Page 56 of Brokered Betrayals
“Why didn’t he send it directly to him, then? Cayden told me Alec and Dane talk all the time.”
“Yes, but Alec is trying to give Dane the space he needs to heal. He thought sending the brookie might come across as a romantic gesture.”
“Because it is,” Royce said. “Dane will get heart eyes when he sees it. Mark my words.”
“Not if he doesn’t know it’s from Alec,” Sawyer countered. “We’re supposed to serve it to everyone without mentioning where it came from.”
“Alec doesn’t want credit?” Royce asked.
“Nope. He just wants to make Dane smile.”
Royce pondered that for a minute. “Does Alec realize he’s in love with Dane?”
“He does.”
“And he plans to do something about it?” Royce asked.
“He does.”
Royce sighed in frustration. “Anytime soon?”
“Alec will make his move when the time is right,” Sawyer said. “And before you ask, I don’t know when that will be. They both have a lot of healing to do, and Alec is constantly traveling for his podcast production.”
“Love will find a way,” Royce said.
A collective “aww” came from the living room, and the guys turned in that direction. Kelsey was burping Darla, and all heads had turned in their direction.
“Darla better not have given them her first smile,” Sawyer said.
Eddie was the first to look toward the kitchen. “Your daughter belches like a drunken sailor.”
Sawyer sighed in relief and whispered, “Oh, thank goodness.”
“Wait until you hear her fart,” Royce told his dad.
As if on cue, Darla let one rip, and the gathering said, “Awww,” again.
“Dang, we heard that in here,” Sawyer said.
“She gets that from the Locke side,” Kelsey declared as she repositioned Darla to drink the second half of her bottle. When Andrew only cleared his throat, Kels turned her head and glared at him. “I dare you.”
“What?” Andrew tapped his throat. “I just had a little tickle.”
Ella, who sat in his lap, giggled and clapped her hands. “Me. Me. Ickle me.”
“Tickle me,” Kelsey said, emphasizing theT.
“In about three more weeks, dear,” Andrew promised his wife. He dodged the burp rag she tossed at him, then wiggled his finger against Ella’s collarbone to make her squeal in delight.
Royce turned his attention back to his husband and the delicious issue at hand. “Do we have something else we can offerfor dessert? Then we can pretend to remember the brookie as we say good night to everyone and make it look like Dane would be doing us a big favor if he took it off our hands.”
Sawyer grimaced. “I have all the sundae toppings I ordered from the grocery store to go on top of this.”
Royce’s eyes glazed over. “We’re having brookie sundaes?”
“That was my goal. Do you think we could get by with just sundaes?” Sawyer snapped his fingers to get Royce’s attention. “Did you hear my question?”
“I’m not sure I even know my name right now. All I can think of is building a massive sundae on top of that brookie.” He shook his head to clear the image. “What kind of ice cream?” Nope. Still there.