“Stop hasslin’ your brother,” my dad ordered, setting his hand on my shoulder as he came up behind us at the bar. “You know he’s not gonna tell you shit.”

  I clenched my jaw and didn’t respond. I’d been doing okay having Curt gone. I missed him, we all missed him, but we’d gotten into a rhythm and I was dealing. But in the back of my mind, I’d kind of thought that he’d show up and surprise me at my graduation. I’d even set aside a ticket for him, just in case.

  “How’s the leg?” my dad asked, giving my shoulder a squeeze.

  “It’s fine,” I replied, scooting over slightly so his hand slipped off my shoulder. “I want Jager and Redbull,” I told the prospect behind the bar. I could have just one, right? “On ice, please.”

  “It’s gonna be that kind of night, huh?” Cam asked dryly.

  “Don’t talk to me,” I snapped, crossing my arms over my chest.

  “You’re too old to be actin’ like a toddler,” he replied, his tone even.

  “Fuck off.”

  “Farrah,” my dad yelled, making me jump. “Come take care of your daughter.”

  “Which one?” my mom asked.

  “Guess,” dad said sarcastically as he walked away.

  “You ever think that it’s better you don’t know where he is? That it’s for your protection?” Cam said quietly, leaning down so our faces were close. “Grow up, Charlie. The world doesn’t revolve around you.”

  I kept my mouth shut as my eyes burned. Fuck him for making me feel small just because I wanted to know where the hell Curtis was.

  “Hey,” my mom said, pushing Cam a little as she reached us. “What’s going on?”

  “Charlie’s makin’ everythin’ about her, as usual.”

  “Don’t be an ass, Cameron,” my mom snapped.

  Cam lifted his hands in surrender and walked away.

  “I hope you weren’t the ass here, since I just stuck up for you,” my mom said, wrapping her arms around my waist as she rested her shoulder on my chin.

  “I just want to know where Curt is,” I said quietly, smiling at the prospect, Justin? Jake? Joey? Something with a J. “He’s been gone a long ass time.”

  “Yeah, I know the feeling,” my mom grumbled. “But you know what I’ve learned after a lifetime surrounded by these guys?” She tightened her arms. “There’s a reason for everything they do. If they’re not telling us where he is or when he’ll be back? They’ve got a damn good reason.”

  “Sometimes I hate this fucking place.”

  Mom laughed. “Baby, you’re preaching to the choir. But the good outweighs the bad, always.”

  “Did you ever wish for a less complicated life?” I asked, leaning back against her.

  “I go where your father goes,” she whispered, kissing my shoulder. “I wouldn’t ever wish for anything but that.”

  “You could’ve been married to a businessman,” I pointed out. “A rich, Yale educated one.”

  “I wouldn’t know what to do with a man like that,” my mom said with a chuckle. “So boring. I’d probably be fucking the pool boy and popping pills like gummy bears.”

  I snorted and then coughed, making my mom shake with laughter.

  “He’ll be home soon, honey,” she said with one last squeeze. “Asking questions is just going to piss you and your dad off.”

  “I still think it’s bullshit,” I said, turning toward her.

  “Hell, I think a lot of stuff is bullshit,” she said with a shrug. “I don’t go picking fights about it though.” She looked at me closely. “I think there’s more going on here. You were fine a few minutes ago.”

  “I was distracted a few minutes ago,” I said, gesturing to my leg. “I wasn’t even mad when I asked Cam about Curt. I didn’t get mad until he acted like a condescending ass. And then dad chimed in with his two cents.”

  “Don’t let this ruin your party,” mom said with a smile. “You’ve been waiting weeks for this thing and running yourself ragged in the meantime. Let loose a little, kid. Find Kara—or better yet, Bishop.”

  “Bishop’s been pissed at me for almost a month.”

  “He didn’t look pissed when he carried you inside,” she said with a smile.

  “Who would’ve guessed he’d be so disturbed by a little blood,” I said casually.

  “I don’t think it was the blood,” my mom said sarcastically. “And neither do you. The two of you are like magnets. It’s ridiculous to watch.”

