Stevie grunted at the first pothole they hit. “Oh, God. Hurry.”
Stone laughed, dodging as many potholes as he could, trying to help her out.
“Oh, good. She’s already here,” Nico said.
“Yes. Very good,” Stevie said through gritted teeth. “I’m not sure I can hold out long enough to unlock the door.”
Stone parked the truck beside Tara’s car. Stevie didn’t wait for anyone, launching herself out and racing up the steps. He was almost on the steps when he heard Stevie shout.
“Oh, my God! What the—”
Stone glanced at Nico, both of them bounding up the rest of the steps and racing after her. He came to an abrupt stop, barely avoiding a collision with Stevie.
“What the hell?” Stone asked, staring at his brother. “CJ?”
“It’s not what it looks like,” CJ declared.
Oh, Stone was pretty sure he was wrong about that. His hair was disheveled, his shirt partially unbuttoned. Behind him, Tara had her back to them as she tried to put her shirt on. They’d clearly been getting busy or about to be until they were interrupted.
Stevie squealed, then darted toward the bathroom. “Don’t move!” she shouted. “We’re gonna talk about this in a minute.”
“She’s gotta pee,” Nico told them, trying to be helpful. “Where’s Jäger?”
Tara pointed toward their offices.
Jäger barked from his spot on the other side of the child gate. He barked again before Nico could make his way over.
Stone stared at his brother, confused. Just two days ago, he’d sat down to a family meal with CJ and Jamie, his girlfriend. A girlfriend whowasn’tthe redhead standing behind him.
He wanted to call CJ out on it. To ask him if he broke up with Jamie, the girl he’d been seeing foryears. However, he was cognizant of Tara’s feelings, and if she wasn’t aware of CJ’s relationship status, Stone figured it wasn’t his place to inform her. Yet.
“Could y’all maybe give us a minute?” CJ asked, his eyes pleading.
“Sure.” He turned and headed outside, Nico right behind him, Jäger trotting along.
“Tell me I was seein’ things,” Nico said when they were outside, the glass door closed behind them.
Jäger made a beeline for a patch of grass.
“No. Definitely not seein’ things.”
“What about Jamie?”
“Question of the hour,” Stone said, walking over to the deck rail and propping a hip against it.
The door opened behind them. Stone turned to see CJ walking out, planting his Stetson on his head.
“Can we talk?” his brother asked, glancing between him and Nico.
“I’ll be inside. It won’t take me a minute to get what I need, so just let me know when y’all are done.”
Stone nodded, then turned his attention to CJ.
CJ glanced behind him, waiting for the door to close. When it did, he turned back. “You’re probably thinkin’ I’m a shithead.”
“It had crossed my mind, yeah.” Stone crossed his arms over his chest. “You and Jamie call it quits?”
CJ swallowed, his gaze shifting to his feet. “Not exactly.”
