“Still jamming. Wanna see?”
“Am I fuckin’ tall?”
Chuckling, I slipped out of the shadows, panning the camera around the mellow corner of the festival, careful to avoid Saint and Mateo. Unable to avoid Nash as he took a seat next to Willow and accepted a guitar the friendly singer offered him. Or Decoy and Folk as they chilled nearby, watching Willow but totally wrapped up in each other.
Ranger and Rubi were out of shot, gossiping by the beer tent. I left them alone and gave Logan my ugly mug again.
His grin had morphed into a knowing smirk. “Is that him?”
“Who?”
“Curly top with the tats.”
Sometimes I forgot Logan had never met Nash. “Might be. Why you asking?”
Rare mischief crinkled my twin’s sea-green eyes. “Because he’s exactly how Remy and Galen described him.”
I was surprised Remy remembered much about Nash, given the shitty events of the night they’d met. Then again, Nash wasn’t exactly forgettable. “All right, you got me. It’s him.”
Logan nodded a few times, gaze flicking beyond the camera to someone else.
A second later, Galen, his BFF, popped up, flashing a rock-on sign. I waved back, but any conversation we might’ve had was cut off by the call alarm in the fire station.
Already in motion, Logan hung up. The screen went black and I rubbed my chest. I knew the job, it had beenmy jobfor nine long years, but knowing my brother was racing into danger without a second thought for himself never got any easier.
The jam session wrapped up. Willow claimed a hug from the singer and a signature on her arm. Then she bounced back into my universe, cheeks flushed with excitement. “Dad, did you see that? I played withShay Maloney.”
“I saw.” I dropped a palm on top of her head, guiding her back to earth. “Uncle Logan watched some of it too.”
“Is that who you were talking to? I thought it might be Mum.”
“Nope. But speaking of your mum, we need to go to the gate. She’ll be here soon.”
“Can’t I stay with you tonight?”
“Not tonight. Mum will be halfway here by now.”
I didn’t contemplate that it had beenyearssince I’d last had a place fit to keep my kids overnight. The past was the past. Maybe one day soon I’d rent a house. A flat.
Something.
I added it to the long list of life plans and steered Willow to the front gate of the festival. Behind us, I sensed brothers following us—I sensedNashpretty much everywhere—but I didn’t look back. For however long I had her, Willow had all of me.
Ten minutes later, I delivered her to Kara, sober and in one piece. My ex-wife’s default mode was disappointed, but even she couldn’t help but smile as she packed Willow into the car and drove away.
Their headlights disappeared. A heartbeat later, Saint’s bike rumbled after them, keeping a distance respectable enough that Kara wouldn’t notice the tail.
“He doesn’t have to do that.”
Rubi dropped a heavy arm around my shoulders. “Nah, he’s a weird little dragon. Let him keep busy while you get twatted with Nash. Gives him an excuse to go home early.”
I didn’t think Saint was all that weird. But setting up a jam session for my kid with one of her favourite bands had definitely blown my mind. “How did he know that dude?”
“Who? Shay?” Rubi came closer, a metal beer cup in one hand, a fat joint in the other. “He’s Saint’s brother.”
“Say what?”
A wry smile twisted Rubi’s lips. “Trust me, I know. Would you believe tonight was the first time any of us had ever met him?”
