"It wasn't common sense. It was you guys." He knocked back his drink, feeling the love for his buddies. "My crew."
Liam toasted him. "Now that Claire and I are over, you guys are all that I have."
Slade whipped around so fast his chair spun. "You're over, too? What the fuck happened?"
"Ray wants a fully mobile, stunt-ready Fin by mid-August. He and Claire are searching for a replacement for me now, just in case, so the new guy can slip in right away if I'm not ready to go then."
Torn between offering comfort and getting angry on his friend’s behalf, Slade patted Liam's shoulder. "That sucks."
"She wouldn't say no to Ray. She's picking my replacement and training the bastard. This all took place behind my back."
Adam motioned to the bartender. "I think we'll need another round."
Liam rubbed his hand over the back of his neck. "If I lose the job..."
"You won't." Dom's firm voice ordered him to believe it.
"But if I do..." Rounded, wounded, desolate eyes met theirs.
Adam passed around the fresh drinks. "Then, we'll just give you a shit ton of money for watching the dogs."
Liam's laughter followed Adam's calm, matter of fact solution. "Dude, be serious."
"I am. You know we'll help you out."
Slade slung his arm around Liam's shoulder. "I always have your back. You know you can count on us."
"I know. I'm lucky."
"Me too." They clinked glasses and downed the next round. Warm fuzziness spread through his joints.
A while later, Dom stood. "You guys are going upstairs after this, right? No going out and doing anything stupid?"
"Upstairs," Slade agreed. He one-arm hugged Dom and lost his balance, catching himself before he fell off the stool.
"All right. We'll check in with you tomorrow." Adam hugged Slade and then Liam.
Arm in arm with Liam, Slade watched Adam and Dom walk out of the bar. "Ready to head up?"
Liam laughed. "You're weaving from side to side. I'll help you walk."
"You're the one weaving. I'll help you." Grinning at Liam, Slade bumped his shoulder and knocked them both into the bar.
"Don't fall on me, man."
They made it to their apartment without incident. Slade unlocked the door. "Another drink?"
"Let's do it." Liam held on to the wall on his way to the kitchen.
Slade grabbed the scotch and glasses. They sat side by side with the bottle between them. "I'm sorry about Claire."
"And I'm sorry about Savanna." Liam swallowed his shot.
Slade studied the amber liquid swirling in his glass. "I love her. And I messed it up."
"It takes two to mess things up." Liam poured them another round.
He pondered that wisdom for a moment. "That true for you and Claire too?"
His friend pushed the glass aside and sat, elbows on the counter and hands in his hair. "I guess I didn't really give her a chance to explain why she did what she did."
"So, talk to her."
"I don't know that she'll talk to me now."
He hated seeing his friend so upset. Even if he’d wrecked his own relationship, maybe he could somehow save Liam and Claire’s. "Maybe I can help."
Liam raised his head. "How?"
"I don't know. But we have the whole night and half a bottle of scotch. We'll think of something."
CHAPTER TWENTY
CLAIRE
CLAIRE OPENED THE DOOR and waved Savanna into her apartment. They could wallow in their misery together or spend a few hours trashing love and watching sappy, romantic comedies, whichever her friend wanted. "I'm glad you're here."
Savanna looked just as drained as she felt. "How are you feeling?"
"Pretty bad. My doctor recommended a different pre-natal vitamin and a vitamin B-6 supplement. I haven’t gotten sick in a few hours, but I’m not feeling much better yet."
"Did you tell your dad about the baby? Maybe he can ask some of the OB’s at the hospital about morning sickness cures if the new remedies don’t work."
"No one knows about the baby. I'll probably tell my dad soon though." She hadn't talked to him or her sisters in over a week. Not since the fight.
Savanna held out the bag she'd brought. "If you're feeling daring, we can have ginger ale and crackers for dinner."
"I can't feed you that. You'll want real food." But she gratefully accepted the soda and crackers and set them in the kitchen.
"I didn't want to risk cooking and you getting sick from the smell. I'll be fine with a sandwich or something."
“Help yourself to anything in the fridge. Or, there’s a deli and a few restaurants close by.”
The knock on the door startled her. She wasn’t expecting anyone else. Would Liam come back to fight again? Maybe she could try to explain this time. She shrugged at Savanna and checked through the security lens. "It's my dad."
Surprise shifted to worry. If something bad had happened and no one had called her... She tugged the door open. "Dad? Is everything okay?"
He bent to hug her. "I was on my way home from work and thought I'd drop in. Is now a bad time? I want to talk to you about your sisters."
Savanna introduced herself and then walked to the front door. "I'll run down to that specialty Italian market and find us something for dinner."
Dad waited until Savanna was gone. “I heard about what happened last week. Your sisters had a big fight about it today.”
Unsure of what to say, Claire gestured to the kitchen. “Can I get you a drink?”
“I can’t stay long. Lauren is at a friend’s house and needs a ride home soon. With you not at home anymore, I can really see everything you handled. I’m here to apologize, for myself and for them. And believe me, they’re sending a huge apology.”
"For what?"
"For their behavior last week and for all the years that you stepped up and fulfilled extra roles."
"Dad, I didn't mind. I wanted to help."
Dad shook his head and leaned against the counter. "Your mother wanted a houseful of kids because she was lonely. Then, after we had all of you, she was overwhelmed. We didn't communicate well back then. When
