Hammered (Blue Bay Crew #3)- Cathryn Fox Page 0,58
this is that Haven has not received one single threat since she’s been here with me for this couple of weeks, and I haven’t noticed any strangers lurking about, or following her around.
“How are you feeling, Summer?” Haven asks my sister-in-law as she pushes away from the table and puts her hand on her stomach.
“Indigestion,” she says, and Sean jumps up and grabs the diaper bag. He roots around inside and pulls out some meds for Summer. “Thank you,” she says.
“When you have kids,” Kylee says to Haven. “Let’s hope you don’t get it as bad as Summer does.”
“The Owens boys give everyone indigestion,” Summer says with a smirk as she chews on some tablets.
“Hey, I resemble that comment,” Jared says and takes a big bite of roast beef. Haven laughs, and under the table she puts her hand on my lap, like it’s the most natural thing in the world.
“Oh, Tyler, when your mom was pregnant with you, she suffered dearly,” Gram says.
“Yeah?” I say. “I didn’t know that.”
“That’s the middle child for you,” Carter says with a smirk. “Causing trouble just to get attention, even before birth.”
I glare at my cousin as he sits there with a smirk on his face. “Um, weren’t you the middle child too, Carter?” I ask.
He throws his hands out. “Right, so what I mean is it takes one to know one.”
I just shake my head, and put my hand over Haven’s to give it a little squeeze. “Dude, you’re the one with issues,” I say, and while I’m right, I can’t deny that we have all been facing our own demons since coming home, some sooner, some later, but with Dad’s presence all around us, it’s hard to bury the past. On the road and in the cage, it was a hell of a lot easier.
As Carter mumbles something under his breath, an insult to me no doubt, Gram passes around a basket full of rolls fresh out of the oven.
“So delicious,” Haven says. “Jace, if you gave cooking lessons, I’d take them,” she says and a ridiculous bolt of jealousy that I really wish I didn’t feel zaps through me.
Jace smiles at the compliment. “I’ve actually been thinking about opening my own restaurant. Blue Bay could use some fine dining. Been looking at space downtown, actually. The old fire station would be a perfect location for me, but I haven’t approached town council about it. I’m not about to take it out from underneath Tyler.”
Shit, I didn’t know that. “I’m hoping to find a new place, a space better suited for a gym,” I say, a sudden, new sense of urgency about me. With Jace wanting it, I need to find something sooner rather than later. I don’t exactly need to be downtown, but I don’t want to be too far out either. Some of the kids walk, bike and skateboard to the gym. A few months back, an old fish processing plant was torn down. The land went up for sale, and before I could even think about putting in an offer—I would have had to take a substantial loan, something I’ve been trying to avoid—someone snagged it. I’m not sure what’s going up there. I think the owner is renovating himself, considering we’re the biggest construction business in town and weren’t approached.
Gram beams at him. “Jace, I think that’s a wonderful idea.” She turns to Haven. “Did you know Jace has his own cookbook?” She jumps up and disappears into the other room as I consider the new space I want, and how much it would cost to properly fit it for a competitive club. The guys would help put it up, and costs wouldn’t be that high. It’s the land and the equipment holding me back.
“This is the second Sunday dinner you’ve cooked for me and I didn’t even know that,” Haven says, and stares wide-eyed at my cousin. Her gaze jerks to me and pulls my thoughts back. “Why didn’t you tell me that, Tyler?”
“Look at that.” I shake my head and laugh. “We were just talking about Carter and me being the middle child, and somehow conversation shifted to Jace’s accomplishments.” I feign insult and cross my arms over my chest. “Talk about being ignored.”
“Right, buddy,” Carter says with a grin. “Summer, you’d better stop at two. We don’t need any more middle children.”
“Oh, poor Ty,” Haven says. “Doesn’t get enough attention.” As everyone laughs, she gives me a wink that lets me know she’ll be