A Measure of Love (32 page)

“Yeah, they should be here in an hour or so. Christine’s coming, too.”

“Wow,” Seb said, covertly lifting a chip and throwing it into his mouth. “Just like old times, huh?”

Riley shrugged. “Mom invited them.”

Seb nodded. “And you’re happy about it?”

“Of course.”
He glanced at his younger brother. “Why the twenty questions?”

“I’m just making sure you’re okay, man.”

Riley pinched a chip, too. “I’m good. Really good. Things are perfect at the moment.”

“But?”

Riley exhaled a wry laugh. His brother never missed anything. “But I have no idea what I want.”

“With Lex?” Seb surmised, crossing his arms over his chest.

Riley lifted his eyebrows in reply. “We’re close again, but . . . I don’t know. I’m guarded.”

“That’s understandable, Riley.”

He rubbed a hand down his face before reaching for another chip. “I just don’t want us to mess everything up. There’s too much at stake this time. I don’t want Noah caught in the middle of a war if things go tits up.”

Seb licked his lips. “And how does she feel?”

Riley raised a shoulder. “She’s just waiting for me to make a move.”

“Do you want to make a move?”

“Shit, yes,” Riley answered quickly, though Seb didn’t look surprised. “Wanting her that way was never a problem.”

Seb smirked. “Then go for it, man. If it’s what you both want, why not?” He took a step closer to Riley. “You’ll never know otherwise.”

Riley dipped his chin. “I know.”

Seb clapped a hand to his arm and squeezed. “If it doesn’t work out, you still have Noah together. She’ll always be in your life, no matter what.” He picked up a chicken leg. “Shit, I’m hungry.”

“You two best not be picking at that food.” Their mother’s disembodied voice came from the living room.

“ ’Course not, Ma,” Seb called through a mouthful of chicken.

Riley snorted and shook his head as Dex’s voice rang through the house. “Anybody home?”
His question was followed by the sound of their mother fussing over him and Park telling her to
give the poor boy some room
,
woman
.

Seb and Riley moved through the house to find Dex at the front door being smothered in kisses and hugs, with Tate at his side, bags in hand.

“It’s so good to see you,” Joan said as she held Dex’s face in her hands and kissed his cheek.

“Good to see you, too, Mom.”

He stood to his full height, shook Park’s hand, and grinned at Riley and Seb, who approached and hugged him in turn. Riley hadn’t seen his eldest brother for a long time and, seeing him now, still in a rumpled Tom Ford suit from his flight back from Thailand, he realized he’d missed him. His dark hair was longer, pushed back and curling behind his ears, and he’d grown a goatee that, despite looking more than a little badass, Riley would be mocking before the day was out. His glasses were new, Prada from the looks of it, and the suitcase that Tate had placed by the door was Louis Vuitton. Dex had never been one to shy away from spending money.

“How’re you doing?” Riley asked as the six of them moved toward the living room.

“Tired,” Dex answered, shrugging out of his suit jacket and placing it on the back of the sofa. “Flight was okay, though.” He dropped down onto the seat and looked toward the kitchen. “Is that cake I smell?”

“Chocolate,” Joan answered.

“My favorite.”

“Even though it’s
my
birthday,” Seb groused playfully from his place by the door, while sucking the chicken bits off his fingers.

Joan frowned at him. “Have you been eating—?”

“
My
birthday,” Seb interrupted with a grin.

“You’re looking well, man,” Riley told Dex as he sat down.

“Yeah, but I’m not smelling too hot,” Dex said with a grimace. “Do I have time to shower before everyone starts arriving?”

“Sure, honey,” Joan said, her face all smiles at having her boys home. “I’d better go and throw the vol-au-vents into the oven.” She smacked Seb’s arm as she passed him. “And stop picking.”

Tate dropped down into a chair with a groan.

“You okay?” Park asked.

“Yeah, just my leg acting up.”

“Thanks for picking me up, Tate,” Dex said as he supressed a yawn. “I appreciate it.”

Tate waved him off and rubbed at his knee.

“So what’s Thailand like?” Seb asked, perching on the edge of the coffee table as he always had done since he was little.

Dex dropped his head back and closed his eyes. “Amazing. Like a totally different world. The food, the vibe.”

“The women?” Riley needled with a finger jab in Dex’s side.

Dex scoffed. “If there were, I didn’t have time to enjoy them. Work is crazy.”

“There’s always time for women, man,” Riley countered.

