Basically, just the next parcels in a huge roundabout with the main lodge in the middle. Denver sighed. “I take it Franny and Verna have already agreed?”
Matt’s lips twitched. “Agreed? They’ve already found a house plan they love. And they insist on being right next to you and Noni—for the baby’s sake.”
Ryker laughed out loud. “Are they still calling him ‘dickhead’?”
“They are,” Matt confirmed, his eyes twinkling. “But they’re saying it in softer tones, if that helps.”
Denver frowned. “Where are the kids staying?” There were four teenage kids that had been saved from Madison, and one of them had stayed with Ryker for a little while.
Matt tapped the imprint of the main lodge. “We all wanted them to stay with us, but they elected to live in the main lodge with Grand-pop Jim, Grams June, and Grandpa Earl.” His voice lowered. “To be honest, June is the best cook in the entire state, so it wasn’t a huge surprise. Plus, the kids keep the grandparents young, and the grandparents totally spoil the kids. Right now it’s working well.”
The place did seem like a perfect slice of country living.
Matt pulled out another sheet of drawings. “Here are the weapons systems, security measures, and escape plans if we ever need them.”
Okay. Not completely country living. Denver whistled. “You have drones?”
Matt just smiled.
Ryker leaned closer. “Wow. Impressive.” He looked over at Matt. “You still think there’s danger?”
“No, but why not be prepared?” Matt asked easily. “If you guys stay, you can have a piece of any of our security businesses—national or international. Work or don’t work. Up to you.” He grinned as Heath approached. “So I’ll leave you guys for a few moments to check on dinner. Laney always puts in too much salt.” He loped gracefully from the room.
“Can you believe all of this?” Heath breathed. “This entire setup is awesome.”
Denver took a sip of his eggnog and nearly coughed.
Ryker grinned. “Shane spiked that. Rumor has it don’t drink anything that Shane has spiked.”
“I like these guys,” Denver said. “It feels like, I mean, that—”
“They’re family.” Heath sighed. “You know?”
“Yeah,” Ryker agreed.
Denver looked closer at the map. “I, ah, don’t want to go to work at their business.” His stomach clenched.
Heath clapped him on the back. “Me either. It’s a great offer, but Lost Bastards is our business.”
“We could run it from here,” Ryker said thoughtfully. “We’ve never had a main base.”
“It’s a nice place to live,” Heath agreed. “But it’s all of us or none of us. We stick together.”
Denver hadn’t realized how badly he’d needed to hear those words. They’d all moved on and found lives and women to love. But he needed his brothers. “I agree.”
Ryker grinned. “I vote yes to staying here.”
“Ditto,” Heath said.
Denver nodded. “Then we move to Montana.”
“I told you that would happen,” Jory Dean said, coming into the room with Detective Malloy limping behind him on crutches. “Didn’t I tell you that you’d end up here?”
Denver grinned at him. They’d get a chance to know each other now. “I believe you might have mentioned it.”
Malloy rolled his eyes. “For pete’s sake. You all are such girls sometimes.”
Jory sighed. “The detective here has an early Christmas present for you guys.”
