Page 48 of Colt
“And cut yourself some slack, brother. You’re doing good,” Handful said before picking up his beer and wandering off.
I hoped he was right. Because my boys were everything. They were worth every bruise to my ego, every moment of doubt, every night spent wondering if I was doing this right. They were worth it all.
?
Two days later, the boys came to the clubhouse for the first time.
It wasn’t planned. Lilac had a doctor’s appointment and Betty was at a church function, and somehow I’d become the backup childcare option.
At least, that’s what they told me. But Indira was usually in the office on a weekday, and she’d shown up here twentyminutes before Lilac. That told me this wasn’t quite as unplanned as they were making out.
Indira caught me working that out and gave me a look.
“Don’t make a big deal out of it,” she said. “She’s trying, for the sake of those boys. You need to let her do that without turning it into a moment.”
I closed my mouth. Good advice.
“She texted me,” she added. “I told her I’d be here.” She didn’t say anything else. She didn’t have to.
When Lilac pulled up, some of the tension in her face eased the moment she saw Indira standing with me in the parking lot.
“They’ve never been here before,” she said, her eyes moving over the building. “I’m trusting you to keep it… appropriate.”
“I’ll have Handful hide the porn and put away the weapons.” At her look, I held up my hands. “Kidding. Mostly. The guys know to be on their best behavior.”
“I’ll be here the whole time,” Indira said. “I’ve got them.”
Lilac’s expression changed. She looked at Indira for a long moment—something passing between them that I wasn’t part of—then nodded once.
The boys were wide-eyed as they walked into the clubhouse, taking in the pool tables, the bar, the bikes visible through the garage bay doors. Knox was vibrating with excitement; Luca was more cautious, staying close to my side.
“This is where you work?” Knox asked, spinning in a circle to take it all in.
“Sort of. This is where the club meets. Where my brothers hang out.”
“Brothers like Handful?” Luca looked around. “The dirt bikes one—is he here?”
As if summoned, Handful emerged from the back, a deck of cards in his hand. “Did I hear my name? The famous Spencer twins, finally gracing us with their presence.”
Both boys frowned at the same time. Knox looked left, then right. “What other twins?”
Handful blinked. “What?”
“The Spencer twins.” Luca’s frown deepened. “Where are they?”
I stepped in. “Handful, meet Luca and Knox James.”
Handful went still for a second, putting it together. Then he nodded once, crouched down to their level, and held out his hand like they were grown men he was being introduced to at a business meeting.
“Luca. Knox.” He shook each hand in turn, solemn as a judge. “Good to officially meet you. I’ve heard a lot about you.”
“Good stuff?” Knox asked.
“Mostly.” He grinned. “Heard you two did pretty well on my bikes.”
Both boys looked at him. “Those were your bikes?” Luca asked.
“My nephews’. Same thing.” He shrugged.
