Dylan lowers me to the ground and looks over my shoulder. His face breaks into a huge grin.
“Brayden!” Dylan calls out. “You got my text?”
Brayden reaches us in a run. He throws his arm around Dylan’s neck. “I ducked out of the bar to make sure you were actually going to show up and not spend all your time showing off your hometown.”
“Brayden, this is Jasalie.”
Brayden shakes my hand and then grins at Dylan. “You two are serious.”
“How can you tell that?” I say quickly.
Brayden turns to me. “Dylan never takes any woman onto a football field. That’s his sacred space.”
I like Brayden right away. He’s hot too, in a less conventional way than Dylan. His dirty blond hair is shaggy and nearly goes past his ears. He’s about my height and looks like an athlete also.
“What do you do, Jasalie?”
“Um…” I always hate talking about Apex.
“Jasalie’s an artist,” Dylan says proudly, and I look at him in relief. “A sculptor.”
“Oh, cool.” Brayden’s eyes brighten.
“Along with Colton, Brayden was my favorite receiver senior year of high school,” Dylan says to me. “Now he’s a coach for Wilcox High. He could have played pro if he’d wanted to.”
Brayden chuckles. “Not all of us had the same drive to succeed as you and Colton do, Dyl. I like staying here in Montana. It’s where I’ll raise my kids.”
“Are you married?” I say politely.
Brayden bursts out laughing. “Not even close. But someday I will be.”
I look at his handsome face that’s as honest and trustworthy as Dylan’s. “I’m sure you will,” I say.
“Cam just got to the bar,” Brayden says to Dylan. “His flight was late. His dad’s—you know.” His voice lowers at the mention of Cam’s dad, and Dylan frowns.
“Still on him, huh?” Dylan says.
“Yeah. So he needs a break tonight,” Brayden continues. “Ayd and Jenson are already there. We called Colt already, just to bug him.”
Dylan laughs. “On his freaking honeymoon? Did he kill you?”
Brayden’s smile widens. “Came close. He put Sky on the phone, and she politely put us in our place. Told us that unless it’s an emergency, her husband is requesting a contact-free zone for the week.”
When we reach our car, Dylan tells Brayden we’ll follow him to the bar.
Brayden waves good-bye to me before getting into his truck.
“Sorry to spring one of the cousins on you like that,” Dylan says to me as we drive off. “I didn’t think he’d show up at the field, but I should have known better. My cousins aren’t exactly shy.”
“I’m happy to meet all of them,” I say as I try to fix my hair in the car mirror.
I can’t see very well, though, and we’ve already pulled into Clyde’s parking lot.
“You look beautiful,” Dylan says.
I smile at him, but I feel like I don’t really belong here. All these people meeting up for drinks feels like old times plus one.
“Maybe I should take the car back to the motel,” I suggest. “I can come pick you up later.”
