clamped tight. Beth was bent over, her bottom in the air, trying to retrieve it. Her ass wiggled with her attempts. Her cutoffs barely covered her butt cheeks.
“Blessed Mary,” Halo muttered under his breath.
Landon whistled low. “I like, a lot.”
Rylan was about to call to her when Dune announced, “You owe me a volleyball, Ry.”
“Atlas!” Rylan got the Dane’s attention. The dog trotted over to him.
Beth came, too. She held out her hand for the ball. Atlas dropped it at her feet. She picked it up, squished, deflated, and damp with drool. “Your bite is worse than your bark,” she said on a sigh.
Sophie Cates appeared on the back porch just as Dune finished outlining the perimeter of the volleyball court with mulch. He collected the pole hole digger, the empty plastic bags, and crossed to her. “Ready to leave?”
Sophie’s smile came softly. “I’m ready for my nap.”
“Me, too.” Dune’s whisper carried. “We’ll rest together.” He slipped an arm around his wife, bent low, and kissed her—without regard for those looking on.
Rylan liked the fact his brother was so affectionate with her. She was so taken by her husband’s kiss, she clung to his arm.
“We’re gone.” Dune waved to them.
“Thanks for the volleyball equipment,” Beth said gratefully.
Dune gave her a thumb’s up. “I’ll bring an extra ball on Saturday. Atlas can keep the one he crushed.”
Shaye was also ready to leave. The wooden storage box in hand, she stopped by the group on her way out. “Croquet is all set,” she told Beth. She took the mallet from Halo and put it away. “I’ll put the box in the garage on my way out. Let me know if there’s anything else you might need.” She gave Rylan a sisterly hug, bumped fists with Halo and Landon, then took off, too.
“Dune and Shaye were very helpful,” Beth told Ry.
“So were we,” Halo reminded her.
“The yard looks decent.” Ry shaded his eyes against the late afternoon sun. “What’s with the hedge?”
Halo looked at his handiwork. “Can’t you tell? It’s a topiary. A train.”
“Can’t see it,” said Ry.
But Beth could. She tilted her head and said, “The engine and caboose are recognizable.”
“It’s what’s in-between that falls short,” said Landon. “The cars look like camel humps.”
“You could do better?” Halo challenged him.
“Look at the yard,” Landon pointed out. “Lawn striping. A ballpark grass pattern.”
It did look good, Rylan had to admit. He also liked the way the volleyball court was set up in the far corner. And how the game of croquet would be played beneath the banyan tree. There’d be lots of shade. The picnic was taking shape. Far better than he’d expected.
Halo shifted beside him, growing restless. The man seldom stood still. He had energy to burn. He worked out three times a day. He made his teammates nuts in the dugout during a ball game. He never sat down. Instead he paced. Sport-driven.
He glanced at his watch. “It’s after three. We’re done here. We need to go by the Lusty Oyster.” He grinned. “Just in time for Happy Hour.” He nudged Beth with his elbow. “Join us, babe?”
She shook her head. “Thanks, but no. I’m still working.”
“Another time, then,” said Landon.
There was a glint in Halo’s eyes when he said, “Ry can be a slave driver. Come work for me. I could use a personal assistant.”
“Yeah, so could I.” Landon clearly liked the idea. His grin came slowly. Deviously. “Any chance we could steal you from Rylan?”
“We’d pay you more than you’re making now and offer better benefits,” Halo enticed. “I could be part of your benefit package.”
“We’re better looking than the old man,” said Landon. “And a whole lot more fun. What do you say? Join us?”
Rylan was about to say something, but decided against it. How would Beth react to their offer? He was about to find out.
She had their number. “Neither of you needs an
“Blessed Mary,” Halo muttered under his breath.
Landon whistled low. “I like, a lot.”
Rylan was about to call to her when Dune announced, “You owe me a volleyball, Ry.”
“Atlas!” Rylan got the Dane’s attention. The dog trotted over to him.
Beth came, too. She held out her hand for the ball. Atlas dropped it at her feet. She picked it up, squished, deflated, and damp with drool. “Your bite is worse than your bark,” she said on a sigh.
Sophie Cates appeared on the back porch just as Dune finished outlining the perimeter of the volleyball court with mulch. He collected the pole hole digger, the empty plastic bags, and crossed to her. “Ready to leave?”
Sophie’s smile came softly. “I’m ready for my nap.”
“Me, too.” Dune’s whisper carried. “We’ll rest together.” He slipped an arm around his wife, bent low, and kissed her—without regard for those looking on.
Rylan liked the fact his brother was so affectionate with her. She was so taken by her husband’s kiss, she clung to his arm.
“We’re gone.” Dune waved to them.
“Thanks for the volleyball equipment,” Beth said gratefully.
Dune gave her a thumb’s up. “I’ll bring an extra ball on Saturday. Atlas can keep the one he crushed.”
Shaye was also ready to leave. The wooden storage box in hand, she stopped by the group on her way out. “Croquet is all set,” she told Beth. She took the mallet from Halo and put it away. “I’ll put the box in the garage on my way out. Let me know if there’s anything else you might need.” She gave Rylan a sisterly hug, bumped fists with Halo and Landon, then took off, too.
“Dune and Shaye were very helpful,” Beth told Ry.
“So were we,” Halo reminded her.
“The yard looks decent.” Ry shaded his eyes against the late afternoon sun. “What’s with the hedge?”
Halo looked at his handiwork. “Can’t you tell? It’s a topiary. A train.”
“Can’t see it,” said Ry.
But Beth could. She tilted her head and said, “The engine and caboose are recognizable.”
“It’s what’s in-between that falls short,” said Landon. “The cars look like camel humps.”
“You could do better?” Halo challenged him.
“Look at the yard,” Landon pointed out. “Lawn striping. A ballpark grass pattern.”
It did look good, Rylan had to admit. He also liked the way the volleyball court was set up in the far corner. And how the game of croquet would be played beneath the banyan tree. There’d be lots of shade. The picnic was taking shape. Far better than he’d expected.
Halo shifted beside him, growing restless. The man seldom stood still. He had energy to burn. He worked out three times a day. He made his teammates nuts in the dugout during a ball game. He never sat down. Instead he paced. Sport-driven.
He glanced at his watch. “It’s after three. We’re done here. We need to go by the Lusty Oyster.” He grinned. “Just in time for Happy Hour.” He nudged Beth with his elbow. “Join us, babe?”
She shook her head. “Thanks, but no. I’m still working.”
“Another time, then,” said Landon.
There was a glint in Halo’s eyes when he said, “Ry can be a slave driver. Come work for me. I could use a personal assistant.”
“Yeah, so could I.” Landon clearly liked the idea. His grin came slowly. Deviously. “Any chance we could steal you from Rylan?”
“We’d pay you more than you’re making now and offer better benefits,” Halo enticed. “I could be part of your benefit package.”
“We’re better looking than the old man,” said Landon. “And a whole lot more fun. What do you say? Join us?”
Rylan was about to say something, but decided against it. How would Beth react to their offer? He was about to find out.
She had their number. “Neither of you needs an
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