"You know, an alien. It's a baby freaking Yoda," Trent said.
Harley giggled so hard she snorted. Sterling dropped his head to the counter and his laughter echoed across the bar.
Dove didn't laugh. She gasped.
Trent just sat there and poked at Dove's stomach again.
Juniper couldn't help herself, she giggled.
"I don't know who's more likely to get punched tonight," Cullen said. "Trent, or that asshole sitting over there."
Juniper shifted her gaze and groaned as she watched Graham kiss Tamara's hand like he was a real gentleman.
The bar area grew quiet.
"Shit man, I'm sorry," Cullen said. "I didn't mean to rain on magic baby moments. I just…" He ran his fingers through his hair. "Tamara's been a real bitch lately about who I invite out fishing with me and Tyler. Now she's sitting over there with her new boyfriend and his rich father."
"Don't," Harley whispered.
"Why not? If I can't talk about this stuff with my friends, who can I? Besides, I'm tired of this shit." Cullen dropped his hand to the bar with a thud. "Tyler's my son. I get I was a real dick of a dad for a long time."
"You were suffering from a mental illness." Trent squeezed his shoulder. "You saw some shit during a mission that most men don't come back from. Give yourself a break."
"I am." Cullen wiped his eyes. "I know what I've walked through. And I know I've come a long way. Three months ago, so did she. And then that prick with his fancy car and his slick ass smile walked into her life. He's not a good person. He's going to…" He let out a long breath. "I can't even say it because every time I have, everyone thinks I'm the crazy one. Sometimes, I can't blame them."
"You're not crazy." Harley looped her arm around his shoulder. "I'm so sorry I was such a coward."
"I don't think that," he whispered. "It's not your fault. You didn't do anything wrong. It's just a shitty situation. But I can't sit here and do nothing."
Juniper grabbed Sterling's hand as she glanced over her shoulder. She'd been made aware of the situation, and she'ddone her own digging. She wished she knew more. But she knew that men like Graham believed they were invincible.
They weren't.
Sterling glanced over his shoulder, then caught Juniper's gaze.
Cullen was on his feet before either one of them could stop him. He marched across the room and stopped Tamara before she reached the door. "Tam. Hey. You got a second?" At least his voice was steady and calm.
That was a good thing.
Juniper released her grip on Sterling's fingers and inched closer.
"What are you doing?" Sterling whispered.
"I'm not letting that happen in my bar," she said.
"I'll go." He stepped in front of her.
Well, she was following, whether Sterling liked it or not.
"It's late," Tamara said with a weak smile. Her blue eyes were dull under the lighting over the door. Her skin was pale, which was odd for anyone who lived full-time in Southwest Florida.
"I just need two minutes of your time. It's about this weekend. About my time with Tyler." Cullen kept his hands at his sides.
"What about it? Are you cancelling?" Tamara asked. "You can't start doing that again. It would break his heart."
"Of course not." Cullen's voice cracked, and he shook his head.
Talk about breaking someone's heart. Juniper's was tearing in half.
