Page 50 of Brokered Betrayals

“You’ve got five minutes to chat before I’m starting season three,” Royce said.

Sawyer bit his lip to keep from laughing. “You don’t want to stretch or hydrate?”

Royce rubbed Darla’s back. “I’m good just like this.”

Sawyer accepted the call and greeted Alec. He stood up to get a drink and noticed how messy their house had become since Darla’s arrival three weeks prior. They weren’t living in squalor as they adjusted to life with a newborn, but the clutter was making Sawyer’s skin itch. Maybe he should do something about it instead of watching reality television when they weren’tsleeping or at least attempt a healthier balance. “Where are you right now?”

“Amarillo,” Alec replied.

Sawyer sang lyrics about arriving in Amarillo by morning.

“I didn’t know you could sing,” Alec said.

“And I didn’t realize I knew that song. Couldn’t even tell you who sings it.”

“George Strait,” Alec replied. “A legend.”

“I’ll take your word for it,” Sawyer told him. “How’s it going?”

“Rough. These Texas boys are suspicious as hell and don’t want to play nice. Not everyone rolls out a red carpet like you guys did.”

“Wow, that’s some revisionist history right there,” Sawyer teased.

Alec laughed, and Sawyer imagined him rolling his eyes. “Okay, sure. We had a rough start, but I wore you down.”

“Because you eventually allowed us to see the real Alec Bishop,” Sawyer said. “Maybe you should do the same there. Perhaps strike up a conversation aboutDrag Raceat the water cooler.”

Alec gay gasped through their connection. “Can you imagine?”

“Actually, yes, and I take it back.”

“Because you like me and don’t want to see me hurt,” Alec said. “It’s okay to admit it.”

Sawyer and Royce had both formed a surprisingly tight bond with Alec. “Fine. I admit it.”

“So, you’re obsessed withDrag Race, aren’t you?”

“Obsessed is a stretch.” But then Sawyer noted the clutter on his kitchen counters. “Maybe a little,” he amended.

“Darla seemed very indifferent to the results,” Alec said. “A real snooze fest to her.Ba-dum-tss. I’ll be here all week, ladies and gentlemen.”

Sawyer laughed at Alec’s shenanigans, then said, “She only cared about cuddling her papa.”

“So,” Alec said, “have you seen Dane and Cayden recently?”

“I have. They brought pizza by last week and met Darla Grace.” Sunday dinner was a tradition they’d started with Dane, Cayden, and their mom, Nina, and they’d continued hosting the brothers after her passing. That, along with cleaning, was a healthy routine Sawyer was eager to start up again. A quick glance at his phone told him it was Friday afternoon, which gave them plenty of time to tidy the house and thaw out one of the many casseroles from the freezer.

“You got quiet suddenly,” Alec said. “Where’d you go?”

“Sorry. My focus is crap right now.”

“I bet. Is Darla still staying awake all night?” Alec asked.

“No, she’s doing better. Royce and I should take turns with the late-night feedings, but we’re too obsessed with her. One of us changes her diaper while the other prepares the bottle. We both stare at her like fools, marveling over every little thing. We’re kind of ridiculous.”

“I think it’s adorable how much you love her,” Alec said. Their conversation lulled for a few seconds, and Sawyer wondered if their connection had broken, but Alec cleared his throat. “How are Dane and Cayden doing?”

“They’re hanging in there as best as brokenhearted young men can,” Sawyer said. “Of course, they miss their mom like crazy, but they’re putting one foot in front of the other as she’d instructed them. They’ve both made room in their grief for new and exciting things.”