Sawyer winces. “Hate to break it to you, brother, but that ain’t gonna happen.”
Colton appears behind Sawyer. “What’s not gonna happen?” he asks.
The group breaks out into a chorus of laughter.
“Sawyer is apparently immune to love.” Lincoln smiles.
Colton shakes his head with an amused look. “I feel ya, man. Just keep your head down and focus on work.”
Sawyer nods. “Damn straight.”
“Enough about this fool’s emotional issues,” Dean quips as he gestures to Sawyer. “I need a drink.”
Time passes along as we enjoy our drinks and catch each other up on work. Roman and Lincoln update us on how their wives and kids are. For all the kidding Sawyer and Colton do about never falling in love, they are genuinely happy for Roman and Lincoln.
Roman’s eyes settle on me with a thoughtful look. “Walker,” he inserts, “anything new with you?”
His eyebrows rise, as if to silently tell me that now is the time. I take a breath and push my shoulders back to try and relieve some of the building tension.
“Uhhh,” I start as I look around at curious eyes, “there has been one little surprise that’s taken up a lot of my time.”
“You’ve got my attention,” Colton says. “The only thing that takes up your time is work.”
I chuckle at the irony. “Yeah, it used to be that way. Now, it’s something a little different.”
“Don’t leave us hanging,” Sawyer replies.
“I have a daughter,” I say on an exhale, relieved to just get the words out.
I trust these guys with my life, but I still brace for the same reaction as my parents.Are they going to tell me I’ve ruined my career too?
“A daughter …” Lincoln states as if maybe he didn’t hear me correctly.
My head moves up and down as I look down into my whiskey. I tell them the details, and some of them even remember Amelia.
“Wow,” Colton says. “How are you handling all of this? And where is … Eli, is it?”
“Yeah, Eli. She’s with Eva right now.”
Roman nods when everyone’s eyes meet his, letting them know he knew about this.
“At first, I was pretty fucking scared.”
I chuckle as I realize my mistake. “I’mstillscared. But it’s different now. I’m less concerned about how it will affect my life and more about how all of this will affect hers.”
Lincoln slaps my back a couple of times. “I’m damn proud of you, man. That’s a hell of a situation to be thrown into, and it sounds like you’ve handled it like a true man.”
Roman nods his head. “He has. He’s been great with Eli. He’s an amazing dad. We should all be proud of him.”
Lincoln grabs a drink and lifts it up. “To Walker,” he announces.
Everyone clinks their drinks together. Meanwhile, I’m trying my best to keep in the tears that want to break free. These guys have no idea what it means to me to have their unwavering support. It’s true what they say about family; it’s not always blood. These guys are my family.
Dean orders the table another round of whiskey on him as the conversation thankfully turns back to lighthearted fun.
“Colton, how’s work going? You are rarely the one setting these little happy hours up. Everything all right at the hospital?”
His eyes are droopy and tired, which can be normal for a doctor, but they also hold something deeper in them. He’s going through something. I don’t know what it is, but I can see it.
