“What the hell are you doing here?” I ask him. “You look like crap.”
Cam chuckles and runs his hand through his dark hair, which is standing up every which way. His always-there facial hair is thicker than usual, and his dark eyes are bloodshot.
“I found your spare house key under the same broken stone where it’s always been. We took a cab here.”
I punch his arm. “I meant, what are you doing in Montana? You live in Minnesota.”
“Had some time off and decided to come see you for a few days. Ayden, Bella, and Jasalie are out on your porch.”
“No shit. They flew in from L.A.?”
Cam nods. “Just for the night. Totally spontaneous, but Jasalie wants to check out the wedding venue that Dylan located online, and he and Colt can’t take time off from practice. So Ayd and Bella came with her. Let’s go out and party tonight, and we can go see the venue tomorrow.”
I drag my hand over the back of my neck. “I’ve had a long day. I’m kind of beat.”
Cam’s eyes narrow. “From doing what? Or who? Because the only way you’d blow us off is if there’s a woman involved. And I haven’t heard anything about a woman. So who is she?”
Before I have to answer him, my other three surprise houseguests come down the hall.
“What’s up?” Ayden gives me a hug and immediately narrows his blue eyes, much the same way Cam was just doing. “You look weird, Bray. Everything okay?”
“It’s a woman,” Cam says confidently.
I don’t even get an opening to deny it before Bella throws her arms around my neck.
“Oooh, who is she?” she squeals. “I’ve never met one of your girlfriends before!”
“That’s because Bray keeps everything on the fucking down-low,” Cam says with a smirk at me. “Good thing we walked in on him tonight. He says he had a long day.”
Jasalie shoots me an apologetic look. “I’m so sorry we didn’t call you ahead of time,” she says, pulling her long blond hair up into a ponytail. “It was completely last-minute.”
“It’s no big deal,” I assure her. “I know your husband doesn’t work on a normal person’s timetable.”
She laughs, amusement dancing in her eyes. “No, Dylan thinks everyone can just jump on a plane at a moment’s notice to go check out a wedding venue a thousand miles away. If he didn’t have a game to prepare for, he’d be here too.”
Dylan and Jasalie got married this past summer. They eloped to a private island and didn’t tell any of us until they returned with rings on their fingers. But they’re having a public wedding ceremony and reception this fall in Montana, and we’re all in the wedding party. The renewal will be on a Monday, the day after Dylan and Colton have a big home game in L.A.
“Dylan wants to make sure this venue is perfect,” Jasalie says. “So here we all are.”
Ayden’s gaze shifts to Cam. “Although I didn’t expect you here, Wild. What made you decide to fly out?”
Cam shrugs noncommittally and doesn’t answer.
Ayden and I look at each other.
Something’s clearly up with Cam, but we know better than to push him. His father’s done enough of that for a lifetime.
Ayden puts his arm around Bella and kisses her temple. “Bella’s working on a demo already.”
She blushes and buries her head in Ayden’s shoulder. Her blond hair covers her face, and I laugh.
“You’ve got to get over that, Bella. People are going to find out you sing soon enough.”
“I know,” she answers me, her voice muffled by Ayden’s shirt. “I just want everything to go right this time.”
“It will,” Ayden promises her, his tone certain.
With my hand halfway to tossing my sweatshirt onto the nearby table, I halt. The way Ayden’s supporting Bella, looking out for her, hits me in the gut.
