Page 29 of Backup Plan

“You wolfed down your steak. Are you not feeding yourself at home? Steaks are meant to be enjoyed.”

I roll my eyes. “I did enjoy it. I’m just ready to get to the party.”

“Typical.” Dex rolls his eyes.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” I ask.

“You’re in single guy mode. Looking for your next piece of ass. Let me tell you, Liam—”

“Here comes the lecture,” I mutter.

“You’re goddamn right I’m about to lecture you. You can’t chase tail forever. Someday you’ll settle down, have a kid, a wife, and a life. A different woman every night…it’s not just dangerous and stupid, man. It’s also lonely as hell. Trust me. You deserve more.”

“Guess I have to live it out and determine that for myself,” I say thickly. It’s not like I can admit that I finally found someone I want to be with again when she is who she is. Not to mention she’s seven years older than me—the same age as Dex, actually. Several months older than Everleigh. “Don’t you miss that life?”

He chuckles as he shakes his head. “Not even once. When you know, you know. And with Ains? I guess I just knew.”

As it turns out, he might be the most interesting person to talk to about all of this. Our stories parallel in the fact that he married our youngest sister’s best friend. He’s eleven years older than her, an even bigger age gap than Pen and me have.

But the big difference is that Penny is older, married, and has two kids.

Dex had a kid, too—one he didn’t know about. One he needed help with, and Ainsley happened to step up. They’re a family now, and that’s where the similarities die. I had a fun night with Penny, and maybe we’ll even meet up later tonight, but I’m not ready to step in and help raise her kids, not that she asked me to, anyway.

But all of that is reason enough to keep my mouth shut.

We toast. We drink. Our plates are cleared away, and Maverick orders another kind of whiskey, as if anyone can really tell the difference at this point.

He’s not really a strip club kind of guy, and he got into some trouble for getting caught at my dad’s underground casino, so he’s not much of a gambler anymore. Instead, once we finish our drinks here, we head over to Caesars Palace to a cigar bar where we have more whiskey and high-end cigars.

If I wasn’t itching to get Penny naked, I might even be enjoying myself.

Instead, I’m counting down the minutes, glancing at my phone to see if I missed a text from her, and definitely not living in the moment and enjoying myself the way my brothers, soon-to-be brother-in-law, and several of his friends are.

Madden takes notice next, but he’s slightly more subtle than Dex.

“Is everything okay?”

I nod. “Fine.”

“You seem…jittery tonight.”

“Sorry. I’m just…” Just what? Preoccupied with Penny Calloway?

“I get it. You’re worried about today’s visit. Worried about getting the official offer. I’ve been there, man.”

He hasn’t, though. Not really. He wasn’t a quarterback, either. Not that wide receivers don’t have their fair share of pressure, but the pressure I feel with what he’s talking about is totally different than anything he ever experienced. He was a star. Always a starter. Never second best.

“Yeah,” I murmur instead of any of that. It’s a good enough excuse to deflect what I’m really dealing with.

“No worries, bro. Shit will work out the way it’s supposed to.”

Deep down, I’m sure he’s right.

But rarely does the way it’s supposed to intersect with what I want.

CHAPTER 9: Penny Calloway

Booty Call