Dex looked over at him and narrowed his eyes. “Is there? And how does Lexie feel about that?”

Riley barked a laugh while Seb and Tate snorted. “Touché, my good man,” Riley conceded.

Dex clapped a hand to Riley’s shoulder. “Okay, let me go get cleaned up,” he said as he stood. “Before I fall asleep. Then we can catch up.”

He disappeared up the stairs with his suitcase and Riley took a moment to appreciate how nice it was to be in his parents’ house with all of his brothers, and the smells of his childhood emanating from the kitchen. It was more than a little comforting. He and Seb set about helping their mom get the rest of the table ready, folding napkins and making sure she wasn’t lifting or reaching for anything, while Park and Tate stayed glued to the TV.

Maggie and Aunt Carol were the first to arrive, with a very excited Rosie, who was wearing a pink dress that she twirled around in at every available opportunity. Maggie looked even more pregnant and grumbled constantly about swollen ankles and heartburn. A few of Seb’s friends turned up: Gray, his oldest friend from high school, and his new girlfriend, and a few college buddies who were still in the area, who brought beer and presents.

When the doorbell rang again, Riley’s chest fluttered. He’d seen Lexie’s car pull up and immediately flushed hot all over. He was first at the door and opened it with a flourish. Noah beamed up at him.

“We’s here!” he called out, making Riley laugh.

“You sure are,” he replied before looking at Lexie, who looked incredible in a navy-blue dress and ballet flats. “Glad you could make it. Hi, Christine. Come on in.”

Seb wandered down the hallway, apparently beckoned by the doorbell. He smiled when he saw Lexie and leaned over to kiss her cheek. “Good to see you, Lex. Hi, Christine.” He looked down at Noah and grinned. “And you must be Noah.” He held out a fist. “I’m Seb, Riley’s brother. Nice to meet you, man.”

Noah paused only briefly before he knocked his tiny fist to Seb’s.

“Do you have something to give to Seb?” Lexie asked.

Noah held up a bag. “This is yours for yours birthday,” he said quietly.

“What do you say?” Lexie encouraged.

“Happy birthday.”

“Thanks, Noah,” Seb said, taking the bag. “That’s so nice of you.”

“Welcomes.”

Riley watched as Seb stared down at the kid and he saw it coming a mile away: he’d fallen for Noah, too. The little boy was just
that
cute.

“Come on through,” Riley said. “Everyone is in the backyard.”

They joined the congregation in the yard, where the sun shone and music played. Joan and Park both said hello to Christine and Lexie, which didn’t feel as tricky as Riley had feared, and he watched as his parents fell about themselves when they saw Noah. Tate and Dex, who were standing by the grill, were the next two to be introduced to Riley’s son and both men were immediately taken with him.

“This is Tate and Dex,” Riley explained to Noah. “They’re my brothers.”

“You has three brothers?”

“Crazy, right?”

Noah looked up at Tate and Dex, seemingly flummoxed. Dex spoke first. “How ya doin’, Noah?”

“Good.”

Dex nodded at Lexie, his blue eyes careful behind his lenses. “Good to see you, Lex.”

Lexie smiled small. “You too. I hear you were in Thailand. Sounds amazing.”

“It was.”

Tate simply sipped his juice, his intense stare on Lexie the entire time, as though he was trying to see straight through her. The small talk was awkward, but at least Riley’s brothers were making an effort, which he was more than appreciative of. If he and Lexie were going to try and build a relationship again, his family had to be on board. It was just the way it worked.

“Is that your walking stick?” Noah asked suddenly, as he stared at Tate’s cane.

“Noah,” Lexie hissed, embarrassed.

Tate smiled. “It’s okay.” His tone was cool with Lexie, but his grin at Noah was wide and playful. “To the untrained eye it’s a simple cane that helps me walk.” He lowered his voice and Riley knew what was coming. “But to a Jedi . . .”

Noah’s eyes widened. “It’s a lightsabers?”

Tate bent at the waist so he could whisper. “I knew The Force was strong in you.”

Noah blinked, speechless. He turned to Riley. “Your brother is a Jedi?”

Tate smirked at Riley, while Dex’s shoulders shook with his quiet laughter as he said, “He likes to think so.” Before Tate could interrupt or say anything else, Riley placed his hand on Noah’s head and smiled. “Hey man, there’s someone else I want to introduce you to.”

