oh.” Dan laughed out loud, clapping Audie on the arm. “You dawg.”

  “Man, I would do things I like a lot less than what I promised to get out of that damn movie.”

  “I bet. It’s awful.” And Randi and Grainger loved it. Loved it.

  “Yeah, but they’re into it.”

  “They are. Go them.” He and Audie settled in the kitchen, dip and chips and half a relish tray spread out on the table. Audie added two beers and a deck of cards to the mix.

  “Oh, it’s on.” Dan loved cards.

  “Yeah. I miss playing cards. Dix… it frustrates him.”

  “Well, sure.” Dan could see that, really. It wasn’t like cards came in Braille at the Walmart.

  “He has Braille ones, but… I’m not sure he’s ever going to learn that like they want him to.”

  “Oh, man. It takes time.” He wondered if Jakob read Braille.

  “Sure it does. He just doesn’t care. He’d rather play.” Audie shuffled, bridging the cards like a master. “What’s your pleasure, man?”

  “Five card draw?”

  “Rock on.” Audie dealt the cards, hands moving almost too fast to see. Oh, he was being sharked.

  “You do know that we play cards in the barracks, right?”

  Audie blinked up at him, going for innocent. “Well, sure.”

  “Just checking. I’m no amateur.” Dan grinned, going for devil to Audie’s angel.

  “No, you been playing with lots of Yankees, I bet.”

  “Oh, God, I have. You’re gonna kick my ass.” Dan looked at his cards. Ah, crap, what a load of shit.

  “I totally am. What are we playing for again?”

  “Pretzels?” He had plenty of cash, but he wasn’t about to play pennies.

  “Pretzels and Oreos?”

  “Sounds like a plan.” He loved Oreos, so that gave him an incentive.

  “I’ll go grab them.” Audie grabbed a huge cookie jar off the highest counter.

  “Are you holding out on me, buddy?”

  Audie grinned, slow and wicked. “Moi?”

  “Man, you know me, I bet. I’ll eat them all.” Dan tossed two cards after the first rapid bid.

  “Dix doesn’t even know they’re there. Does that make me a bad guy?”

  “Yes. You’re a terrible man,” Dan agreed immediately.

  “Oh, excellent. Being good is too easy.”

  “Shit yeah. Y’all both did that for a long time.”

  “Oh, Dix wasn’t good. He has a good amount of evil in him.” And didn’t Audie look like he loved that fact, 100 percent.

  “He still did what he had to.” Dan nodded.

  “He always does. He’s the most amazing man on earth.”

  “I love how you adore him.” Oh, man, his measly pair went down under a three of a kind.

  “Thanks.” Audie went pink as all get-out, and yeah, he could see it. There was a reason Dixon had fallen.

  He guessed the White brothers had a thing for cowboys.

  God, he could tap Weldon again. Just pound that fine cowboy into the mattress. That wasn’t fair, though. He wanted to spend time with the guy, listen to his stories. But he was terrified of that many kids.

  He wasn’t a dad. Never wanted to be. Never.

  That was a huge weight, and Dan wasn’t sure he’d have the patience. What if he snapped or something? He’d seen too much, done too much.

  “You need any cards, man?” Audie asked.

  God, he needed to stop woolgathering and play.

  “Uh.” He peered down at his hand. Lord, when had it changed to a full house? “I’ll stand.”

  “Okay. I need one. Make your bet.”

  Dan carefully stacked Oreos on the center of the table. Six.

  “Half a dozen. You got yourself rich tastes.” Audie’s lips twisted, like this was a million-dollar bet on a prize fight. “I’ll meet your six and raise you two.”

  “Call.” He grinned.

  Audie pulled out four threes, slick as you please.

  “Damn it.” He laid out his full house. “I thought I had you. Guess it’s good they’re your cookies.”

  “Never play with a cowboy, Bubba. Do I smell Oreos?” Dix walked in, and Dan couldn’t help but think that, here in his own house, no one would know his brother was blind.

  “You do.” Audie picked up one of the cookies and pressed it into Dix’s hand.

  “Mmm. Thank you. Is it going to wig y’all out if I sit?”

  Audie glanced at Dan.

  “Nope. Not as long as you can’t help Audie cheat with sonar or something.”

  “Wouldn’t that be a trick? We’d go on the road to Vegas and win a fortune.”

  “I’d bankroll you,” Dan agreed. “You need anything, bro?”

  “Nope. I just want to sit and steal the periodic cookie.”

  “Cool.” Audie helped Dix find a chair. “Adult time is good. They asleep?”

  “Mostly. Grainger’s out. Randi’s watching the damn movie again, but through her eyelids, mostly, I think.”

  “Well, you did your duty,” Dan told him. “Good dad.”

  “Yeah. I keep thinking that movie must look better than it sounds.” Dix grinned wide.

  “Nope.” He and Audie said it together, then cracked up.

  “Now every other parent on earth likes this movie….”

