Double Time

Trey threw another slice of peach at his idiot brother. “I won’t be putting my snake in any dark tunnel. Unless it’s hers. I want this to work between us. I want a normal relationship. Last night was amazing. I want to keep that going.”

“Trey, you can’t deny what you are. You need to find a woman who accepts that part of you as part of the package. You’ll never be happy if you give up men entirely. I know you won’t.”

“Just butt out. Okay? Let me do this my way.”

Dare sighed and reached for a pineapple. He hacked off the top with more force than necessary before grabbing some fancy gadget that trimmed it into a neat, hollow cylinder. “Just don’t chase her off, Trey. We need her for the tour.”

“I’m not going to chase her off. I’m going to make her mine.”

The doorbell rang. Trey’s heart thudded with excitement, and he stood up from the barstool. “I bet that’s Brian.”

“Don’t wet yourself there, Trey.”

“Shut up.” He hadn’t seen Brian in over a day. He had a lot to tell him. And he missed him. A lot. Just because Trey had given up on Brian loving him didn’t mean that he’d fallen out of love with the man. Trey didn’t know if he’d ever stop loving Brian. Not completely.

By the time Trey made it to the foyer, Brian and crew were already inside the house. Brian had a diaper bag slung over one shoulder, a baby carrier in his free hand, and was trying to coax Myrna into a nearby chair.

“I’m fine, sweetheart,” she said, “really.”

“Since when did they start letting women out of the hospital after one day of rest? It’s insane,” Brian insisted. “Please, baby, sit. I don’t think you should be out of bed yet.”

“Brian, I’m fine. Just a little tired.”

“Did you call Jessica?”

“Yes, I called her. She said she’d meet me here and stay with me at the house until you get back from tour. And when she’s unavailable, Aggie said she’d help out too.” So Myrna had agreed to let the lady Sinners—Sed and Jace’s respective fiancées—help her out. Trey was actually surprised that she would admit to needing help.

Brian breathed a sigh of relief. “I’m so glad they both agreed to stay with you. I can’t imagine leaving you alone right now.” Trey decided she’d done so only to give Brian some peace of mind.

Malcolm grunted in his carrier, and Brian set it on a decorative table, oblivious to the expensive vase he pushed aside. He had the baby out of his seat and cradled against his shoulder in record time. When Brian sniffed Malcolm’s tiny baby butt, Trey burst out laughing.

“Hey, Trey,” Myrna said. “Enjoy your day off?”

“You might say that,” Trey said and came further into the room.

“Is it time for him to eat?” Brian asked Myrna.

“It’s only been an hour,” she said with a weary smile.

“He made a noise,” Brian told her.

“They do that sometimes, sweetheart. You’re spoiling him.”

“Ah, God, I miss him already.” Brian cradled Malcolm in the crook of his arm and hummed some lullaby version of the Sinners song “Good-bye Is Not Forever” while gently bouncing him up and down.

“He’s going to puke on you if you aren’t careful,” Trey warned.

Brian pointed to a white spot on his shirt and grinned as if it were some treasure to behold. “He already did.”

The doorbell rang again. Dare had just taken a step into the room but stopped in his tracks and went to the door.

“Is the baby here?” Trey heard Jessica squeal from the front door.

“Uh, yeah, I think he came with his parents,” Dare answered.

Jessica breezed into the room, looking absolutely stunning as usual—a strawberry-blonde bombshell who looked like she belonged in a Playboy centerfold instead of in a courtroom. Trey was pretty sure some of her clients were repeat offenders just so they could see her again. Jessica gave Myrna a quick hug. “I’m so glad you called me,” she said. Jessica noticed Trey and gave his arm a squeeze as she zeroed in on Malcolm. “Oh,” she said, clutching her hands in front of her chest. “He’s adorable. Let me hold him.”

Brian in no way looked prepared to hand over his son until he had no choice, but the pride in Jessica’s excitement at seeing his child was apparently a good motivator. He handed over the kid but stayed beside her with his hand inches from Malcolm’s back as if he expected Jessica to drop him on the polished marble floor at any moment.

“Oh,” Jessica said again and cuddled the baby against her chest as if he were as fragile as wet paper. “Did you send a picture to Sed? He’ll die when he sees him.”

“Yeah, we sent the guys pictures,” Brian said, still hovering over Jessica. “They bitched about missing out on the fun.”

“Well, I wouldn’t call it fun,” Myrna said flatly. “Amazing, unbelievable, breathtaking, and wonderful, but not fun.”

Once Brian seemed sure that Jessica was trustworthy, he moved to stand beside his wife. He stroked her auburn hair with one hand. “Are you thirsty? Hungry? Can I get you something?”

“A glass of water would be nice,” she admitted.

“I’ll get it,” Dare said. “Harold!”

Trey watched Brian fuss over his wife, and though he was a little sad to watch Brian slip even farther away from him, Trey was glad that Brian was so happy. Absolute joy radiated off the guy. It was almost blinding.

“Who’s a handsome boy? Who’s a handsome boy? Who’s a handsome boy?” Jessica asked Malcolm who was gnawing on his fist and gazing at her with unfocused eyes. “That’s right. Malcolm’s a handsome boy. Malcolm’s a handsome boy.”

“He’s not a dog, Jess. Why are you talking to him like that?” Trey asked.

“He likes it,” she said. “Don’t you like it? Yes you do. Yes you do.”

“Well then, he’s the only one,” Trey muttered.

Myrna chuckled.

“I want to hold him again,” Brian said, following Jessica around the room as she continued to repeat herself incessantly. “You can hold him as much as you want after I’m gone.”

“Oh God, I want one,” Jessica said, hugging the baby before handing him back to his father.

“Are you sure you mean that?” Trey said.