Riley took Noah’s hand and led him across the yard to where he and Tate had placed some chairs for their guests. “This is my cousin, Maggie, and this is her daughter, Rosie.” Noah’s eyes widened as he looked at Rosie, who tilted her head a little as she regarded him. “I thought you two could play together.” Noah’s hand squeezed Riley’s. Riley crouched down. “Rosie’s a cool girl.”

Noah’s spare hand found Riley’s beard and his small fingers began to twirl around in the whiskers. Riley had begun to understand that Noah did it when he needed comforting. “Does she likes playing soccer?”

“I don’t know. Why don’t you ask?”

Noah moved even closer to Riley but looked over at Rosie as he asked, “Does you likes playing soccer?”

Rosie nodded. “I play soccer with my daddy.”

Noah seemed surprised. “Your daddy?”

“Yes, don’t you?”

Maggie’s expression softened as she looked at Riley.

“No,” Noah answered, making Riley’s stomach twist with protectiveness so fierce he had to take a deep breath. He desperately wanted to tell Noah who he was. He and Lexie had discussed it and she was happy for him to tell Noah when he wanted and, Jesus, Riley wanted, but now just wasn’t the time.

“Oh,” Rosie answered, her face concerned. “I can play soccer with you now.”

Noah balked a little. “In a dress?”

Rosie looked down at herself. “Dresses don’t stop me playing. I can play anything even though I wear dresses.”

Maggie snickered into the back of her hand and pulled Rosie in for a hug. “That’s my girl.”

“I have a soccer ball in my mommy’s bag,” Noah told her. “We cans play with that.”

“Sounds great, buddy,” Riley said and, without thought, kissed his temple. “Why don’t you go with him, Rosie?”

She seemed hesitant for a split second before she agreed and followed Noah back toward Lexie, who had been watching from a polite distance. She helped get the soccer ball for Noah and she and Riley watched the two kids move to the far end of the yard and start kicking it to each other. “That might have been the single most adorable thing I have ever seen,” Lexie said with a hand to her chest.

Riley smiled, moving closer to her. “You okay?” Christine was standing talking to Riley’s parents.

Lexie nodded, glancing at Tate and Dex. “I’m good. I still feel like I’m the big, bad wolf.”

Riley looked at his brothers over his shoulder. “Don’t worry about them. If I’m happy they will be, too.” Riley leaned toward her and kissed her softly, drawn by her understanding and how beautiful she looked in his parents’ backyard. She froze for a second before she kissed him back. It was brief, but it was delicious.

“I like you being here,” he whispered.

“I like being here, too.”

“Mommy,” Noah’s voice came from behind Riley. He ran toward them, clutching his crotch. “I needs to go.”

“Okay, honey,” Lexie said, holding out her hand. “I’ll be back in a minute.”

Riley watched the two of them walk back into the house before he turned, grabbed a beer from the ice bucket, and made his way
over to where Tate was still looking like he was ready to throw down.

“Stand down, Marine,” Riley commented, shoving his shoulder into Tate’s.

Tate shook his head and rolled his eyes. “I don’t trust her.”

“I know,” Riley remarked, pulling at the label that wound around his beer bottle. “But I do.”

“Really?” Dex asked. “You’re serious about trying again with her?”

Riley sighed, letting his gaze return to where Lexie and Noah had disappeared. “Yeah, I think I am. This is my chance at having a real, honest-to-God family.”

“You
have
a family,” Tate said. “And we care about you.”

Riley’s chest squeezed. He wrapped an arm around Tate. “I know, brother. I love your crazy ass, too.”

“And this is what you really want?” Dex asked again, his logical brain working overtime.

“Yeah,” Riley replied, the word slipping from him with ease and honesty. “She and Noah are what I want.”

Dex and Tate shared a look before Dex nodded. “Then I’m happy for you, Ri.” He chinked his beer bottle to Riley’s. “Just be careful, huh?”

“I will.”

“You gonna tell Noah who you are yet?” Tate asked, staring across the yard.

“I want to. I’m just waiting for the right time.”

“We’ll be there if you need us to be,” Tate said firmly.

“I know you will.”

Dex lifted an arm, gesturing toward where Seb and Gray were standing alone, apparently having quite the intense conversation. Seb’s body language was all closed fists and ticking jaw. Boy looked like he was about to flatten a motherfucker. “What’s that about?”

Riley frowned. “No clue.”

Before any of them could move across the yard to stop whatever shit was about to fly, Seb shook his head, spat something harsh at Gray, and spun away from him, striding over to where Riley, Tate, and Dex were standing. His cheeks were flushed and his eyes were blazing.