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The glass froze halfway to Rusty’s lips Having not had any alcohol for five years, his eyes were already glassy “She’s got a kid?”

“Oh, shit, yeah, guess you wouldn’t even know about that Got knocked up right after she left here for college It ree Stayed in New York until about a year ago when she came back to be near family”

“Huh” Rusty resu a hand over his chin He ht, red hair, and chin-stroke let everyone know they were blood

Talking about Shell had hio that he’d woken in her bed, curled around her softness warmed by sleep and the heat of his body Now that he’d had her, the need forto be a sex once-a-week kind of couple No fucking way

At this point, once a day wouldn’t even be enough Might make him the worst brother in the universe, but he couldn’t wait for Rusty to head on up to his rooet settled

Copper needed his woman

Shit

He was off his fucking rocker, thinking of the, he was old enough to be her father But the seal was broken He’d fucked her, ive that up

Who was he kidding? It was more than sex, and he knew it

He was fucked

“Pass me that bottle, brother”

“HERE” IZZY SLID a juice glass filled to the brim with bourbon across the table “Drink up, Shell”

Leave it to Izzy to co bourbon “Seriously? It’s three in the afternoon on a Thursday, andfifteen feet away What the hell are you doing with this anyway? You’re pregnant” Shell lowered her voice Even though Toni was the only other person still in the diner, Shell didn’t know if Izzy had revealed her news to anyone else yet

“You don’t need to whisper Toni knows I’ hasn’t told the dudes yet And the bourbon’s not for rab Beth from preschool When I asked if you were okay, she said shit fro up If that doesn’t call for bourbon, nothing does”