Page 32 of Close Your Eyes
Devvie Jr. cries from his car seat, and I move over to pick him up. I bounce him lightly in my arms, shushing him.
“It’s okay,” I say, holding him close.
“You’re going to make a great father someday,” Chloe says, the tears in her eyes finally spilling over. She swipes them away. “Hormones. I’m still crying at every commercial on TV.”
Dev smiles. “Even the ones that aren’t sad.”
“That commercial about a rock hitting that woman’s car windshield, and the company coming to pick her up makes me cry every time.”
We all laugh.
“It’ll get better,” Greer says, patting her own stomach. She told us about her impending pregnancy not too long ago. “And then you’ll be around to help me when our baby comes.”
A warmth floods me at the thought of my twin brother having a child. It’s so surreal. We move to the table as Greer places the last of the French toast onto it. Greer always goes all out. I once asked her why she prepares enough food to feed an army when it’s always just our small family that shows up. She said she loves the idea of having us all together, loves hosting, and enjoys the convenience of leftovers for busy mornings when she can’t cook.
I love being with these people, even if I feel like the fifth wheel.
I think about Posey’s poem. About the loneliness she feels, and wonder what she’s doing today. Is she mad at me?
My phone vibrates in my pocket and I pull it out, glancing at the text a few times before setting my phone down with shaky hands.
“Everything okay?” Roman asks me, able to read my mood instantly.
“Yeah, I…umm…just got a text from Bane Delgado. He wants to meet with me.”
Greer places her hand over mine. “Listen, I’ve heard from a few people that the case against Delgado is crumbling. I wouldn’t be surprised if charges are dropped by the end of the week.”
“Really?”
She nods, her brown hair falling over her shoulders. “Yeah, I have a friend at the DA’s office, and it’s not looking good.”
I scrub a hand down my face. “Fuck. I wonder what he wants.”
“Think he knows you and Posey are texting each other?” Roman asks.
Chloe and Greer both hit me with their shocked faces.
“Please tell me you’re not,” Chloe says.
I glance at him and raise a brow. “We’re not.”
He chuckles. “You can’t lie to me, Ledger.”
I blow out an exasperated breath. “No, I guess I can’t.” I pull out my phone as the table around me chatters about what it means that I’m texting Posey. I read Bane’s text once more. A big part of me wants to text Posey and ask her what all of this is about. But I can’t do that. Especially if I’m not sure if he’s asking me over to tell me to leave his soon-to-be wife alone.
“Are you going to go?” Chloe asks me from across the table.
I shrug. “I guess I kind of have to. He’s a prominent member of the club.”
“I can go with you,” Devereaux says. “It is my club after all. This shouldn’t be on you.”
“I don’t even know why he wants to speak with me. If I feel it’s something you should be aware of, I’ll let you know.”
Dev nods. “Be safe.”
I laugh lightly. “He’d be an idiot to try anything while on house arrest.”
“I wouldn’t put anything past that man,” Greer says. She’s one of the only people at this table that has spent any real amount of time with the man when she took on his case a few months ago.