“Gravity brews at the Park?”
Nic nodded. “Just signed the contracts for next season.”
“You won’t be able to tear Cam away from here.”
He waved a hand in the air. “I’m hoping it’ll mellow the BoSox of it all.”
“No chance.”
Nic hid his groan behind another mouthful, and Aidan laughed until a grand slam on the field drew their attention momentarily away, both of them standing to cheer on their hometown team.
“You settled in at the house?” Aidan asked once they were seated again.
“Yeah, all good.”
Aidan bumped his shoulder. “I’m happy for you two. Jamie is too.”
“That’s good. I know how important he is to Cam.”
“And he knows the same about you. And you’ve saved his best friend at least four times now by my count.”
Nic angled toward him and lowered his voice. The likelihood of being overheard was minimal but caution dictated. “But what if I’m the one who gets him killed? Or any of the rest of you?” Stomach revolting at the notion, he set the caramel corn aside and wiped off his hands, wringing the napkin so hard he shredded it. “I couldn’t live with myself if?—”
Aidan clasped his arm, cutting him off. “We’re going to nail Vaughn. You’re going to get your happy ending too, Dominic.”
But not every story had a happy ending, and until recently, the chapters of Nic’s life had not ended on high notes. He hated to be a pessimist, especially when almost everything else seemed to be going right for a change, but he was a lawyer. And a soldier. Evaluating risks, expecting the worst, was what he’d been trained to do.
Just like the players on the field, he had to cover all the bases. Not let a line drive or fly ball slip through, because now, improbably, he found himself on a team. He couldn’t leave the game or his team to chance when it was more than just his life on the line.
He reached forward to the seat backs in front of them to where they’d tossed their jackets and pulled his out from under Aidan’s. From the inside pocket, he withdrew a sheet of folded paper. “In case I don’t,” he said, handing it to Aidan.
Aidan tossed his empty box aside, cleaned off his hands, and took the paper. His warm brown eyes scanned the sheet, brow furrowing. “This is an insurance certificate for the house.” His eyes continued down, then grew wide when they reached the bottom. “For double the value.”
“The report came back on the apartment fire. Arson.”
“Shit.” Aidan fell back in his seat like he’d been punched in the gut. Nic could commiserate. “You think it was a warning?”
Nic nodded. “I can’t be sure what’s going to happen, and I can’t risk your house. I know what it meant to you. What it still means to you even if you don’t live there anymore.”
“This is too much, Dominic,” Aidan said, trying to hand the paper back to him.
Nic refused to take it. “Peace of mind.”
Their stare-off lasted one crack of the bat before Aidan conceded with a huff, leaning forward and slipping the paper inside his jacket.
“I also need you to do me another favor,” Nic said.
“Whatever it is, you know I will.”
“You’ve said before you used to help with your family’s estate docs.”
“That’s right.”
“I need mine updated.”
Aidan’s brows snapped together and he shot forward in his seat. “Dominic?—”
He held up a hand. “I should have done it years ago once Gravity was up and running, but now I have even more to protect.”
