7. Nico #2
I nodded thoughtfully. “That’s actually a good plan.”
There were always leftovers at these barbecues anyway. Everyone seemed determined to bring enough food to feed the entire pack twice over, only to somehow take home barely any of it.
I wondered if we were doing these barbecues too often. Maybe people were starting to get tired of the food. The company certainly didn't seem to be a problem.
Everyone looked perfectly happy to be here, talking and laughing. I made a mental note to suggest changing things up at the next pack meeting.
“See? What did I tell you?” Michael appeared with Mason beside him and nudged him toward our table.
Mason leaned over to peek into my tote bag. “I wouldn't have believed you if I hadn't seen it myself.”
I folded my arms. “We wouldn't have had to do this if you hadn't moved out.”
Mason laughed. “I don't think you guys would've liked Levi moving into your house.”
Mason had lived with Tony and me for a while before finally moving in with Levi, his mate and one of our pack's trackers. I missed having his cooking around, although I would never admit that to him.
Before I could say anything else, something collided with my back.
“Thank you so much for inviting us!” Logan wrapped both arms around me in a tight hug.
Tony gave me a look, and I knew exactly what it meant. It was the same one he'd given me plenty of times before whenever he thought I'd become too familiar with a client.
He was reminding me to keep my distance, to detach and keep things professional. I tapped Logan's arm until he finally loosened his hold on me. Once he released me, I introduced him to the others.
“It's good to meet you,” Michael said.
“Yeah,” Mason added, looking considerably more excited. “I love your movies.”
Tony, meanwhile, looked even more reserved than usual. It was strange.
He was almost as big a fan of Shadowfall as I was, so I'd expected him to be the one asking Logan a dozen questions about the movie. He barely said anything.
I decided not to think too much about it and looked around the clearing, searching for Isaac.
I'd assumed he'd come here with Logan, but there was also a good chance he'd stayed behind at their cabin to go through more of the fan mail. Given how seriously he took his job, I wouldn't have been surprised.
Instead, he was near the barbecue pits, standing beside Cooper and several other pack members. He looked more relaxed than I'd seen him since they'd arrived in Pecan Pines.
I could just make out their conversation. They were arguing about whether charcoal or gas made better barbecue, and judging by the way Isaac kept shaking his head, he clearly had an opinion.
I couldn't stop smiling.
“I haven't seen him like this in a while.” Logan had a small, almost wistful smile on his face as he watched his brother.
“What do you mean?”
Logan was quiet for a moment before continuing. “I know Isaac left our old pack because of me and I'll always be grateful for that. I honestly can't imagine doing any of this without him. We’ve been doing this together for so long that I don't even remember what it was like before he was around.”
He gave a quiet laugh. “But sometimes I secretly hope he'll just quit one day.”
“Quit?”
“Being my bodyguard. The whole thing.” Logan shrugged, his gaze still fixed on Isaac. “Find a pack. Settle down somewhere. Do something that makes him happy.”
His smile faded slightly. “I know he misses it.”
For a moment, neither of us said anything. I looked toward Isaac again, watching him laugh at something one of the others had said.
Then Mason glanced toward the barbecue pits. “I'm going to get some food.”
“I'll come with you,” Michael said, getting to his feet. “What do you guys want? Ribs? Mac and cheese? Coleslaw? Mashed potatoes?”
“Just ribs and salad for me. No dressing.” Logan lifted the hem of his shirt, showing off his lean stomach. “I've got a shirtless scene in a few days. Gotta stay on track.”
I laughed, but then I noticed Tony's gaze lingering a little too long on Logan's stomach. He seemed to realize I'd caught him at almost the same moment.
Tony immediately stood. “I'll come with you.”
Tony glanced at me as he walked past, giving me a pointed look that clearly said, You didn't see anything. I kept my expression perfectly neutral.
“Get a little extra,” I called after him, nodding toward the bag of containers.
He shook his head and followed Mason and Michael toward the food.
A few minutes later, Isaac appeared carrying a small plate of ribs and salad. He set it down in front of Logan before handing me a large tray filled with ribs and various sides, then slid onto the bench beside me.
I stared at the tray. “That seems like a lot.”
“Cooper said you'd know what to do with these.”
Apparently, Cooper knew about our little leftovers operation. I wasn't sure whether I should feel embarrassed or impressed.
Tony returned a few minutes later with a similar tray, although his had considerably less food on it. He stopped beside the table and glanced around. The only empty seat was beside Logan.
Logan patted the bench. “Come on. I don't bite.”
Tony hesitated before slowly sitting down. His gaze shifted between Isaac and me. I realized we were sitting a little closer together than we probably needed to.
For a moment, I wondered if I should scoot farther toward the edge of the bench. I didn't want to, though. In the end, I only shifted an inch toward the edge. Our thighs were barely touching.
Isaac seemed to notice. As he scooped some mashed potatoes onto his plate, his boot nudged against mine beneath the table. He didn't move his foot away, and neither did I.