Brantley didn’t bother with the menu. “I’ll take a double cheeseburger. Well done. With fries and a piece of peach cobbler.”
The waitress smiled and jotted it down.
“I’ll have the chicken pot pie,” Reese added.
“Any sides?”
“No,” Reese told her. “And we’ll take two sweet teas.”
“Bread before your meal?”
“No thanks,” Brantley told her, knowing Reese wouldn’t eat it and Brantley didn’t need it.
“I went out to Camp K-9 today,” Reese informed him when they were alone again.
“How’d that go?”
“Weird.”
Brantley chuckled, waiting for the punchline.
“Today’s Ava’s birthday.”
“And that made it weird?”
“No. It was the whole encounter. Trey was…” Reese shrugged. “I can’t explain it, but somethin’s goin’ on with those three.”
“Those three? Or Trey and Magnus?”
“All of ’em.”
That was interesting. Brantley knew that Trey and Magnus had gotten close when they’d been looking for Ava. He also knew that Ava and Magnus were close when they were younger. But how that translated to all three of them, he wasn’t sure. Maybe he should reach out to Trey and ask.
The next hour passed while they ate their meals. Small talk was minimal, but it wasn’t uncomfortable. Brantley enjoyed spending time with Reese. Even if it was simply sharing a meal in silence.
“Oh, I meant to tell you, I talked to Atticus today,” Reese said, pushing his plate away.
“Yeah? How’d he take the news?”
Reese’s grin was wicked. “I’m pretty sure I almost made him cry.”
“He’s a good kid.”
“Yeah. He is. And I think he’s a good addition to the team.”
“You tell everyone else?”
“I did. Charlie and Jay got back mid-day, so I made the announcement with everyone there.”
“How’dtheytake it?”
“JJ sent Baz out to get cupcakes, so I’d say it went well.” Reese wiped his mouth with his napkin and set it on his plate. “Slade asked who he’d be partnered with. I told him we’d be hirin’ someone soon.”
Brantley knew how tight knit the team had become. He doubted that had gone over well.
“I told ’em to let you or me know if they had someone in mind who might be a good addition. Luca mentioned he had a cousin—”
“No,” Brantley snapped.
