He fumbles around for a few moments, clearly unsure of how to respond. Then his shaky hand comes forward as he hands me another one of his business cards. “I don’t discriminate. M-my business card. In case you ever need help finding work,” Michael offers, not quite as confident as before, but still trying to redeem himself.
I grab the card and shove it into my front pocket. “Yeah, I’ll keep you in mind.” My attention turns to Jessa. “We should get going.”
I place my hand at the small of her back. I let my fingers spread out, touching as much of her warmth as I can reach. I don’t miss the way she shivers at my touch. I have to deliberately remind my overeager cock that it’s not an invitation to get all worked up. She said it herself—we’re attracted to each other. It’s a biological reaction. Nothing more. And it definitely isn’t something we have to act on.
I direct her toward the passenger door and open it for her, standing protectively between Jessa and her slimy ex.
Michael calls out an awkward goodbye. “Remember to call me, Jessie Babe.” He rubs his nose and sniffles.
She promises nothing, giving him a weak wave with a distracted smile.
After shutting her door, I level the man with a death glare that causes him to skitter off down the sidewalk. Then I climb into my car and take off, doing my best to keep my eyes off the beautiful girl by my side.
24 Eli
Jude shows up in my front yard bright and early and unannounced.
“You could have called,” I say as I’m dragging my trashcans to the curb. The garbage truck will pass by in the next hour or so.
“And you could have not answered. Like you did the last half dozen times I called you.” I hear the smirk in my youngest brother’s voice as he follows me up the driveway.
“I’ve been busy.” I stand on the porch and adopt a defensive posture in front of the door, feet shoulder-width apart, arms folded across my chest. I’m really not in the mood for guests this early in the day.
With a shrug, Jude elbows his way past me and pushes through the screen door. “Well, now I’m here. Deal with it.”
Goddamn—I’d forgotten how persistent my youngest brother can be. Frigging pest.
And what is it with all my family members just popping up here whenever they want? I mentally add install electric fence to my to-do list.
“Uncle Jude!” Callie shrieks. She jumps up from the couch, her cartoons long forgotten as she runs to him. “Where were you? I haven’t seen you in a long, long time,” she complains.
“I was off playing football,” my brother tells her.
Callie nods slowly and approvingly. “Oh, you were playing football, huh? Are you gonna be on TV again? Can we watch sports TV? Let’s watch sports TV and find out.”
Jude chuckles and drops onto my sofa. He grabs the remote and flips to the Sports Broadcast Network. “Yeah, let’s turn on sports TV and find out.” Callie plops down beside him.
I’m trying to be annoyed but I end up dropping my head and shaking it as I travel into the kitchen to wash my hands. I may be resentful toward my brothers but I do appreciate that they each took the time to cultivate a relationship with my kid when I was gone. It feels good to know that she had a whole band of people looking out for her in my absence.
When I come back in a few minutes later with some water bottles for all of us, my daughter and her uncle are engaged in an epic round of smack-talking as they watch football highlights and yell at the television.
“Calder is overrated, man!” Jude yells at the announcers. “Sad excuse for a linebacker. He’s like an umbrella trying to fight off a tsunami!”
“Yeah!” Callie pipes in. “He’s like an umbrella trying to fight with a nanny!”
“Do you see those clowns?!” my brother motions toward the television. “Tell them Jude Kingston is coming for them!”
Callie roars like a lion cub. “My uncle Jude is coming for you clowns!” She looks at me and giggles like it’s the most amusing thing ever.
I glower at my brother from where I’m sitting in an armchair off to the side of the couch. “Is this what you came here for?” I ask him. “To turn my kid into a hyped-up football maniac?”
“Daddy, me and Uncle Jude watch ball together all the time,” Callie tells me. “All the time.” She grins her little teeth at me.
“Tell him, Cal!” He holds up a palm and she claps him with a high-five.
I’m clearly not winning this debate so I drop into a chair and stretch out my legs as the sports highlights play. As frustrating as he is, I’m proud of Jude. I tried to watch his football games as often as I could when I was in jail. I was impressed—though I’d never admit it to the smug bastard. My brother is the best tight-end in the league. The Paragons are a solid team and they have the Super Bowl wins to prove it.
When the show finally goes to commercial break, Jude looks at me with a grin. “Let’s talk, brother.” He motions toward the porch with his chin. Grunting, I follow him outside.
When the screen door slams into me, I grip my shoulder and rotate it in the socket.
“What’s wrong with you?” Jude points his water bottle toward my shoulder.
“I think I pulled something helping Jessa’s dad at his repair shop.”
By the way Jude’s eyebrow arrows up, I instantly regret my words. Fuck.
“How come you were helping Jessa’s dad?” he wants to know.
“Long story.”
He drops down onto the porch bench. “I’ve got the whole, entire day, bro.” He grins. “Since when are you a handy man?”
I take a seat next to him. “I got shut out of Kingston Realties. What else am I
