Reese’s smile was slow and knowing.“I know you don’twantto do it.”
As expected, Brantley flopped back against the seat, adamantly shaking his head.“Come on, Tavoularis.Can you honestly see me leadin’ the charge on a baby shower?”
“You’re her best friend.Plus, you led the charge for a team of Navy SEALs.”
Brantley nodded enthusiastically.“Exactly.And that was gravy compared to puttin’ together a party that won’t piss JJ off.”
Reese laughed, letting Brantley see the truth in his eyes.
“You’re fuckin’ with me, aren’t you?”
“A little, yeah.Holly, Elana, and Becs are workin’ with Baz’s mom to get it all done.”
“When is it?”
“They’re tentatively plannin’ for Friday.Provided JJ doesn’t have the babies by then.”
“And if she does?”
“They’ll wait until she comes home.”
Brantley sized him up.“And how long’ve you known that little nugget of information?”
A slight shrug was Reese’s initial response, his attention shifting to Tesha, who was watching out the window, tongue lolling out of her mouth.
“Sometimes it’s too easy, right, girl?”
Tesha peered back at him, and Reese would swear she was smiling.
“Since when?”Brantley repeated.
Because he knew Brantley wouldn’t let it go until he knew, Reese answered.“Since about the time JJ begged me not to let you handle the baby shower preparations.”
Brantley reached over the center console, his big hand shifting to Reese’s thigh.“Anyone ever tell you payback’s a bitch, Tavoularis?”
That wicked hand wandered higher, higher still until Brantley’s fingertips brushed the denim covering Reese’s quickly growing cock.As much as he would’ve liked the tease, Reese knew they had things they had to deal with first, so he put his hand on Brantley’s and shifted it back a safe distance.
“That’s what I hear.Right now, we just need to worry about what kinda trouble we can get into today.”
“We already know what that trouble entails,” Brantley said, flipping on his blinker as they neared the exit for Coyote Ridge.“A podcaster.”Brantley glanced over at Reese.“I got it right that time, huh?”
“You did.”Reese grinned.“But I’m more interested in talkin’ to Archer Halligan.”
“You want him to work for us that bad?”
He did.Having talked to Archer at length on Friday night, Reese was convinced the guy would be the perfect addition to an almost perfect team.
However, he opted to tone down his excitement, not wanting to come across too eager.
“It wouldn’t hurt.Now that the chaos has settled—Z’s words, not mine—he wants us to take on more cases.Which means more people.”
“Your brother’s crazy if he thinks the chaos has settled.”
“Don’t you dare jinx us,” Reese grumbled.
Chapter Two
Twenty minutes later, after they’d gotten home, dished up Tesha’s breakfast, and polished off their own, Reese was walking toward the barn, aptly named HQ by JJ, with Brantley not far behind him.
