Reconcile by Nicole Dykes

“Swearer! Catch me!”Baz soars through the air and jumps into my arms as I walk through the gate to their backyard.

“Oomph!” I catch him and laugh, “You’re getting huge, little man.”

He giggles at that and then runs off as Asher walks to me, laughing, and hands me a beer. “He’s tough.”

Ash watches Baz with admiration as he plays on his swing set, hopping all around. “Yeah, I don’t know how the hell he has so much energy.”

“I think he feeds off ours,” Viv says as Ash and I join her at the patio table.

“You’re probably right about that.” I take a seat and look at the food they’ve spread out over the table. Grilled chicken and salad. It smells fucking good, and I’m glad I accepted their dinner invite.

Baz is now running around in circles in the yard while Viv tries her best to get him to come sit down to eat.

“He’ll come when he’s hungry,” Ash says as he grabs her hand, encouraging her to take the seat next to him.

You’d think this would be awkward as hell, considering our past, but it isn’t. Viv was always Asher’s, and I’m just happy to be here now. “So, how was my version of hell today, Ash?”

He rolls his eyes and takes a drink of his beer. “You’re so fucking dramatic. It’s kindergarten. Not hell.”

I laugh because I still can’t believe my best friend—a Sterling—is a kindergarten teacher. But the truth is that he’s happy. Viv smiles and leans a little closer to him. “Yeah, Mr. Sterling. How was today?”

He shifts slightly in his seat, and I’m guessing this is a game they like to play. “I really don’t need to know what kinks you guys are into.” Asher’s eyes flash with a playful warning as I smirk into my beer, unable to resist. “I mean, unless you’re going to let me play too.”

“Fuck you,” Ash says with absolutely no conviction. “Kindergarten was great today, thanks. How was the corporate grind with Linc?”

“Fan-fucking-tastic.”

Viv gives me a warning look as Baz finally tires himself out and plops down in the chair between Ash and me. “Baz is here now, Swearer. Watch your mouth.”

I almost make a quip about how she used to like my dirty mouth but think better of it since I don’t feel like getting my ass kicked today.

Baz tugs on my arm, and I give him my full attention. “Swearer, I don’t like salad. It’s just leaves.”

I crack a smile and shrug. “You’re right.”

“No, he isn’t.” Viv shakes her head as she shovels salad on Baz’s plate. “It’s good for you. You want to grow up big and strong, right?”

Baz looks at me and then at Ash, shrugs his little shoulders and then eats his salad. I notice Viv is drinking water and recall she also did the last time we had dinner. “You off wine, Viv?” I ask coyly.

Baz, with a mouth full of food, speaks up, “Mommy has a baby in her tummy. I’m going to be a big brother.”

I saw it coming. They’ve been married for a year, and why wouldn’t they want another Baz? Asher sighs and shakes his head. “We also said it was still a secret.”

“Oh no,” I lean across the table toward Viv. “Is it a secret because Ash knows he’s not the father? Did you tell him about us?”

Asher flips me off and Baz points. “Um! That’s the bad finger!”

Viv shakes her head, but she can’t hide her smile. “You are such an as—” She looks at Baz. “Jerk.”

Baz was ready to call her out but loses his excitement and goes back to his food. I shouldn’t give them shit about that since technically Baz isn’t Asher’s kid. Baz is the result of a drunken night between Vivienne and Asher’s older brother Colt. Colt died before he ever got to meet his son. Asher wanted to help Viv out, but then the poor fucker when and fell in love.

Still, Asher is the only father Baz has ever known, and he’s a damn good one.

“Congrats, you guys. That’s really great.”

Viv and Ash both have goofy smiles on their faces, but Viv still pretends to be pissed at me. “It’s still kind of early. We’re going to tell everyone else soon.”

“I’m not gonna say a word.” I reach over to tickle Baz. “I have a little more self-control than this guy.”

“No way!” Baz says through uncontrollable giggles.

“Yes way!” He’s laughing hard now, and I give him a reprieve, turning back to Asher who’s watching me with a weird look on his face.

“You think you’re ever going to give monogamy a shot? Fatherhood?”

“Fu—” I look at Baz who has his eyebrow raised, waiting for the curse word to slip. “No. Not happening.”

Vivienne nibbles on her salad. “Never say never.”

“I’m saying it.” I take a drink of beer and look at Ash, wanting to shift the conversation. “I had lunch with Cole the other day.”

“Really? How’s he doing?”

Vivienne and Baz are deep in conversation about what’s in his salad, so I take the opportunity to talk to Ash. “Good. Angry that I’m working for a Sterling.”

He doesn’t look surprised. “Yeah, makes sense. What did you tell him?”

I look at Baz, who’s still busy with his mom but within hearing range and then look back to Ash. “What do you think?”

He chuckles, “You don’t miss your family at all?”

I shrug, shifting in my seat. “I don’t know. I mean . . . I did agree to have lunch with him.” And I have to admit it was good to see my brother.

“Yeah.”

“He tried to get me to come into the office and just look around. It’s ridiculous.”

He raises a questioning eyebrow. “Is it?”

“Yeah.” I take another drink. “You, of all people, know I don’t want that life. You know how the Rosses do business. It’s dirty. Buying homes right out from under people at dirt cheap prices and flipping them, wrecking land, and putting expensive condos up everywhere.”

“And Linc doesn’t do that?” He looks amused.

“Not like them,” I say firmly because Linc tries, he really does. And his company gives back often.

“Right. And it has nothing to do with the fact that they have Piper working there with them?” I hate the smug look on his face.

I hate that hearing her name still fucking stings. That my gut twists and my heart clenches in my chest just thinking about the girl I wronged so fucking badly when we were young. Way too fucking young.

“It has nothing to do with Piper.”

He doesn’t believe me. And he shouldn’t. The fact that she’s working for my brothers eats at me daily. Knowing Spencer is likely very actively trying to get into her pants—or already has—kills me.

And I have no right to feel that way.

Doesn’t change the fact that I do. That the thought of him touching her makes me want to climb out of my skin.

“Maybe you should go. Maybe you need to see Piper.”

I glare at him, hating that my brother and he seem to think she won’t stab me if I get within a few feet of her. She’s a woman scorned, and I’m not fucking with that.

“No. She wants nothing to do with me.”

“It was a long time ago, man.”

“Trust me, she’s not over it.”

A chill goes through me, thinking about the last time I saw her and the anger flashing through her eyes. He shrugs. “Well, it sounds like Cole misses you.” He grins. “Though I have no clue why.”

I roll my eyes, but smile into my beer. Such an asshole.

Still, as we eat and laugh and bullshit each other, my mind is where it usually is.

With Piper Ward.