Of the four, Mack considered himself the best-looking. His light eyes and muscular build definitely put him paces in front of the rest, though the ladies seemed to like them all well enough.
Brad had sandy hair, skin that tanned surf-bum gold in the summer, a rugged build, and muscles that almost rivaled Reggie’s. He might as well have had the words “Responsible and Reliable” tattooed on his forehead. Reggie, with medium-brown skin and a smile that killed at ten paces, gave off that strong but silent heroic vibe. One look at him and you knew he’d protect you from Godzilla. Tex, a good old Southern boy, had been quite the ladies’ man before he’d settled down. A funny, smart guy who always had your back, he had dark hair, bronze skin, and a “tall, dark, and gorgeous thing”—his words, not Mack’s—going on.
Mack’s best friends had all coupled up. And he felt left out. Plain and simple. But he couldn’t tell the guys that, or they’d try to set him up, which for some reason felt like cheating in the game of life. Was he so lame he needed help finding himself a girlfriend?
Reggie studied him, a dimple appearing. “Yep. I told you guys. Little fella needs a lady love.”
“Up yours.” Mack glared.
Brad nodded. “Avery has a few friends.”
“Bree does too.”
“See?” Mack shoved his chair back and grabbed a beer from the cooler in the corner of the room. “This is why I don’t talk to you guys about stuff. You think I need your help. Hell, if I want a girlfriend, I’ll find one.”
“A boyfriend, maybe?” Brad said. When Mack scowled at him, he held up his hands. “Whoa. Not judging, Mack. Just here to be supportive.”
Tex snickered. Reggie tried to muffle laughter.
Mack sat back down and sighed. “Shut up, Brad. If I wanted a guy, I’d have Alec hook me up. My brother acts like he knows everyone in the gay community in this town.”
“Mr. Social Butterfly,” Brad teased. “So why are all your brothers, us and the bio bros, all dating or engaged and you aren’t?”
Mack pounced. “Hold on. You proposed to Avery? Reggie had the stones to ask Maggie to marry him, and Tex is barely holding on to Bree with both hands, so we all know that’s too soon.”
Tex frowned. “Hey.”
“I mean, we know you guys are making a baby, but I didn’t think you had it in you to actually propose,” Mack finished, grinning at Brad.
Brad’s face turned pink, and he leaned forward to whisper, “Not yet, asshole. At Christmas.”
Suddenly conscious of the quiet from the living room, Mack raised his voice and said, “What? Avery isn’t treating you right? She did what?”
The women appeared in the dining room in seconds with Avery wearing a big scowl aimed at Brad. “What lies are you telling, Bradford?”
Mack chuckled. “I knew you three were eavesdropping.”
Bree shot him the finger. Tex’s golden girl had an attitude to go with her model-gorgeous good looks. Mack liked her a lot. Just the way he liked shy but sweet Maggie and fierce Avery, reporter extraordinaire.
“Next time we need to have poker night at my place,” Brad muttered.
To which Tex added, “No girls allowed.”
Bree chuckled. “Mack’s such a shit starter.”
Avery agreed. “I love that about him. But Mack, we overheard enough. We’ll find you a new friend.”
“No, I—”
“In the meantime, you guys are boring.” Avery kissed Brad on the lips, just long enough to put a deeper flush on Brad’s cheeks. “We’re heading out. We’ll see you guys at home. Not mine, I mean, at our respective places.”
Mack didn’t act relieved to have his friends to himself, but he saw something in Avery’s eyes he hadn’t expected. Empathy and understanding. Which made him feel two inches tall.
“No, you guys should stay.”God, don’t leave because of me. I’m not that much of a killjoy.
“Nah.” Bree shook her head. “We can’t talk about stuff with you guys too close.”
“Oh, girl secrets.” Tex wiggled his brows.
