never laugh at you.”
Logan eyed the brownie, then scowled. “You’re bribing me with baked goods again.”
“I am.”
“I’ll take the bribe.”
“I figured you would. You’re a very smart man.”
Logan grinned, but then his eyes narrowed.
The voice in his ear was talking again. Bailey still didn’t know exactly what their business entailed, but he’d learned when Logan got that look, he was getting some information that usually led to them having to go save the world or whatever it was they did as actual jobs.
“You have everything you need?” Logan asked suddenly.
“Yeah. Go. We’ll lock up when we leave.”
“Call me later. We won’t be back in time for the show.”
Bailey laughed. “I’m sure you’re heartbroken. I’ll call you when we’re done. We’ll probably go to the bar. Want to join us?”
Logan grinned. “Will Joey be singing?”
Bailey shook his head.
“Then sure, I’ll join you.”
“Such a brat. Joey is a great singer.”
“Is he, though?”
“Okay, he’s a good singer.”
Logan pulled Bailey to him and gave him a brownie-flavored kiss. “Break a leg.”
“I’m not performing.”
Logan shrugged and left the break room. “Close enough. I’ve heard way too much superstition this week to say anything else.”
Within minutes, the team had loaded up in their covert ops vehicles and headed out. Bailey’d already asked Logan questions about his job, but the answers were off-limits. It wasn’t a problem, though. Not really. They always came home in one piece, and none of them ever looked worse for wear.
Well, once Logan’s T-shirt had a really weird set of tears that looked suspiciously like teeth marks. The skin beneath wasn’t damaged, though, so whatever it was, it hadn’t hurt Logan. If messed-up clothes were the worst of their problems, Bailey didn’t worry.
Well, he worried. But not worried, worried.
He sighed and finished bagging up the brownies. After packing the baked goods in a couple of coolers, Bailey grabbed his backpack and headed downstairs. The others were doing their final rehearsals.
“Bails, do you have any ChapStick?” Joey asked.
“In my bag.”
“Oh, can I have my body spray?”
“Yep, but remember, Logan doesn’t like it when you use it in the warehouse. Wait until we’re outside.”
“Yep. Man, you’d think sunshine and mimosa wouldn’t be a bad smell, but Logan got real cranky when I used it.” Ashley only slightly pouted at the memory of Logan coughing and sputtering after her last use of the spray.
“I like it,” Bailey said, “but you were a wee bit liberal with its usage.”
“Point. I like to smell good.”
“I know. Outside, though.”
“Yeah, yeah. Do we have everything we need?”
“Yep,” Bailey said. “Everyone else is bringing the rest. I’m not in charge of food, just making some of it.”
“I feel like this is growth as a person for you, Bailey,” Joey said. He hooked his arm around Bailey’s neck, then stole the cooler bags out of his hand. “You let someone else handle something. Good job.”
Bailey glared. “Did you want ChapStick or not?”
“What? I’m carrying the bags. I’m being a good helper.”
Bailey snorted and unlocked his car. While Joey situated the bags in the trunk, Bailey got out the pouch with the ChapStick and the body spray. He handed both items over before going back and making sure the warehouse was locked up.
“So,” Will said as Bailey turned back to the car and his friends, “we’ve already progressed to the ‘having keys to each other’s place’ stage of this relationship.”
Bailey glanced down at his keychain and then back at his friends. They all stared at him with knowing grins. He ignored them. “I’m working here. Of course I have a key.”
“Right. Working. Working on your make-out skills?”
“Oh, working on his core strength,” Joey offered. “I bet his core is getting a mighty hard workout.”
“Shut up.”
“Have we made it official yet?” Heather asked. “Are we labelling this thing?”
“They aren’t at the labelling stage yet,” Ashley said. “Logan is way too weird for labels.”
“Hey!” Bailey’s protest was cut off by snickers. “Do you all want to walk to the theater? Because that can happen.”
“Pfft,” Heather said. “You’d never leave us stranded. Besides, who’ll help you set up the theater if you leave us behind? You won’t trust anyone else to do it right, and you know it.”
“Point.” Bailey started the car.
“Speaking of core strength,” Ashley added, “Gideon said he’d do some yoga stuff with us if we wanted. Did you see him do that handstand the other day? It was impressive.”
“Dammit,” Joey said. “How do I always miss the hot stuff?”
“It was super hot,” Heather agreed. “He didn’t even hesitate. Do you know how