Ever.
I swear he’s more of a gossip than my sister.
“She’s got her hands full with the boys,” I say instead, steadily guiding the bar with three Cadillac forty-fives on either side up in a smooth motion. “It’s not like this is a social call.”
“I bet you’d like for it to be a social call.” Ben eases the bar back down. The bastard. I pray for muscle failure. “Livvie says she thinks it’s good for her, being back with the boys and all.”
I grunt in response. Just hearing about her, talking about her, like this feels a little too normal, a little too much like old times. Times I’ve tried to put behind me. Hard to do when every neighbor, cashier, and former friend insists on bringing it up.
“She thinks you two are destined to get back together now that she’s back for good.” He lifts the bar again and I concentrate on steadying the weight. Or at least, I try to. Damned if I want to admit that I’m all too interested in the possibility myself.
“The only reason she came back is for her brothers. She and I have nothing to do with it.”
“Then why are you going over there to help out with the house? Why not just let her fall on her ass like you and I both know you want to?” Ben asks.
My mind goes to those boys and the promises I’ve made. To their hopeful, expectant faces when I promised I wouldn’t abandon them right away. “Because her house is a health hazard,” I reply. “And I promised Donnie and Rafe.” I guide the weights to the stand and Ben sits up, wincing and rolling his shoulders. “Now are we gonna go a couple rounds in the ring or do you want to keep fucking talking like a couple of chicks?”
“No need to get your panties in a wad,” Ben says grinning.
“Asshole,” I spit out.
He throws an arm around my shoulders. “You know you love me.”
“You and your wife think that means I won’t kick your ass.”
Ben just smirks. “I’ve got an hour or so before Liv will be back from the doctor’s. First one to tap owes the other a beer.”
I grin back at him, blood heating and muscles turning loose. Maybe a couple hits to the head will knock some sense into me. “You’re on.”
Later, we thump to the mat. My muscles ache, I’m covered in sweat and I think he may have broken my nose. “We should do this more often,” I tell him when I’m able to catch my breath.
Ben laughs through his own heavy exhalations. “I think we’ll call it a tie,” he says.
“Oh my,” comes a familiar voice. “Looks like Daddy and Uncle Jack are wrestling again.”
The springy mat bounces as my nephew Cole lunges under the ropes and sprints toward me. “I’ll save you, Dad!” he shouts. Then he pounces, landing squarely on my stomach and knocking the wind from my lungs.
Livvie and Ben, the traitors, burst out laughing while Cole scrambles to trap me in a hold. After a few minutes of pretending to put up a fight, I tap the mat. “I give, I give,” I wheeze.
Cole rolls off, shaking with laughter, a huge grin splitting his face. Ben ruffles his hair and scoops him up. “That’s my boy.”
I glare at him. “You’re an asshole.”
“Jack,” Livvie exclaims and leans over the ropes to cover Cole’s ears. “I have a hard enough time with this one’s dirty mouth. Y’all gotta stop.”
Ben leans over to kiss her on the cheek. “I thought you liked my dirty mouth?”
“And on that note, it’s time for me to get back to work.” I get to my feet and slap Ben on the back. “Thanks man, I needed that. Next time, keep your filth at home, though.”
He slaps Livvie on the butt and I look skyward. “Kiss ass. I’m here to give you a good beat down whenever you need it, man.”
“Keep telling yourself that. You owe me a beer,” I add as I weave through the ropes and jump from the ring.
“Bullshit,” he replies. “It was a tie, we’ll split.”
“This isn’t a date, we’re not going dutch.”
“You just can’t find a good man anymore,” Ben tells Livvie, who snorts.
“You’re the one who never returns my calls,” I reply.
“Okay you two,” Livvie says between laughs.
I give her a hug and tug on Cole’s nose. “You take care of your Momma, ‘kay, little dude? Tell her to bring you by next week. We’ll work on that right hook.”
“So,” Livvie says, in a tone that I know from experience won’t lead to anything good. “Sofie and the boys came by for dinner. You should have stopped by to say hi.”
“Livvie,” Ben warns.
She holds her hands up. “Well, I’m just saying.”
Ben rolls his eyes.
I point a finger at her. “None of that, now. I just got finished kicking your husbands ass for talking shit. Mind your own business, little sister.”
Livvie play-frowns. “If you say so.”
“I do.” I back away in the direction of my office. Call it a tactical retreat. “Now scram. I’ve got work to do.”
“See you later, man,” Ben says with a wave of his hand.
I hold two fingers up in acknowledgment. “Later.”
“Come over sometime this week for dinner,” Livvie adds.