Page 45 of Gravity

“Same,” Pete chuckles. “Like. Mother.”

“Pop, Nora is nothing like Mom when it comes to shopping. That girl has more clothes than a Hollywood actress.”

“Clearly a woman thing,” Mark adds, taking a sip of his beer.

It’s one of the many reasons I’m attracted to Nora. She’s a young woman with class and attitude, constantly wrapped in slogans and denim. She doesn’t care for the latest fashion labels, nor does she have regular manicures with nails too long for her to handle or fake lashes that make her eyes look heavy. She’s natural, comfortable in her own skin, which makes her even more desirable.

“Nora just likes to take care of herself. There’s nothing wrong in that,” I say, adding another piece of the puzzle to the board.

“Why do you always defend her?” Asher questions, frowning at me.

I have to think about how I’m going to respond because what I want to say is completely different from what I should. I want to tell him that I do it because for some reason, he doesn’t see Nora for the woman she’s turned out to be and still sees her as that little bundle of pink. I want to tell him I defend her because she’s everything I think about. I want to tell him I shouldn’t have to fight my feelings when it comes to her, but I do because I don’t wish to jeopardize the brotherhood we share. I want to say all of that and more but know that I can’t. So, I say the only thing I know won’t cause world war three.

“Someone’s got to defend her when your moody ass is around.”

Pete laughs. “Agreed.”

“Don’t you start, Pop. We all know she can do no wrong where you’re concerned.” Asher jokes, nudging Pete’s arm.

“She… Special.” Pete smiles and the sparkle in his eyes shows just how much love he has for his daughter. Their bond is inseparable.

“Damn right she is,” I add. “Besides, she’s my little lady. I’ll always have her back.”

“And we were friends before she even came on the scene, so what does that make me to you?”

“A pain in his ass that he hasn’t been able to get rid of.” Mark chuckles.

“Fuck you, Twilight,” Asher snorts, taking a long pull of his beer before nudging Pete’s arm. “You see what I have to put up with, Pop?”

“Mean. What. We… Put—"

Both Mark and I burst out laughing before Pete has even finished. “Yes, Pete. You tell him.”

“You take that back.”

“Don’t do it, Pete. You’ll regret it,” Mark says.

Asher presses his hand against his chest and leans over pretending he’s wounded. “Dad, I think my heart’s just crushed.”

“Do you even have a heart?” I joke.

That earns me a punch on the arm. “Fuck off, dick head.”

“True. Though. Son.”

Asher laughs, kissing his dad on the head and ruffling his hair as he heads for another drink. “When you all have quite finished.”

“Man, we haven’t even started,” I say, just as my phone vibrates in my pocket.

Taking it out, I smile at the name on the screen. “Shortcake? Everything all right?”

“You boys still at mine? Wanted to know if you all wanted pizza?”

“Nora wants to know if we want pizza?” I ask the others.

The room fills with cheer and I hear Nora laugh.

“I take it that’s a yes then. I won’t be long. Try not to drink yourselves stupid before I get back. I don’t plan on looking after drunken men tonight.”