  “I’ve got my hands full right now, mom,” I reminded her. She and my dad were the only people who knew what I’d been dealing with since I’d finished school. I was too embarrassed and confused to tell anyone else.

  “Your hands aren’t full tonight, Charlie Bear. Go get him.”

  I shook my head as she walked away. “You’re not like any other mom I know!”

  “That’s because I’m a cool mom,” she said, waving her hand at me.

  I sighed and looked around the room. Kara, Draco and Bishop were standing by the pool tables talking to Will and Molly. My mom was right, me and Bishop were like magnets. Or maybe it was just him. He was the magnet and I couldn’t help but be drawn toward him. He didn’t seem to have a problem staying away from me.

  How many times had I gotten home late and stopped outside his bedroom door, chickening out at the last second? How many times had I made excuses to myself about why I didn’t just knock on his bedroom door? How many times had I paused outside his open doorway when he wasn’t home? Too many to count, if I was being honest. I’d spent so much time staring at his bed, that I’d noticed the small teeth marks I’d left on his headboard when he’d fucked me to oblivion.

  The stress of trying to make my new business successful had completely drained me. It felt like I was unable to make decisions about anything else—even Beauregard Augustus Bishop.

  I finished my drink and set it down on the bar.

  “You just going to stare at him all night or are you going to go over there?” my sister-in-law Trix asked with a grin as she scooted in beside me.

  “Probably just stare,” I replied honestly, making her laugh.

  “Life’s too short for that nonsense,” she said, reaching out to pat my back. “He’s a good boy.”

  “He’s all man,” I muttered, making her wrinkle her nose in amused disgust.

  “Don’t wanna know,” she replied. “You could do a lot worse, though.”

  “I know,” I said with a sigh as Jacob—no, that wasn’t right—put another drink down in front of me. Jesse! “I’ve just got a lot going on at the moment. Hey Jesse, could I just get a water instead?”

  “If you wait until you don’t have anything going on, you might miss your chance,” Trix said, running her hand over my hair. “And his name is Jake.”

  “Fuck,” I muttered. “Sorry Jake!” I turned to Trix. “You’re kind of a downer today.”

  “I’m a ray of fucking sunshine,” she said, pointing at me. “I just tell it like I see it. Someone is going to snatch him up. He looks like a damn Adonis statue.”

  “It’s nuts, right?” I asked, shaking my head as I grabbed my water glass from the prospect with an apologetic smile. “How is anyone that good looking?”

  Trix laughed. “Looked in a mirror lately?” she asked dryly.

  I snorted.

  “He’s kind,” she said quietly. “And respectful. Helpful. Funny. He loves Draco almost as much as Curtis does. All of that goes a lot further than the way he looks.”

  “I’m aware,” I said, just as quietly.

  Trix shrugged. “Maybe he’s shit in bed and it amounts to nothing. But you never know until you—” she paused when she saw the look on my face. “Okay, well, maybe something else will turn you off. Who knows. You’re young. Just don’t be afraid to try, kiddo.”

  “Did my mother send you over here?” I asked suspiciously.

  “Nope,” she said as the prospect switched out her empty beer bottle for a full one. “It was Cecilia.”

  I looked around the room until I found my sister, staring at me smugly. I flipped her off.

  “I’m going,” I snapped to Trix. “Tell my sister to mind her own beeswax.”

  I made my way through the room, running my fingers over my Aunt Callie’s back as I passed her, elbowing Kara’s brother Brody in the side, and high fiving my nephew Grey as I went. I loved being surrounded by family—it was one of my favorite things—even when I was pissed at the men and honestly, the whole damn club they belonged to.

  “Where’s Reb?” I asked nonchalantly as I reached the group by the pool tables.

  “Bathroom?” Will said.

  “I think she went outside,” Kara countered. “She got a phone call.”

  “Probably the boyfriend,” Will said flatly.

  “We like him,” Molly said, smacking Will lightly on the chest.

  “Yeah, he’s alright.”

  “He’s a sweetheart,” Kara said happily. “And he thinks Reb walks on water.”

  “How’s your leg feelin’?” Bishop asked, his eyes on me.