  “Right.” Audie rolled his eyes. “Weldon would rather chew his arm off.”

  “Jakob is learning to play ‘Let It Go’ for Kenzie’s birthday, though.” Dixon’s face softened, the look going fond and warm. Now that his brother couldn’t see, everything the man felt was clear on his face. It made him a little uncomfortable, but Audie didn’t seem to even notice. “Grainger’s playing and singing harmony.”

  “That’s really cool.” How weird was it that they had all this stuff in common with Weldon, and Dan had only just met him? He guessed no one had lessons at the holidays and he’d spent his first few weeks with his folks until the idea of living with two kids was less scary than hanging with the active over-fifty-five crowd. That little condo had gotten small fast.

  He chuckled, thinking about his dad and how he missed the llamas.

  “Share the joke?” Dix asked. “I like when you laugh, man. It’s a good sound.”

  “Dad.” He was pleased to hear Dix say it. “He was telling me he was going to talk to Audie about a pair of llamas.”

  “Oh, Lord. Those damn beasts.” Dixon cracked up, but the sound was warm and fond, empty eyes laughing. “You know Audie will say yes. He’s a sucker.”

  “Hey, now!” Audie snorted. “We’ll do whatever the kids want for 4-H. Well, anything but rabbits. Rabbits can’t be trusted.”

  Dan blinked. “Rabbits? You mean like Peter Cottontail and hippity-hoppity?” How could they not be trusted? They were just fuzzy little things.

  “They bite,” Audie said with all seriousness. “Hard.”

  Dixon chortled. “You know, the white rabbit led Alice astray. Must be bad bunnies.”

  Dan shook his head and shuffled again. “Buffy and Monty Python can’t be wrong, I guess.”

  “Oh, pop culture reference from GI Joe! Impressive!” Dixon clapped, slow and steady.

  “Fuck off, man.” Dan grinned. “Notice how old both references are.”

  “Older than you really should be.” Audie mock scowled. “Who did you hang out with in the Army?”

  “Did I hang out?” He thought about that. He’d worked out a lot with his buddies, Ben and Vittorio. He’d trained a zillion kids and led a shitload of men. Played a lot of cards and had a lot of beer with random soldiers.

  Dix frowned slightly. “Were you in a bubble?”

  He shrugged. “I guess? I mean, I was pretty driven, and once I became an officer, all the guys in my area were married with kids. Nothing in common.”

  “You mean you didn’t meet a single, hot, hung psyops dude looking for love?” Audie teased, and that made Dixon snort.

  “Those men are crazy, second only to dit-dots.” God, Dixon could mimic him like no one ever. It was creepy and it rocked, all at once.

  “True enough.” Dan munched another chip. “I need to get out more.”

  “You do. You could join one of those singles clubs and bring us old married guys back stories.” Audie looked so helpful. Not.

  “You suck.”

  Dix was still frowning. “You always sounded pretty happy.”

  “I was. I had a job I loved, a place, a purpose. It was a good deal.” When he mustered out, he thought it was time. He needed a change, a real life, to be close to all his people. Maybe a relationship or at least a fuckbuddy. Now he was watching the world from a civilian’s eyes, and it wasn’t the place he’d expected. Maybe he’d been unrealistic.

  Hell, maybe he should try to go back in long enough to retire.

  “Hey.” Dixon reached for him, hand scattering pretzels and cookies both. “You wanted out so bad. It’s only been a couple of months, and those were holidays, which are hammered stress at best.”

  Dan chuckled. “Yeah. Yeah, I know. I just—how do you always know, huh?”

  “I hear it. That isn’t new, huh?”

  No. No, it wasn’t. That had nothing to do with Dix being blind. Dix always heard.

  Dan patted his brother’s hand. “Thanks for being there for me, bro.”

  “Are we done with Family Pussy Hour? Deal the goddamn cards, Dan.” Audie winked at him, an evil smile on the bastard’s face.

  “Oh, you are going to crash and burn.” Dan shuffled, then dealt out another hand. This was the kind of night he could handle, a quiet night in with cards and family.

  “You wish. The only way that happens is if Dix eats all my ante.”

  Dixon shoved an Oreo into his mouth. “Mmmfh.”

  “Greedy gut!” Audie’s laughter rang out, about as happy as could be.

  “Mmm-hmm.” Dixon chuckled, and Dan had to grin.

  Dorks, both of them.

  He was so jealous he could spit. Dan kept that part to himself since it was his problem, not theirs.

  Sadly, he thought he might have met the Audie to his Dix last night. Dan was just too much of a coward to try to make it work.

  Chapter Six

  “DADDY! DADDY, I want to watch TV now!” Kenzie was working herself up into a mad snit, glitter and tears flying. “Em has picked her shows all day!”

  “Hey. Hey, chicken-boo. Chill out. Breathe. This is not an emergency.”

  Thank God, because Kenzie was the queen of emergencies.

