Trade It All(51)

“About?” Lance didn’t like the expression on his father’s face. Something was brewing.

“Dax had an interesting reaction when he came in with Kenzi and we told him you were bringing someone with you today. He wanted to know who it was. I said I didn’t know, and I could tell he wasn’t pleased with the answer. Kenzi was happy, so I’m assuming she knew it was Willa. I don’t understand Dax’s reaction. Is anything going on between the two of you that I should know about?”

“Nothing that I know of, Dad,” Lance answered honestly. Unless his nose is out of joint that Willa chose me and not his friend, but it’s hard to imagine him caring.

Dale laid a hand on Lance’s shoulder. “You know you could tell me.”

“There’s nothing, Dad.”

Asher shrugged and said, “I haven’t heard anything.”

“Okay,” Dale said with a sigh. “Just tread lightly around him today. He might be upset about something completely unrelated to you, Lance, but I don’t want another brawl erupting with you boys. Not here. Not anywhere. I’ve never seen Kenzi this happy.”

The three men walked farther into the house to the living room where his family had gathered before dinner. Willa was seated next to Kenzi and Emily on a couch just across from his mother. Ian, Grant, and Dax were off to one side, talking. They all turned and looked over as Lance, Asher, and their father entered. Willa smiled, and this time it was a genuine one that lit up her eyes as well. Even here, in his family, Willa fit, and it warmed Lance’s heart.

He walked up behind the couch, bent to give Kenzi a kiss on the cheek, then gave Willa one as well. She blushed, but looked pleased. He crossed over to greet his mother who was smiling from ear to ear. When he leaned down to kiss her cheek, she said softly, “Good choice, son. I always hoped you would end up with her.”

He murmured back, “It’s just dinner, Mom.”

She took both of his cheeks between her hands. “You’ve made me very happy.”

Lance smiled and straightened. At least someone was happy to see him with Willa. He headed over to where his brothers were standing with Dax. As soon as his eyes met his future brother-in-law’s, Lance knew his father’s instincts were spot on. If looks could kill, Lance would have been lying in a pool of his own blood.

Asher looked back and forth from Lance to Dax and strode over to stand between them. Asher’s eyes narrowed at Dax in warning. Dax looked back, unimpressed. The smile he shot at Lance was little more than a baring of teeth.

Grant was the first to speak. “I always knew you had a sweet spot for Willa.”

Ian added, “I’ll miss watching you pretend not to moon over her. I’m surprised you lasted as long as you did. I know we told you to stay away from Kenzi’s friends, but who knew you’d listen?”

Dax’s hand clenched on his beer mug. “How a man treats women says a lot about who he is.”

“Yes, it does,” Lance said slowly. Did Dax know about what had happened back in Nantucket all those years ago? Willa might have told Kenzi. Kenzi might have told Dax. Sleeping with Willa back then, taking her virginity, wasn’t something Lance was proud of, but he also didn’t consider it any of Dax’s business. “Which is why I brought her here today. We just started dating, but I don’t want to hide it.”

“How good of you,” Dax growled.

Lance threw up a hand. “Do you have a problem with me?”

“Many,” Dax said, then looked across at where the women were sitting. “But I’m trying to keep them to myself.”

“Try harder,” Asher said in a low, threatening voice.

Grant glanced at his father and mother. “This isn’t the place to do this. Dax, if you have an issue with Lance take it up with him later.”

In his smooth, politician-style voice, Ian said, “There are always two sides to every story. Dax, whatever you think you’ve heard about Lance, it’s probably wrong. As a kid, he wouldn’t even step on ants for fun. So, I’d question your source.”

His hands clenching at his sides, Dax growled, “My source has no reason to lie, and I don’t have to tell Lance what he did. He knows. What he doesn’t know is that being Kenzi’s brother won’t protect him if he fucks up again.”

All three of his brothers turned their eyes on Lance as if he were suddenly on trial. Lance wasn’t sure if Dax was referring to Willa, but he intended to find out. “Why don’t we step outside and talk, Dax?” Lance suggested between clenched teeth.

Dax shook his head. “I’m not sure I could do that without sending my fist down your throat. I don’t want to hear your side, and I don’t need to say anything more, because we now have an understanding, don’t we?” With that, Dax walked away and went to sit beside Kenzi.