“Will you let me play with your snow globes?”
“Fuck, no. Those bad boys are deadly weapons. I don’t want to be responsible for anyone getting hurt.”
“Who’re you inflicting damage on this time, sunshine?” Wearing a Popeye Welcome To The Gunshow T-shirt, Grant arrived two steps behind them.
“You, if you don’t stop calling me sunshine, dickhead.”
“Promises. Promises. I dig the new hair color, Summer. It suits you.”
“Thanks.”
“You still my partner for the tournament, Gray?” He plucked Halia out of her arms and settled her against his shoulder.
“Will we have to play against Davis and the pool shark here?” She hitched her thumb in Summer’s direction, and she couldn’t contain the evil grin breaking out over her face.
Davis was the best pool player in the house, and for some reason, he’d chosen her as his regular partner. They’d won the pot from the last two game nights without her ever having to hit a ball.
Easiest money she’d ever made. Also, the most fun, considering the number of colorful jabs flung around the table.
“Nah, we’ll lose in the first round.”
“Great. Put twenty bucks in for me.”
Grant faked a frown and shook his head. “You still owe me for the last twenty.”
“So, collect it from Chase,” she grumbled, taking the baby back but losing her to Jay when he joined them.
“Love the pink,” Jay said, hitching his chin at Summer’s head.
“Thanks.”
“Chase,” Gray hollered across the room. “You owe Grant twenty bucks.”
“Forty,” he corrected as the two of them made their way over to where Chase and Adam stood at the end of the bar.
“Everything okay with you and Jamie?” Jay asked, bouncing Halia up and down while he swayed back and forth.
“Yeah,” Summer replied, patting Jeff on the head as he made the rounds, greeting everyone with a happy butt wag. “Don’t worry about me. I can handle him.”
“Handle who?” Zander asked, arriving with his guitar in hand.
“Jamie,” Jay replied while Summer said, “Nobody.”
“Yeah, no surprise he’s a little overcautious about everyone’s safety. After everything he’s been through, it’s understandable, but he’ll come around. He just needs a bit of time to adjust. The pink’s rocking, by the way.”
“Thanks.” A hint of heat hit Summer’s cheeks as a wash of shame flooded her chest. She hadn’t considered how Jamie’s ordeal in Boston had impacted his reasoning. She’d taken his swift rejection personally, when maybe all he needed was time to bond with Halia, and reassurance Kosamina’s daughter would be safe and well cared for by the family who loved her.
Jay grinned. “Happy to punch him in the face again if it’ll speed things up.”
“There’ll be no face punching,” Eve said, coming into their circle and claiming Halia from Jay. “Isn’t that right, sweetheart?” She rained kisses over the baby’s cheeks. “Love the pink, Summer. It’s very chic.” She left as quick as she came, taking Halia over to the couch to cuddle before anyone else could swoop in.
“You up for a quick lesson?” Zander lifted his guitar by the neck, and Summer nodded, eager to have the instrument back in her hands. A beginner still learning the basics, he had an inexpensive Yamaha guitar she had to retune every time she picked it up.
But so what? For his purposes, it worked. But man, she couldn’t wait to go to the pawn shop in Kalispell after Halia’s doctor’s appointment next week. She missed her Taylor so much, the hurt manifested into a sharp pain every time she thought about a combination of notes she wanted to try.
* * *
What.The. Fuck. The great room full of people, Jamie didn’t have eyes for anyone but Summer. Pink. She’d dyed her baby blond curls bright pink at the ends, and she looked…fucking gorgeous.
