In a moment, my thoughts shifted back to my past…to losing Crawford. My anxiety intensified, thoughts of peril flashing through my awareness. What if this was the lastjob?
Had I said I love you to Nance andKeeg?
Had I said it toDax?
And the horror of him never knowing the depths of my feelings for him pulsed through me as I became vividly aware that if we didn’t figure this out fast, the guys weren’t going to be doing a windowremoval.
They were going to be doing a bodyretrieval.
35
Dax
“Thankyou guys for inviting me out today,” I said as I walked alongside Nance and Keegan on a path in Willow Brook Park. They’d been good about making me feel included, and it was nice to spend time with them while Jace wasworking.
“You’re gonna have to get used to us, it looks like,” Keegan said matter-of-factly. “It’s kind of strange, honestly. Bro’s never taken to anyone like thisbefore.”
“You think you should be telling me that?” Iteased.
“From what I understand, he hasn’t been subtle about his feelings,” Nanceadded.
“Well, he doesn’t beat around the bush aboutthat.”
She giggled. “I don’t imagine he does. You’re a good man, Dax, just like he always says, and you know you’re always welcome in ourhome.”
“Thank you. I appreciatethat.”
“Your mom can come visit too,” Keegan said quickly. “She seemscool.”
“Does she?Cool?Really?”
“Why does that surprise you? She’s funny and she has interestingstories.”
“She’s definitely quirky,” Nance said, the stiffness in her expression suggesting she didn’t quite take to her the way Keeganhad.
“Nance, come on. Be honest. You guys are nothingalike.”
“No, maybe not, but not so different either. We are both mothers who care about our children, who want to see themhappy.”
“Not sure it’s quite the same,” I said, reflecting on some very different times with my mom. “It’s nice of you to say that, but Serena’s a special breed of parent that I think only exists in Hollywood. Some sort of cross betweenMommie DearestandValley of theDolls.”
“Now don’t be harsh. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t know some of the gossip, but she seems to have everything together and wants to be in your life. And you seem to want thesame.”
“Eh, you can think of it as parentalprobation.”
Keegan snickered. “She’s gotta finishPPing?” he asked, stressing thepee-peeing.
Nance worked to stifle her smile, but she couldn’t resist, and neither couldI.
A ringing sound chimed, and Keegan pulled his phone out. “It’s Beau,” he blurted out, turning to Nance, his expression rife withconcern.
We stopped together on the path as he answered. Nance patted herself down. “I must’ve left my phone in the car,” she said, her expression painted withworry.
Nance and I waited in suspense as Keegan’s face turned white enough to concern us evenmore.
“Jace is hurt,” he murmured, as though struggling to even get out that much, “but he’s fine,” he added shortly after, though it felt like far too long to hear those words, and I hadn’t realized how fast my heart could beat until he offered thataddition.
* * *
