Page 2 of Brokered Betrayals

Sawyer stopped on the front porch and turned to face Royce instead of ringing the doorbell. Stepping closer until only the pizza boxes separated them, Sawyer said, “I might have the upper hand right now, but we both know you’ll end up on top by the end of the night.”

The door swung open before Royce could jerk the pizza boxes from Sawyer’s hands and throw them on the porch. “Do you guys need a few minutes?” Jo asked.

“Yes,” Royce replied at the same time Sawyer said, “No.”

Jo giggled. “Well, come inside when you’re ready.” She walked away, leaving them alone on the porch. When Eddie asked what was going on, she said, “The happy husbands are having a moment.”

Her remark drew Eddie to the door, but Royce and Sawyer kept their eyes on one another. “Is this guy giving you trouble?”

Royce forced his gaze away from Sawyer just long enough to catch his dad’s thumb hooked in his direction. “Every damn chance I get,” he responded as he got lost in warm brown eyes once again.

Sawyer’s full mouth curved into a sexy smirk. “And twice on Sundays.”

“Would’ve been thrice in my younger days,” Royce replied with an unmistakable leer.

Eddie’s snort interrupted their playful banter. “You guys can just hand over the pizza and go home if there’s something else you’d rather be doing. Jo and I took some personal time off from work to unpack and make this place a home. It doesn’t all need to be done tonight.”

Royce forced himself to meet Eddie’s impish gaze. “And miss your reaction to tasting that pizza?” He shook his head. “Hell no. Besides, we want to see the new place. Surely there’s something we can help you with.”

“You can help him hang up his television,” Jo called from inside the house. “He’s putting on a brave front about not watching ESPN tonight, but I know better.”

Eddie laughed as he stepped aside to let them in. “Busted. Guess there are a few things I’d like to tackle before bed.”

“We could’ve helped you more if you’d moved over the weekend like most people do instead of doing this on a Tuesday,” Royce said. “Or at least given us some notice so we could’ve taken time off from work.”

“We saved a lot of money doing it this way. I have a mortgage now and need to watch my pennies.” Eddie beamed with pride at being a first-time homeowner. “And besides, you’re having a baby soon. You need to save all your personal time off to be with your little girl.”

“That’s thoughtful of you, Eddie,” Royce said, “but you have two other adult children and healthy teenage grandsons who could’ve helped out. This was a big undertaking.”

“I’m fitter than I’ve been in years.” Eddie flexed his arm to prove the point. He had lost weight and put on more muscle, resembling the man he used to be twenty years ago. Thank fuck his attitude hadn’t reverted back to that time too. “I have more energy than I know what to do with on most days.” Eddie looked around the room and added, “Besides, the moving guys did the heavy lifting. I just need to hang the televisions.”

“And assemble the bed,” Jo suggested.

“Right.” Eddie waggled his brows at his son.

Sawyer snickered and steered the conversation in a safer direction. “This place looks so much bigger on the inside.”

“It reminds me of your house,” Eddie said. “The open floor plan makes you feel connected even when you’re not in the same room.”

The living room was already set up except for the television and a scattering of boxes. Instead of buying new furniture, Eddie and Jo brought their favorite pieces from their homes and donated the rest. The hyper-masculine and ultra-feminine styles should’ve clashed horribly, but they formed a beautiful and unique union instead, much like Eddie and Jo.

“You guys have been here for less than a day, and the place feels like a home already,” Royce said.

Eddie looked around as he scratched the back of his neck. “You like it?”

“It’s a beautiful representation of both of you,” Sawyer said.

Eddie puffed up a little at the compliment. “Wait until Jo hangs up her artwork. She has more talent in her little toe than I have in my entire body.”

Royce patted Eddie’s back. “I married up, so I know what you mean.”

Sawyer rolled his eyes and lifted the pizza boxes higher. “Is anyone hungry?”

“Come on into the kitchen,” Jo called out. “I just need to find the box with the plates.”

“We can use paper towels,” Eddie said.

“Okay. I need to find which box I put them in.”