“That's approval?” Brad was fairly sure he looked dazed.
“Tell us what?”
Ethan, Newman, and Annabelle walked in, the latter pushing a stroller with the McBride baby inside.
“This place is like living in a sitcom,” Brad muttered. “Everybody hanging out in the local café, nosing about in everyone's business.”
No one took any notice of him, and soon chairs were pulled close, tables moved, and Rosie was placed in a highchair next to Billy, who proceeded to break up small bits of muffin and place them in the little girl’s mouth, which earned him a wide smile.
Buster filled them in on the meeting time at Ms. Roberts Haigh’s place, and Brad learned she was nicknamed HRH, which suited her perfectly.
“Some kind of bird, Militant said,” Buster added. “Think it may be a rare one.”
“You need to know that our father won't stop until he gets what he wants.” Brad didn't yell the words, but everyone heard him. “He'll do what it takes to get at Ethan and me, and if this fails, he'll find something else.”
“Then we'll fight that.” Annabelle shrugged. “He's one man, Brad, and we have both his sons to fight him with. He doesn't wield that much power.”
Ethan looked at him then, and an understanding passed between them. EG would strike at them by any means he could.
“So, why have you got Billy, Brad?”
“Granddad’s sick, and Brad was visiting Razzle, so he stayed to watch me.”
“Me and Billy the kid here are planting a garden.” Brad ruffled the boy’s hair.
“Yeah?” Newman got to his feet. “We've been at her for ages to brighten that monstrosity up.”
“Why didn't you just do it?”
“We tried a time or two, even brought over paint colors, but she just kind of brushes you off.”
Ethan lowered his voice so Billy couldn't hear. “I hate that place, it's as austere as the day he left. Macy hates it too, but like she said, no one is going to buy it, so she's stuck there. The only person in town who likes it is her mother.”
Newman looked at Brad then the others.
“She's going through a tough time with her dad, and from what Jake said his time is running out. Shall we give it a makeover today?”
He wasn't sure how his buying a few plants had turned into everyone doing a makeover at Macy’s, but Brad rolled with it.
They purchased plants and other stuff that he couldn't identify, and Brad thought that maybe he'd enjoy having friends like this one day. People that you shared your life with on a weekly basis.
He thought about Macy then, and pulling out his cell phone, sent her a text to say Billy was doing great and he was with the others now. No reply came, and he hoped she wasn't suffering too much.
DJ O'Donnell arrived with a can of paint when they had been back at Macy's a while.
“What the hell are you going to do with that?”
“Paint something,” he said to Ethan.
“What?”
“I'm thinking that front door for starters.”
Brad gave up worrying about what Macy would think and went inside to make coffee, because Newman was bellyaching he needed one. Weird, how he felt comfortable walking in and out of this house as if he lived here.
Billy was in heaven. He and Razzle galloped around the backyard, laughing and going from person to person. Rosie was asleep in her stroller, although God knew how with the noise going on outside.
They'd decided on a garden by the drive so Macy could see it as she drove up. Annabelle and Newman were arguing over the exact plant placement, Ethan was running interference, and a young boy called Mikey Tucker had arrived and was put to digging holes.
