“So he says.”
The murmured words had barely left Cody’s lips when Kayden punched him in the shoulder.
His brother immediately grabbed his arm. “Hey. You’ll bruise me.”
“That’s the point.”
He looked back to where Tilly and Jake had been standing, but they were both gone. Why the hell did that annoy him so much? But then, everything seemed to annoy him lately.
He scrubbed a hand over his face. “Come on, let’s go find those egg and bacon bagels before I murder one of you guys.”
“Why do egg and bacon bagels stop you from murdering people?” Avery asked.
God, it was too early in the morning for logical questions from eight-year-olds.
Harper took her hand. “Because when we’re hungry, we don’t think properly, and we don’t make great decisions.”
Kayden was tempted to tell them that killing his brothers might be the best decision he ever made, but maybe that was too much honesty for a Sunday morning.
They were almost at the bagel stand when Theo walked past. He dipped his head, but there was something in the other man’s gaze that was less than friendly. The guy had been an ass ever since Kayden had given him a warning for showing up to work hungover. Not in any overly obvious way, because that would just give Kayden cause to fire him. But in little ways. Barely acknowledging directions. Avoiding eye contact, evasive body language.
“Things still tense between you and Theo?” Cody asked as he stepped beside Kayden.
“He’s been an immature prick.”
Cody raised a brow. “Tell me what you really think.”
“I’m just waiting for him to fuck up so I can get rid of him.”
Eastern narrowed his eyes on Kayden, no doubt because of the curse.
Shit. Eight-year-old ears listening. “Sorry.”
Harper cleared her throat. “I’m glad you and Tilly are getting along a bit better. I think she could use the friendship.”
“Yeah, people in this town are ass—” He stopped at the look from Eastern. “Can be unkind.” Understatement of the century. Kayden may have his issues with what her father had done, but he’d never be an outright asshole by scaring her or denying her work like others had. “Do you know that contractors have been refusing to help her fix things around her house? She’s been living with boarded-over windows.”
Cody’s brows tugged together. “What the fuck?”
“Cody!”
Cody cringed at Eastern. “Sorry.”
Avery lifted a shoulder. “It’s okay. I’ve heard Daddy say it plenty of times.”
Harper muffled a laugh while Eastern feigned shock, when what he was probably shocked about was the fact that his daughter had ratted him out.
They reached the bagel line, but Cody’s gaze shifted to the stall beside them. “Tacos. I’m sold.”
“I could eat a taco,” Harper said as she followed him across.
“What do you say, Princess?” Eastern asked. “Egg and bacon bagel, or taco?
She seemed to think about it for a moment. “Taco.”
Eastern lifted a shoulder. “You’re on your own.”
The guys moved to the next line. Kayden was just pulling out his phone when the conversation from the women in front of him pricked his ears.
