“It is.”
Austin nodded. “Also makes me think maybe this should be the last season for the show.”
“I’m okay with that.”
“Really?” He turned to face me. “Even if it means less money?”
I shrugged. “We’ll figure something out. We always do.”
“It might mean downsizing.”
“What, like jobs? Or people?” We didn’t have any employees under our company’s umbrella. Well, aside from Indy. Everyone else was family and had a share of the business.
“I was thinking the shop. Without the show, I don’t know if we can afford to stay in the building.”
“I mean, it’s nice, but it’s not what makes it Badass Builds. We do that. And we can do that in another place. Even a smaller place. It’ll be fine.”
Austin huffed. “Clearly I need to get laid. I don’t think I’ve ever heard you so calm about everything changing.”
“Change can be good.”
He raised his beer to his mouth and muttered, “Yup, I definitely need to get laid.”
I laughed and clinked my bottle against his.
“Dylan!” Aunt Wendy called from the other end of the long buffet table. “There you are!”
“Run, bro. Run away,” Austin muttered out of the side of his mouth.
I shoved him with a laugh before I headed over to Aunt Wendy. Nothing could get me down right now. My brother was married and happy. I’d found my girl. And it sounded like we were finally going to get out from under Urban Channel’s thumb.
Life was looking up.
“I’ve been looking for you everywhere, boy-o,” Aunt Wendy all but shouted as she wrapped an arm around me, tucking me into her side.
“Sorry. One of Hope’s relatives wanted to see my bike.”
Judging by her raised eyebrows, she didn’t buy it, but she let it slide. “I wanted to talk to you about something before it was too late.”
“That sounds ominous.”
“Let’s go dish up a plate and talk.”
“Aunt Wendy, I really should make sure that Indy is okay. She’s new here and doesn’t know many people.”
“The girl is fine. See?” Wendy gestured to where Indy sat at a nearby table with Rachel, Maddie, and Sabrina.
I smiled at the sight. Indy was leaning toward Maddie as Maddie talked and waved her hands vehemently. I loved seeing my girl finding friends with my family. I knew she’d click with them.
“Yeah,” Wendy sighed. “That was what I was afraid of.”
“What?”
“Come on, Casanova.” She grabbed my arm and pulled me over to where the buffet had been laid out. She grabbed an empty plate and shoved it into my belly. “Here. Dish up.”
“Damn, Wendy,” I muttered as I took the plate from her. When she moved toward the utensils, I jumped out of the way and lifted my arms over my head like I was being robbed. “You can have whatever you want. Just please, don’t hurt me.”
A few people nearby laughed at my antics, but Aunt Wendy didn’t seem to see the humor, judging by her glare. And the way she jabbed a fork in my direction.
