Read Online The Rebel's Return (Red River) by Victoria James - Free Book Online Page B

legs as he took a sip of his ice-cold beer.
    He glanced down at his phone when it beeped, indicating a text message. It was from Jake.
    Running late. Michael refused to go to bed without me reading him a story. On my way ASAP.
    He reread the message, shocked this was the kind of life his friend was leading. He wasn’t allowed to go out if his kid forced him to keep reading? That sounded like a crappy kind of agreement. Did he need to acknowledge this text? Before he could decide, a bunch of texts came through. They were all pictures of Jake’s kid. Cute kid. Looked like Claire for sure.
    He texted back, Stop sending me pics of your kid and get the hell over here.
    Man, this is what had happened to his friend? He’d expect this kind of stuff from Jake’s older brother, Quinn—that guy had always had his crap together. Maybe even Evan. But Jake? He ran his hands down his face. Maybe he was the one who was all screwed up. He couldn’t even imagine what it would feel like to have someone else love him like that. He’d never begged his father to spend extra time with him. He couldn’t even imagine his father sitting on his bed reading. Or choosing to stay home with his kids instead of going to a bar.
    He took a long drink of his icy beer and let himself contemplate the life his friend was leading. It sounded a lot like the life he had once wished he could have with Nat.
    Fifteen minutes later, Jake finally walked in.
    Aiden stood to greet his former partner in teenage delinquency with a sort of shoulder-punch greeting. He was relieved Jake didn’t really look like a dad. He still had a leather jacket. He didn’t have a paunch, and he hadn’t shaved today. He felt more relaxed as they sat down in the booth. Once Jake had ordered himself a beer, he grinned at Aiden.
    “Never thought I’d see you back in Red River, man.”
    He grunted. “Yeah. Never thought I’d see you married to Reverend Holbrook’s daughter, or with a kid. Or texting me like some sort of soccer mom.”
    Jake scowled. “Hey, my kid is cute.”
    He rolled his eyes. “I don’t care if he’s won pageants.”
    “I’d never put him in a pageant.”
    “So how’s the family?”
    His friend gave him a stupid smile. He’d never seen that smile on him before. He’d missed his wedding; he’d missed everything really. They kept in touch, texts mostly. Aiden had sent him and Claire a Pottery Barn gift card for their wedding, because apparently married people shopped at stores like that.
    “They’re good. Crazy-ass busy between Michael and work.”
    “Yeah…I can imagine.”
    Jake laughed. “No, you can’t.”
    “You’re right. Tell me again how you managed to get Claire Holbrook to marry you?”
    Jake grinned. “It’s irresistible charm. In the genes.”
    “Actually, he got her pregnant, and then she stabbed him.”
    Aiden looked up to see Jake’s older brother, Quinn, standing there. Quinn looked just as he remembered him—maybe a little older because the last time he saw him there had been no gray hair in his stubble.
    “Good to see you, man,” Aiden said standing up to give him a handshake.
    “Yeah, so glad you joined us,” Jake said, taking a swig of beer and shoving over in the booth.
    Quinn sat down with a grin. “I speak the truth, but, I guess it all worked out in the end anyway.”
    Aiden cleared his throat. “She, uh, stabbed you?”
    Jake flipped his brother the finger and then turned to him. “No, of course not. She was pissed at me for something and…stabbed my burger. But that’s all ancient history. I never even think about it—until Quinn or Evan bring it up.” His friend had to stop talking as Quinn laughed.
    Aiden laughed. It felt good to be back here with them. Although he’d never hung out with Quinn because he was older, and a helluva lot wiser than he and Jake had been at the time, he’d always liked him.
    “She’s the best thing that ever happened to me. And, of course, so is Michael.”
    The slight