Page 79 of Bennett

“Nope,” Tyler replied. “Hence, my choking. I did know he wasn’t happy, though. Told him to stop sitting in his own misery and do something about it. Guess he’s decided to put his criminal justice degree to work.”

Carter nodded, smirk tugging the side of his mouth. “So basically, you out-therapied the rest of us.”

Tyler shrugged. “Worked for me.”

“Me too,” Mac said, and the rest of the guys murmured in agreement.

Even Bennett.

He was glad he’d finally taken Mac up on his offer. Harland wasn’t where he’d planned to end up, but it had become the one place that felt like something close to solid ground.

Mac leaned forward toward Gabe. “What’s that mean for your parents?”

The sheriff smiled. “They’ve been threatening to move here ever since Rylee had their first grandbaby. Dad’s still consulting, but if Josh settles here too, I’d bet on them moving here before Christmas.”

Tyler laughed. “Try before Halloween.”

“Yeah.” Gabe leaned back in his chair, visibly pleased. “Family’s everything to them.”

A shaft of envy pierced Bennett’s chest.

Once upon a time, it had been everything to the Vaughns, too. Until cancer had taken his mom and the lies began. After that, everything good had turned sideways and gone to shit.

The group quieted for a beat, the weight of Gabe’s words sinking in beneath the surface of their breakfast chatter.

Tyler suddenly laughed. “Oh, man, speaking of moving here…you think Josh knows Jenna’s planning to relocate, too?”

Gabe’s brows rose. “She is?”

“Yep,” Tyler said. “Rylee told me she’s leaving the legal world behind to open a DIY or craft shop with her sister here in Harland. In fact, I think she’s supposed to contact Laurel today.”

“Really?” Gabe grinned. “Nope. If Josh knew, he’d probably turn around and head back west, speed limits be damned.”

Matthew blinked. “Wait, did they have a thing?”

“No,” Gabe said. “Not for her lack of trying, though.”

Tyler snorted. “Yeah, it was hilarious. Personally, I think my younger brother was an idiot.”

“I agree,” Gabe said. “But none of us would cross that line with our sister’s friends.”

Tyler nodded solemnly.

“Ah, like the brotherhood code,” Matthew said. “No messing with anyone’s relatives.”

It was a rule they had all live by. One Bennett had never questioned.

“Although, it seems to have gone out the window after some of us left the military,” Matthew said, this time with a smirk. “Or were Cooper and Dex the exceptions?”

Since Cooper was now married to Carter’s sister, and Dex was married to Gabe and Tyler’s sister, Bennett saw the validity in Matthew’s question. He also saw the humor and wished to hellhe’d been here when all that had gone down. No way had it been smooth.

“Dex was the only guy worthy of my sister,” Gabe said, a teasing glint in his eyes. “Even if he was a grunt.”

Tyler snickered.

“And let’s just say Cooper had to jump through a few hoops before I accepted him into the family,” Carter said. “But he’s not a bad brother-in-law…for a squid.”

Mac frowned thoughtfully. “Is Jenna the girl who was in the accident with Rylee?”