Total pages in book: 87
Estimated words: 82173 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 411(@200wpm)___ 329(@250wpm)___ 274(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 82173 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 411(@200wpm)___ 329(@250wpm)___ 274(@300wpm)
“Don’t worry about it.” Apollo held up a hand. His eyes were dark puddles of grief. Fuck. How could Dylan have forgotten even for a moment about Apollo’s dead husband, gone two years now? “And we manage fine.”
Chloe spun herself closer to the grill. Working on instinct, Dylan dropped the tray and caught her mid-spin, hands colliding with Apollo’s as they both steadied the girl.
“Chloe! What have I told you about safety out here?” Apollo had the whole stern “dad voice” thing down.
“Sorry, Baba.” Chloe looped her skinny arms around Apollo’s neck as he lifted her away from Dylan. The way the girls called Apollo the Greek diminutive for father was cute as hell, and it made Dylan want to smile whenever he heard it. “I heard Ya-Ya say that Mister Dylan might be staying here when she goes away. Can he? Please? He plays tea party good!”
“Whoa. Slow down.” Apollo pressed a kiss on her head before straightening her hair. “Take a breath. Were you eavesdropping again?”
“Maybe.” She grinned up at her father who smiled back, and Dylan’s chest tightened. This was a side to Apollo he hadn’t been prepared for seeing.
“Well, why don’t you leave the arrangements for Ya-Ya’s trip to the big people? Now, finish cleaning.” Apollo set her down gently and patted her on the head.
“I don’t just play tea party, you know,” Dylan said to Apollo as the girl ran off to join her sister. “I’ve got a dual degree in early childhood education and physical education. I’m certified in first aid and CPR, and I’ve got references from the childcare center on campus as well as the Y that I worked at for four years.”
“That’s...impressive,” Apollo said slowly.
“Damn right it is.” Dustin came back onto the patio, holding two beers in one hand and a vegetable tray in the other. He set the tray down on the picnic table then rubbed Dylan’s head like he was still ten. Someday, someday, he’d convince his brother that he really was a fully functioning adult, but today didn’t appear to be that day.
“Come on,” Dustin turned back toward Apollo. “You guys need each other. It’s a match made in heaven.”
Dylan had waited years to hear that sentence leave his brother’s mouth, but he could have done without Apollo’s answering snort. But then Apollo uttered the magic word, “Maybe.”
Maybe was all Dylan needed. Just a shot to show Apollo and Dustin that he wasn’t some kid anymore.
* * *
“See, ‘maybe’ is great.” Dustin clapped Apollo on the shoulder and handed him a beer. Dustin didn’t often come across as condescending, unlike a lot of people in Apollo’s life who seemed to think that grief had whittled thirty points off his IQ, but right then, Dustin was totally skirting the line between best friend and annoying cheerleader. “Just think about it.”
“I’ll see,” Apollo allowed and Dylan smiled. He had full lips and when his mouth curved, his whole face transformed, joy and hope practically radiating from those sparkling blue eyes. Man, the hope part was hard to take. Apollo’s back stiffened. It didn’t matter what Dustin said, Dylan had no good reason for wanting to spend the summer with Apollo and the girls, and that old crush was bound to cause trouble when Dylan finally realized that Apollo was a grumpy old bastard now. And whatever patience Apollo had had for the hero worship eight years ago was long gone.
“Sorry we’re late!” The sliding glass door to the house opened as a group of four of Apollo’s friends came out onto the patio. Today was a relatively small gathering—often his barbecues would be filled with his teammates and their spouses and kids. But he didn’t exactly have a team anymore, not with his assignment to SEAL training, and like with Bridget at the store, most of his friends could be counted on for sympathetic smiles and well-meaning platitudes. It was easier to stick to his closest friends, the ones who knew better than to bring up Neal.
“We lost track of time.” Zack’s shit-eating grin left no mistake about exactly what had delayed them. His red-haired boyfriend at least had the grace to blush, but Pike didn’t look too repentant in the slightest as he set what looked like a bowl of potato salad on the table.
“I don’t want to leave bed. Not ever.” Neal’s voice echoed in Apollo’s mind. So many lazy weekend mornings before kids, forgetting to eat until well past noon. They’d been the ones always late once upon a time, every bit as sappy and in love as Zack and Pike. Apollo’s stomach clenched and he had to look away.
“We don’t have that excuse.” Ben’s hearty laugh echoed as he and Maddox joined the group. “This one wanted to bake muffins for y’all. Took two batches.”
“Hey! I said not to say anything about that.” Maddox set down a tray filled with some sort of fruity muffins. Maddox’s soft voice completely belied the fact that this was one of the Navy’s best snipers. Baking muffins, indeed. Even Apollo had to chuckle at that. “Perfection takes time. That’s all.”