“Look at you, asking for help.” Sadie twirled a straw in her seltzer with berries and mint—a signature mocktail at Eats Grille.
“He’s come so far,” Marlee said with a sigh.
“Yet, you’re both still sitting here.” The words were said with a hefty helping of Eli’s signature grump, but Sadie knew it was all for show.
Apparently, so did Marlee. She gripped his chin between her fingers, pulling it toward her and pressing a smacking kiss on his lips. “We’re waiting for Heather and Anna.”
“Why don’t I help Eli with whatever Eli needs and you wait here?” Sadie was already standing and brushing at her jeans. “No need to risk waking Luke.”
“The hot or not game is no fun when I’m by myself.” Marlee scowled at her husband.
He pressed another quick kiss to her mouth. “Don’t check out my customers. Stick to checking me out instead.”
“Hot and boxer briefs,” she whispered against his lips.
Ugh. Gag.
Sadie made a noise and hand motions around her throat to accompany her gaggy opinion of the lovefest going on between them.
“Perfect timing,” Brek said, ambling toward them…with Roman at his side.
Sadie’s heart seemed to do an oddcha-chunkbeat in her chest. She’d been avoiding him—and doing a great job of it—and now here he was.
“Marlee. Eli.” Roman greeted each of them, ending with, “Sadie.”
Oh man, she loved the way he said her name. He always said it like it meant more than just a few syllables and letters.
Since she was avoiding Roman, she’d spent her spare time with Marlee and Luke. He was her favorite man, and he probably always would be. The little guy was about to get the shit spoiled out of him by his Auntie Sadie. Sadie glanced at her nephew—still totally zonked.
“Boxers?” Marlee asked, eyebrow raised with a slight eye shift toward Roman.
Sadie nodded.
Roman’s mouth dropped open. “Sorry?”
He asked the question like he couldn’t possibly have heard correctly.
“The girls are playing a game.” Eli gave a final pat to Marlee’s shoulders. “It’s a stupid game.”
Roman’s eyebrows raised exceptionally high. “Is this a joke?”
He glanced at Sadie for confirmation. She lifted her shoulder the tiniest bit in her best whatcha-gonna-do gesture.
“Boxers,” Brek replied. “If you decide to do me next.”
Sadie refused to let her cheeks get hot. “I don’t think Velma would appreciate us asking you that without her present.”
Roman cleared his throat.
Slowly, oh so very slowly, she turned her head toward him. One look. It only took one freaking look from him and the rest of the world drifted away like glitter in the wind.
He stepped forward with an intensity that made her dizzy.
“Brek, you’re at the bar. Thanks for being here. Sadie, you’re in the kitchen. I’ve got a batch of Eaters that needs to be mixed.” Eli rubbed his hands together.
The Eater was Eats Grille’s signature drink. It tasted like an adult fruit punch but they served it with a sugar rim and a skewer of strawberries and blackberries. That way, they could charge extra.
“I brought other help.” Brek pointed his thumb toward Roman. “He’s got nothing to do tonight.”
