“Didn’t Danny work there part-time?” Cal inquired.
“Yep,” Trey answered. “And he was on his break. Just gettin’ some action, he said.”
“He did not say that,” Brantley huffed.
“Right up until you put an end to their fun,” Griffin noted.
Trey smirked. “What are big brothers for?”
Brantley rolled his eyes, didn’t bother looking at Trey. “Regardless of how you tell it, the crime certainly didn’t fit the punishment.”
That got his brothers laughing.
“Maybe not, but it was fun as shit,” Trey countered. “Dragged both of you morons outta that truck, had you assume the position.”
“Because he hadn’t been assumin’ it before you got there?” Griffin snorted.
“Not helpin’,” Brantley said with a glare.
“Tell ’em what happened next,” Trey insisted with a smirk.
Brantley exhaled, knowing this would never end if he didn’t tie up the story in a neat little bow. “You dragged us out, frisked us both, then told Danny you’d bring him up on charges of seducing a minor if he put his hands on me again.”
“Damn straight I did. And the look on that kid’s face,” Trey guffawed. “Priceless.”
Never mind the fact that they’d both been seventeen, Danny had honestly believed he was in trouble. Then again, the guy hadn’t been the brightest bulb. But he’d been hot as fuck, the only thing that had really mattered to seventeen-year-old Brantley.
To add to the humiliation, Trey had snapped a picture of Danny with his wild red hair and haphazardly buttoned shirt using his prized Nokia camera phone, printed it out, then spent the next two months pinning that picture up in various places in the house just to piss Brantley off. Not that he would remind Trey of that part.
His brothers were good at that. Pissing him off. But Brantley had gotten in a few good ones over the years. Too bad he was too drunk to remember them now.
“Whatever happened to that one guy you dated?” Griffin asked, lifting his glass and pointing at Brantley. “Marvin? Martin? What the fuck was his name?”
“Markus,” Cal supplied. “The doctor.”
“He wasn’t a doctor,” Trey corrected. “He was a medical examiner.”
“A medical degree, Trey,” Brantley grumbled. “Makes him a doctor.”
“He worked on dead people.” Trey’s smile was slow. “But I suppose he put the degree to good use? You two play doctor and patient?”
Oh, they most definitely had, but rather than share the details, he rattled off a “Fuck. Off.”
“Didn’t last long, that one,” Cal recalled. “Then again, none of them did.”
“I have to say, though, you do know how to nail the hot ones,” Trey added.
“Hey, I tried to pass that one guy off to you, but you were too good for him,” Brantley reminded him.
“Dude was an insurance salesman,” Trey said, his tone making it sound like the guy had been a convicted felon.
“You didn’t have to marry him,” Cal teased.
“Whatever. This is not about me,” Trey stated. “This is about you, little brother. When are you gonna settle down?”
Brantley shook his head, resting it against the headrest and staring up at the sky. The last thing he intended to do was discuss his personal business. Privacy was something to be coveted in the Walker family. Not only did he have nosy brothers and sisters, there were dozens of cousins, many of them having grown up in Coyote Ridge with Brantley. Everyone knew everyone’s business, no matter how hard they tried to keep it on the DL.
“He likes playin’ the field,” Cal said, his smile still firmly in place.
“No time to date,” he grumbled, realizing they weren’t going to drop it. “What about you?” He glanced at Cal. “When’re you gonna tie the knot?”
“One of these days,” his youngest brother said with a wide grin.
Whether it was the cheery admission or the blush that brightened Cal’s face, the words captured everyone’s attention, taking the heat off Brantley. Finally.
Trey sat up straight, narrowed his eyes. “Seriously?”
Cal’s face was beaming. “Yeah. Seriously. I was thinkin’ about askin’ her while we’re here.”
“You’re runnin’ outta time,” Trey supplied.
“Holy shit, man.” Griffin slapped Cal on the back. “Congrats.”
“Don’t congratulate him yet,” Brantley interrupted. “She hasn’t said yes. Maybe I should sit April down, make sure she knows what she’s gettin’ herself into.”
Cal laughed. “Like she’d believe a word you said.”
Brantley smiled, maintaining eye contact with Cal, ensuring his brother saw he was happy for him. Although they did enjoy dogging one another whenever the situation warranted, they were a tight bunch. And that meant they celebrated the highs and mourned the lows. Together.
“Well, on that note, I think I’m gonna hit the hay,” Trey announced, getting to his feet. “See y’all bright and early.”
“You might be early, but you damn sure ain’t bright,” Griffin quipped, dragging himself to his feet.
“What he said,” Brantley agreed as his brothers filed past him, offering fist bumps on their way.
“You headin’ in?” Cal asked, standing tall and stretching.
