She chuckled. “I’m pretty sureworryis your middle name.”
“That isnottrue. Now, if you want to saycaringorcompassionate, I might not be offended.”
She laughed, a gleeful sound that erased all his concerns instantly. “Whatever. Worrywart.”
It was his turn to laugh as he turned his hand over and threaded his fingers with JJ’s. He started a mental list of things he needed to do when they got back to the apartment, clothes he needed to pack, chargers he needed to grab.
“I think Evan’s got a thing for Becs.”
Shaking off his thoughts and focusing on what JJ had said, he cut a glance her way again. “What?”
She was staring out the front windshield, grinning. “Yep. I said it. I think Evan’s got the hots for Becs.”
“No way.” He didn’t see it.
“He does, but I think Becs has a thing for Luca.”
His head snapped over this time. “Seriously?”
JJ glanced his way, her green eyes glittering with mischief. “How can you not notice this stuff? I see the way she looks at him when she doesn’t think anyone’s lookin’.”
Baz focused on driving. “I think you’re makin’ shit up in that pretty little head of yours.”
“What? Luca’s hot. I can totally see why Becs would like lookin’ at him.”
Baz snorted. “I thought he was your nemesis. Now you’re tellin’ me he’s hot?”
“He’s a cowboy. What girl doesn’t imagine fallin’ in love with a cowboy?”
“Did you?”
“Of course,” she answered with too much conviction in her tone. “Hell, I was in love with Brantley Walker for most of my early teenage years.”
“Your gay best friend doesn’t count.”
JJ laughed. “Sure it does. My teenage heart didn’t care that he was gay.”
“Not only gay,” Baz said firmly. “He was datin’ your brother.”
Another laugh, just as carefree and light. “He was. Which meant I got to see him all the time.”
Curious, Baz looked over at her. “Did y’all become best friends because he was datin’ your brother? Or did he date your brother because y’all were best friends?”
She pursed her lips, clearly thinking about it. “Good questions. I don’t know.”
“What was he like back then? Brantley?”
“A lot like he is now. Cool, confident. Just without the military strictness. That came later.”
“And Reese?”
JJ shook her head. “I didn’t know Reese, but I knew his brother, Z.” She smiled. “Now that I think about it, I’m surprised my brother never had the hots for him.”
“For Z?”
“Yep. He was one of those larger-than-life types. Smart, funny. Smokin’ hot.”
Baz knew she was now focusing on the wordhotjust to get a rise out of him. He appreciated the effort she was making to keep the mood light. The woman knew just what to say to shift his mindset, and he was grateful for that. The last thing he wanted was to dwell on the past and think about all the ways the future could go horribly wrong. Things were good right now. Really good. With everyone.