  “Just sore,” I replied. “The Jaeger helped.”

  “Ibuprofen would be better,” Molly said in exasperation.

  “I’m good,” I replied with a smile.

  “Who slides on a makeshift field?” Draco asked with a huff.

  “Winners,” I replied, toasting him with my glass. “That’s who.”

  “Charlie’s a bit competitive,” Kara told Bishop.

  “I noticed,” he replied, the corners of his mouth curving up.

  Holy crap. With two words he’d instantly brought back memories that weren’t at all appropriate for a family barbeque.

  “Uh, I’m gonna go find Reb,” I said. “Outside?”

  “She went out the front,” Kara replied.

  “I’ll go with you,” Bishop said, taking a step toward me.

  I was acutely aware of him as he followed me back through the room and out the front door.

  “She’s not good with blood,” I said as I searched the yard for Reb. “Or any injuries, really. They freak her out.”

  “Understandable,” he said easily.

  “That’s why she stood outside my parents’ door while I was getting patched up,” I continued explaining. “She wanted to make sure I was okay, but she didn’t want to actually see anything—if that makes sense.”

  “Yep,” he said, nodding his head. “Lots of people are like that.”

  I found Reb sitting under a tree across the yard talking on the phone and I headed toward her.

  “You look good,” Bishop said as we walked side by side.

  “Thanks,” I muttered, distracted. Reb seemed upset.

  “So,” Bishop continued. “You weren’t actually avoiding me.”

  A startled laugh burst out of my mouth and I turned to look at him. “Well, yeah, I kind of was,” I confessed. “But you’re not the only one. I’ve been avoiding everyone.”

  “Why?”

  “I’m up to here,” I said, holding my hand over my head. “In coffee shit. I dream about it. Drink recipes and to-do lists and stock and profit margins. I have zero room for anything else.”

  “Sounds unpleasant,” he said, reaching up to scratch his jaw.

  “It’s just a lot,” I said with a sigh. “I’m not trying to be an asshole, here. I’m just working really hard toward a goal and I get tunnel vision.”

  “I can understand that.”

  “I’m really glad you’re here, though,” I said with a smile, reaching out to give his bicep a squeeze. “On my one night off.”

  Whoops. I probably should’ve kept my hands to myself, because the moment my fingers touched his skin, both of us froze.

  Bishop glanced at my hand, still wrapped halfway around his bicep.

  Without thought my gaze dropped.

  “Charlie,” Bishop said, a smile in his voice. “You want another round, all you gotta do is say so.”

  I averted my eyes so fast I almost made myself dizzy.

  “What’s with you staring at my dick?” he asked with a laugh. “My eyes are up here, honey.”

  “I can’t help it,” I snapped, dropping my hand. “I know what you can do with that thing.”

  “If I can keep it PG while you’re flashing your bare ass around, you can keep it PG when I’m fully dressed,” he joked.

  “It wasn’t bare,” I countered. “I’m wearing underwear.”

  “That’s not underwear, honey.”

  “Yes it is.”

  “Isn’t underwear supposed to cover your ass?”

  “A G-string isn’t supposed to.”

  “G-strings are a misguided attempt to cover the promised land and nothin’ else,” he said, laughing. “What’s the point?”

  “I didn’t want underwear lines!”

  “Then fully commit and don’t wear any,” he argued.

  “I wasn’t going commando to my family’s barbecue!”

  “Because a G-string is better?” he asked.

  “Yes!”

  “You’re nuts.”

  “I am not.”

  “It would take two seconds for me to reach under that dress and snap the string of those underwear in half,” he said with a laugh. “Who you think you’re foolin’?”

  My skin flushed in an instant and for just a moment I almost forgot we were standing right in front of the clubhouse. I almost dared him to do it.

  “Charlie, are you okay?” Reb asked, calling to us and snapping me out of the trance I seemed to be in.

  I swallowed hard and turned to face her.

  “I could ask you the same thing,” I said, striding toward her. “You looked upset.”

  “I was just telling Wesley about your accident,” she said, getting to her feet as I reached her.

