Page 48

KELLER

“I’m going to fucking kill my own brother,” I grouse under my breath. Tanner and Deke are standing next to me. I’m watching Asa attempt to flirt with my woman. My hands are getting the urge to hit someone, namely my brother, in the mouth.

“He’s doing it on purpose. You know Asa, always out to see what buttons he can push,” Deke replies.

“Doesn’t mean I’d let him do that to Marlie. Fucking knuckle head.” This comes from Tanner.

“Yeah, well, something tells me Gramps is about to hit him upside the head. Alana tells me there’s a look he has when he’s done dealing with someone being annoying, and it looks like Asa is striking a nerve.

” I take a sip of my beer, watching as Alana disengages from my brother, who had his arm wrapped around her shoulder.

“Looks like he dodged a bullet.” Deke’s eyes are moving back between me and Asa.

“Who are you all conspiring against?” Mom comes up beside us three. Leena is talking to Grams, and yes, that’s how I was introduced, and they weren’t allowing Jace or me to use Mr. Bernie or Mrs. Winnie, so Grams and Gramps it is.

“Well, I’m about to take bets on when Keller or Tanner is going to beat Asa’s face in,” Deke states, a sly smile on his face right before he takes a sip of his drink. He’ll be lucky if he’s not wearing it, goading Asa like he is.

“We all know it’ll be Keller, but he’s not going to do it in front of Alana and her family.

You might want to bank that idea for the time being,” Mom diffuses the situation, mainly because she’s right.

I won’t do anything to fuck up a good thing, so if it means leaving Asa be for now, I will.

I’ll be the one giving Alana the ride of her life later on tonight, especially if she’s had a few glasses of wine and gets on top.

God, I love the way she rides my cock, slow and easy, nothing but time on our hands. Shit, it’s a gorgeous sight.

“You take all the fun out of it, Ma,” Deke relents.

“You’ll live. Did you line anything up for school break, Keller?” Mom asks.

“Not yet. Jace is trying to convince me to get a puppy, even pulled Alana into it, so I imagine I’m going to come home one day, and those two will have a puppy in tow.

” That’s another thing that’s happened. Thankfully, Alana’s school doesn’t frown upon teachers dating parents, allowing us to be pretty open with our relationship.

It’s helped if I’m in a bind while working with clients, but most of the time, Alana will text and just let me know she’s got Jace, and my boy thrives with having her around so much.

“Shit, you’re whipped.” Asa sneaks up behind us, inserting his opinion like I care what he has to say. He’s still on my shit list.

“Just you wait. Nothing better than having a woman by your side day and night,” Tanner replies before leaving us. Smart move on his part.

“Nah, I’m good. Too many fish in the sea, if you know what I mean.” He exaggerates his wink.

“You’ll be lucky if a woman looks at you twice,” Deke counters.

“Enough. Well, since you have no plans, there are a couple of camps he might be interested in, for children who are advanced, much like my genius grandson.” How Jace got so lucky, I’ll never know.

A lot of children who are born to drug-addicted mothers usually have issues.

Somehow, the opposite happened, and Jace came out stronger, a whole lot smarter, and I thank my lucky stars every night.

“I’ve got no problem with that. I’ll check with Alana, see if she has any plans.

If so, we’ll work around them. I already know she’s going on our family vacation with us.

” Every year, Jace and I take a week off.

Sometimes, we’ll go to the mountains, sometimes it’s the beach, others it’s a new city.

And in the last three years, it’s been his choice, and I always let him pick.

“Where to this year?” Mom asks. Asa is off to the side, pulling stupid googly faces, making fun of me. There will be a time when a woman knocks him off his ass and he’ll be the one changing his life plans to fit her in his life.

“Not sure. If we get a puppy before then, are you up for dog sitting?” I ask.

“I’ll have to talk to your father about it. I’m sure he won’t mind, especially if it’s Jace’s puppy.” She winks; at least this time it’s to be a co-conspirator with Dad and not me.

“Thanks. If you’ll excuse me, I’ll go see what Alana and Jace are up to.

” I kiss Mom on her cheek, my eyes locking on the two people that mean the most to me in my world.

Alana is on the swing with Jace is on her lap while she lazily kicks her feet in and out.

Christ, every time I see the two of them together, it socks me right in the heart just how amazing it is to have the three of us building a life together.