  “I need to watch Doc McStuffins! I don’t want to see more Phineas and Ferb!”

  Every so often, he was tempted to toss the TV out the window.

  “Emma, what does the chart say about TV?”

  He got a long-suffering sigh. “That I get an hour.”

  “And how much television have you watched?”

  “All day!” Kenzie declared.

  “Have not! Just because the baby wanted to watch what I wanted to watch!”

  “Well, it’s time you let Baby Mac here have her turn.”

  Em rolled her eyes, but held out the remote. “Here. Can I go play outside, Daddy?”

  “Yes, ma’am. Put on your coat and stay in the fence, please.”

  “Okay.” Em flounced off, and Weldon wondered if he’d just imagined a time when those two girls were thick as thieves.

  MacKenzie sighed, shifted from foot to foot. “Caleb, you want to watch with me?”

  “I go outside with Em.” His littlest boy flew off, feet hitting the floorboards hard.

  MacKenzie handed him the remote, blue eyes filling. “I’m gonna go color in my room, Daddy.”

  “Hey, chicken.” He caught her around the waist and lifted her. “What’s up, huh?”

  “Everybody hates me. Why doesn’t anyone want to be my friend?”

  He was going to beat Emma’s butt. Okay, he wasn’t, but seriously? Why wasn’t Krista here to help with this shit?

  “No one hates you, honey. I think sometimes people can be mean to people they love because it’s easier than being mean to who they’re really mad at. Or because they’re bored.” That sucked, but it was true.

  “I’m lonesome.”

  “Well, I don’t have a lot to do today. How about I watch Doc McStuffins with you? We could share a Coke.”

  Her eyes lit up. “Really, Daddy? You want to?”

  “I most definitely do. I’m the doc’s second-biggest fan.”

  They headed out to the kitchen to pour out, and Maddie was right there, looking at him like he was the biggest softy ever. “Hey you. What’s up?”

  “Nothing. What’s for supper?”

  “Hell if I know. I’ll invent something later. We’re going to watch TV and share a Coke. Want to join us?”

  She shrugged, but there was a smile lurking. “Can we make popcorn?”

  “Oh. Oh, Daddy. Please!” MacKenzie nodded enthusiastically. “Can we?”

  “Why not?” The smell of popcorn would bring Jakob running too, he’d bet.

  “Yay!”

  Soon the kitchen was full with kids. Jakob followed the smell of popcorn—made in a pan with grease like the good Lord intended, thank you—then Em and Caleb joined the crowd, afraid they’d be left out.

  “Are we having a movie date, Kenzie?” Jakob asked her, and her eyes lit up.

  “Despicable Me? We could have blankies and Coke and popcorn and everything!”

  “I’ll get the blankets out of the press, Dad.” Maddie headed off. Em went to clear off the sectional, and Jakob shook his head.

  “Having a good day, Jakob? You look a little pinched.”

  “Just been on my computer. No big.”

  “Cool.” Teenagers. There was always some weird drama going on that moms and dads weren’t allowed to know or understand. Weldon gave Jakob a one-armed hug. “I’m here if you need me.”

  “Yeah, yeah. I’m cool. Seriously. The popcorn’s fixin’ to burn.”

  Weldon hopped over to the stove to finish the shake-shaking of the popcorn, then pour it into a bowl. This was about MacKenzie. He would worry on Jakob later.

  “Come on. Let’s go hang out.”

  Jakob rolled his eyes, grabbed his Coke, and headed into the front room. “So lame.”

  “Yep. That’s me. Lame dad.” He started limping, dragging his foot behind him.

  “Daddy!” Caleb came running to him. “I kiss it?”

  Oh, God. He was one lucky bastard. “Come kiss me when we sit down. We’re going to have a movie.”

  “Uh-huh. Kenzie said I sit with her.”

  The wind changed fast with his baby boy. Such was the life of a three-year-old.

  He sat down, looking at his babies—four towheads and one black as night. A wave of love so strong hit him so hard and fast he could barely breathe.

  I swear, Krista, you would be so fucking proud. You would be.

  Maddie looked at him, shook her head. “Quit being a dork and start the movie, Daddy.”

  He blinked the hint of tears away and hit Play on the remote. His practical girl. So much like him and Krista. She kept him on the right path, and she was growing up so damned fast.

  Too damned fast.

  “Yes, ma’am. Gru it is.”

  The opening music to Despicable Me started up, talking about having a bad day, and Weldon knew it was kids Gru needed to turn that around. No one could have a rotten mood with hooligans like Weldon’s around.

  Not even when the popcorn started flying.

  Chapter Seven

  DAN HATED wearing a suit.

  He’d worn a uniform for years—and, God knew, his dress kit was worse than anything the civvies could throw at him—but he felt as though he were on his way to a funeral instead of sitting in an office building in downtown Austin, waiting for his interview as a risk management specialist for an armored car company.