I breathed a loud sigh of relief, which made Bee laugh harder.
She lifted up her glass. “I’ve had like three glasses ofwine. Definitely not pregnant, Matt. But really, would it be so bad to be an uncle?”
“I am an uncle.”
“I mean like a real one. A blood one.”
It didn’t matter that I wasn’t a blood relation to James andRobs’ kids. I still loved those little brats. “Are you guys really thinkingabout it?”
“Maybe next year,” Bee said and looked over at Mason.
A few years ago he would have looked as shocked as me. Instead,he just shrugged.
I silently cursed. They were definitely about to pop out adozen babies and leave me behind.
“To be young and in love again,” Tanner sighed.
He was still young. And had plenty of time to find love. Hewas being such a diva tonight.
“Ah, to being young and in love.” Bee lifted up her wineglass and a little sloshed out the side. She was so drunk. Adorably so. Whichwas my fault since I kept buying everyone more rounds.
“Matt.” She reached out and grabbed my hand. “What’s going onwith you? You keep doing that thing with your face.” She pulled her lips intoan exaggerated frown.
“I’m fine.” I patted her hand.
“Only people who aren’t fine say that they’re fine. You cantell us anything, you know.”
I glanced at Mason. I was pretty sure he’d been hoping I’dtalk about Brooklyn for years. But I wasn’t going to start tonight. “There’snothing to tell.”
“You’re a terrible liar. Tell me right now or you…you’ll haveto pay for all the drinks.”
“All the drinks are already on my tab.”
“Oh, crap.” She stared at me. “I knew that. And I had three glassesto make up for Penny and Daphne not drinking. Because they were being lame withmom duties.”
“Because they’re breastfeeding, yeah.”
She waved her hand through the air. “That’s what I said. Soyou’ll have to pay for the drinks.”
I laughed. “I just told you. The drinks are all on my tabanyway.”
She nodded. “Right. So tell me the truth or I’ll…” she lookeddown at her glass of wine like she was about to say I’d have to pay for drinksagain. But then her head snapped back up. “Or I’ll do something terrible to youin your sleep.”
“What the hell does that mean? When have you ever even beennear me while I’m sleeping?”
She shrugged. “Wouldn’t it be scary to find out?”
Yeah, she was definitely drunk.
“If something is bothering you, we are here to listen,” Masonsaid.
I pressed my lips together. I actually did need some advice. Ilooked back at Bee. There was a 50-50 chance she wouldn’t remember any of thisanyway. I cleared my throat. It would feel better to get this off my chest. “Poppyvisited my office this week.”
Mason raised his eyebrow. “Poppy? As in…Isabella’s cousin?”
“Yup, that one.”
“Isabella has a cousin?” Bee said way too loudly. “Oh God, isshe as awful as Isabella?”
I hadn’t thought so until this week. Now I was worried she wassomehow worse.
“I didn’t even know that Richard Pruitt had a niece,” Tannersaid. “Why didn’t I know that?”
“Because she wasn’t important. I hadn’t seen her in over adecade.”
“Wait.” Tanner slammed his hand down on the table. “Wasn’timportant? That implies that she is now. Did you sleep with her?”
“Ew. No. She’s freaking devil spawn.”
“Phew. You had me worried there for a second. Remember, youhave to introduce me to any lucky lady you’re planning to bed.”
“Why does Matt have to introduce you to women he’s…to bedwith?” Bee asked.
“So I can…approve of them.”
Bee laughed. “You’re so funny, Tanner.”
That was one way to put it.
“Really everything you say is so so funny. And…” her voicetrailed off. “God I have the perfect word, it’s on the tip of my tongue. Whycan’t I think of it?”
Mason put his arm around Bee’s shoulders. “I think we shouldprobably head out before Bee remembers that other word.”
“Hey.” She elbowed him in his side. “But yes. Take me home. I’mtired.”
He smiled down at her. “Your wish is my command.” He grabbedher coat and draped it over her shoulders. He was about to lead her out of thebar when he turned back to me. “Sorry, Matt. What was your story about Poppy? Whydid she stop by?”
I didn’t know why I’d brought it up. I didn’t want to worryhim. “No reason. It was really random.”
“Huh.” He shrugged his shoulders. “Well, have a good night,you two.”
Bee blew Tanner and me each a kiss.
I pretended to choke on it and she laughed.
“That went really well,” Tanner said.
I ran my fingers through my hair. “You tried to get James todrug me. And you fought with Rob again.”
“Robert argued with me. And James does owe you a druggeddrink, if I do recall correctly. I thought everything went great. So tell meabout Poppy. Is she hot?”
“No.”
“No she’s not hot? Or no you’re not going to tell me abouther?”
“Both.”
“Hm. Sounds like something you need to talk about.”
I sighed. He knew me too well. “Mr. Pruitt sent her. BecauseI didn’t respond to his texts.”
“Well, he did say it was urgent this time. I have an idea. Howabout I come with you when you go see him. That way nothing bad can happen.”
“That would just ensure that bad things would happen to bothof us.”
He shook his head. “Nonsense. He wouldn’t mess with me.”
“Mr. Pruitt messes with everyone.”
“But no one messes with me.”
I stared at him. He looked dead serious. Yes, Tanner had moremoney than anyone else I knew. Including the Pruitts. But I knew that moneydidn’t make him untouchable. And it certainly couldn’t protect him from Mr.Pruitt’s line of work.
“Just think about it,” Tanner said. “Like I told you before,it would probably be best just to get it over with. And this way you wouldn’thave to do it alone. You’d have me.”
“Yeah, maybe.” That was actually really nice of him to havemy back. Even if I didn’t plan on taking him up on his offer. “Thanks, man.”
“That’s what best friends are for.”
I laughed. “You’re just trying to one up Rob?”
Tanner shrugged. “Well, I don’t see him offering to go visityour