  “No big deal, toots,” I said, lifting up my skirt a little so she could see the bandage. “Your mom fixed me right up.”

  “That scared me,” she said, reaching out to touch the top of the bandage with her fingertips.

  “It looked worse than it was,” I assured her. “I didn’t even need stitches or anything. Just a scratch.”

  “You were bleeding.”

  “Well, yeah,” I said, pushing on her shoulder. “Scratches bleed.”

  “Mom cleaned it?” she asked, looking up from my leg. “If you don’t clean it, it’ll get infected. You have to get the germs out.”

  “She cleaned it really well,” I assured her. “Your mom knows what’s up.”

  “Yeah,” Rebel replied. She looked at Bishop. “My mom’s a nurse.”

  “I heard that,” Bishop replied easily. “She seems like a good one.”

  “A really good one,” Rebel agreed. “She should be a doctor but she had me and I took up too much time.”

  “Please,” I said with a laugh. “If your mom wanted to be a doctor, she’d be one by now.”

  Reb looked at me in surprise.

  “She knows the nurses run everything,” I said with a smile. “Why would she want to be a damn doctor?”

  “I bet you were an easy kid,” Bishop said to Reb. “Not like me, I was a menace.”

  “My mom said that I was so perfect that she and my dad decided they didn’t want me to overshadow any other kids they had,” Rebel said with a shrug. “But I heard them talking once and I think they tried to have more but they couldn’t.”

  I stood there for a second, stunned. I hadn’t known that Rebel had even thought about siblings.

  “Sometimes that happens,” Bishop said, nodding. “I’m an only child, too.”

  “Did your mom want more kids?” Rebel asked curiously.

  “You know,” Bishop paused, thinking it over. “I’m not sure. She died when I was pretty young so I don’t think we ever talked about it.”

  “That’s really sad,” Rebel replied, her voice hoarse.

  “It was,” Bishop agreed. “But I think she was happy with the kid she got, even though I was probably a pain in the ass.”

  Rebel smiled. “I bet my mom would love you, too, even if you’re a pain in the ass.”

  “Yeah,” Bishop said with a chuckle. “She seems like the type.”

  “And Charlie’s mom can be your new mom when you get married. She likes pain in the ass kids.”

  “Rebel,” I sputtered, my eyes wide.

  “I’ll keep that in mind,” Bishop said seriously.

  “Oh my god, Reb,” I said, gaping like a fish. “We’re not getting married!”

  “Not yet,” she said easily.

  “We’re not even dating,” I argued.

  “Why not?” Rebel asked Bishop.

  “She’s too busy for me,” Bishop replied.

  “Stay out of this,” I ordered.

  “She asked me a question.”

  “You should just be her boyfriend,” Rebel said simply. “Then she won’t be too busy for you.”

  “You’re saying I need to commit?” Bishop asked, all serious, nodding his head.

  “Probably,” Rebel replied. “Yes.”

  “Jesus Christ,” I spat, throwing my hands in the air. “I’m going inside. You two can talk this out yourselves.”

  “She’s mad,” Rebel told Bishop. “But don’t worry, Charlie never stays mad for very long.”

  “I don’t stay mad at you,” I clarified as I stomped away. “I can hold a grudge against anyone else forever.”

  Chapter 10

  Bishop

  “I should probably follow her, huh?” I asked Rebel as we watched Charlie stomp away.

  “I’m going to call Wesley back and tell him she’s okay,” Rebel replied. “He was really worried.”

  I nodded as she pulled out her phone and then headed for Charlie. For once, the forecourt was pretty deserted and I caught up with her before she’d even reached the picnic tables by the front door.

  “Quit pouting,” I said as I came up beside her.

  “I’m not marrying you.”

  “Don’t remember asking.”

  “I’m not dating you either!”

  “Don’t remember asking,” I repeated.

  Charlie came to an abrupt stop and turned toward me. “I don’t have time,” she said, crossing her arms over her chest. “I’m not fucking with you, I literally have no time in the day to deal with any kind of relationship.”

  “You feel like I’ve been pressurin’ you for one?” I asked in confusion.