Grant spotted them and waved them over.
“Hang on a sec,” Grant said. “We’re almost done here.”
Then he turned back to the man standing next to him. “We need to make sure we have an adequate fan system in place so when I’m grilling the smoke doesn’t reach the guests who are sitting out here.”
The guy nodded. “Don’t worry. We’ve got that in the plans.”
The two of them talked for a few more minutes, then the guy walked away and Grant came over and hugged them both.
That was one thing about the Cassidy family. They might all be tough athletes, but they were always affectionate with one another. They had their mother—and their father—to thank for that. There had always been loving hugs from Mom. And their dad, Easton Cassidy, was one tough sonofabitch—one of the best quarterbacks to have ever played the game. But their father was also kind and warm and he loved his sons. He’d passed down that affection to all of them, and made sure that even though they all fought like hell with each other, and might hate each other one minute, they loved each other, too.
“How’s the leg?” Grant asked him.
“It healed up fine. It was no big deal to start with. Just a cut. I’ve taken worse in scuffles from you guys.”
Grant nodded. “No doubt. I can’t believe they pulled you from the game for a little blood.”
“Wouldn’t have happened on the football field,” Barrett said. “This is what happens when you play a pussy game like baseball.”
Tucker was used to this bullshit. “We can’t all be smart and play baseball. Some of us only know how to use our bodies to hit, not throw masterful pitches.”
Grant let out a snort. “Good one, Tucker.”
Barrett glared at Grant. “You’re supposed to be on my side.”
“I’m not on anyone’s side when the two of you get going. Come on, let’s head into the house.”
“You’ve done a lot of remodeling already,” Tucker said as Grant led them through the downstairs. “The last time I was here, the media room was still open to the rest of the basement.” Now it was closed off, with a bar and entertainment area in a separate, adjacent space. Grant gave them a sample of the new sound system in the media room. It was outstanding, like being in a movie theater.
“Yeah. Katrina got started right away working on the renovations. The media room and entertainment section is done, and now that spring is here, we’ve dug in and are working on the outside.”
“Seems like you’re making some progress out there. Though it’s kind of a mess right now,” Barrett said.
Grant reached into the fridge, dug out three beers and handed them out. “Yeah. It’s going to take a while because we’re expanding the whole patio area, adding square footage and a built-in kitchen.”
Tucker pulled up a seat and took a long swallow of his beer. “It’s going to look great when it’s done.”
“It will. It’ll be awesome in the summer. I might even invite you over, Tucker.”
“I might even show up. Providing there’s food.”
“Oh, there’ll be food.”
“Yeah, now that you have Katrina in your life. And her little sister.”
Grant nodded at Barrett. “She’s picking Anya up after school today, and the two of them are going to the store to buy food to cook for dinner tonight.”
“Awesome. Where’s Leo?” Tucker asked.
“Football practice.”
Barrett grinned. “I like hearing that. How’s it going?”
“It’s good. He made the team without any influence from me or Dad, despite Dad’s insistence on calling the coach. It was important for Leo to know he could do it on his own. He worked his ass off, running and in the weight room. He put on twenty pounds and sprung up another two inches in height, which sure as hell didn’t hurt him.”
“No shit,” Tucker said. “Thank God for teen boys and growth spurts, huh?”
Grant laughed. “Yeah. When spring practice started, he tried out for wide receiver and made the team.”
“Good for him. We should go watch.”
“You wanna give the kid a complex?” Tucker asked. “The last thing he needs is all of us on the sidelines breathing down his neck.”
“Hey,” Barrett said. “The whole team might need some pointers. Especially the defense, which is my specialty.”
“I agree with Tucker,” Grant said. “I already told the coach I’d lay low. He doesn’t need some pro quarterback showing up and interfering in his practices. He knows what he’s doing.”
Barrett shrugged. “If you say so. But between the three of us—” Barrett looked over at Tucker. “Okay, maybe the two of us and Tucker could just pretend like he knew what he was talking about.”
“Hey. Fuck off. Just because I don’t play football professionally doesn’t mean I don’t know the game, asshole.”
Barrett’s lips curved. “Sure you do. Anyway, we could turn that team into a state champion.”
“I think we’ll stay hands off for a while, so Leo can integrate into the team on his own.”
Barrett raised his hands in the air. “Okay. Dad.”
Grant grinned.
The intercom system buzzed. “Hey, are you all down there?”
Tucker recognized Anya’s voice, Katrina’s little sister.
“Hang on a sec,” Grant said. “We’re almost done here.”
Then he turned back to the man standing next to him. “We need to make sure we have an adequate fan system in place so when I’m grilling the smoke doesn’t reach the guests who are sitting out here.”
The guy nodded. “Don’t worry. We’ve got that in the plans.”
The two of them talked for a few more minutes, then the guy walked away and Grant came over and hugged them both.
That was one thing about the Cassidy family. They might all be tough athletes, but they were always affectionate with one another. They had their mother—and their father—to thank for that. There had always been loving hugs from Mom. And their dad, Easton Cassidy, was one tough sonofabitch—one of the best quarterbacks to have ever played the game. But their father was also kind and warm and he loved his sons. He’d passed down that affection to all of them, and made sure that even though they all fought like hell with each other, and might hate each other one minute, they loved each other, too.
“How’s the leg?” Grant asked him.
“It healed up fine. It was no big deal to start with. Just a cut. I’ve taken worse in scuffles from you guys.”
Grant nodded. “No doubt. I can’t believe they pulled you from the game for a little blood.”
“Wouldn’t have happened on the football field,” Barrett said. “This is what happens when you play a pussy game like baseball.”
Tucker was used to this bullshit. “We can’t all be smart and play baseball. Some of us only know how to use our bodies to hit, not throw masterful pitches.”
Grant let out a snort. “Good one, Tucker.”
Barrett glared at Grant. “You’re supposed to be on my side.”
“I’m not on anyone’s side when the two of you get going. Come on, let’s head into the house.”
“You’ve done a lot of remodeling already,” Tucker said as Grant led them through the downstairs. “The last time I was here, the media room was still open to the rest of the basement.” Now it was closed off, with a bar and entertainment area in a separate, adjacent space. Grant gave them a sample of the new sound system in the media room. It was outstanding, like being in a movie theater.
“Yeah. Katrina got started right away working on the renovations. The media room and entertainment section is done, and now that spring is here, we’ve dug in and are working on the outside.”
“Seems like you’re making some progress out there. Though it’s kind of a mess right now,” Barrett said.
Grant reached into the fridge, dug out three beers and handed them out. “Yeah. It’s going to take a while because we’re expanding the whole patio area, adding square footage and a built-in kitchen.”
Tucker pulled up a seat and took a long swallow of his beer. “It’s going to look great when it’s done.”
“It will. It’ll be awesome in the summer. I might even invite you over, Tucker.”
“I might even show up. Providing there’s food.”
“Oh, there’ll be food.”
“Yeah, now that you have Katrina in your life. And her little sister.”
Grant nodded at Barrett. “She’s picking Anya up after school today, and the two of them are going to the store to buy food to cook for dinner tonight.”
“Awesome. Where’s Leo?” Tucker asked.
“Football practice.”
Barrett grinned. “I like hearing that. How’s it going?”
“It’s good. He made the team without any influence from me or Dad, despite Dad’s insistence on calling the coach. It was important for Leo to know he could do it on his own. He worked his ass off, running and in the weight room. He put on twenty pounds and sprung up another two inches in height, which sure as hell didn’t hurt him.”
“No shit,” Tucker said. “Thank God for teen boys and growth spurts, huh?”
Grant laughed. “Yeah. When spring practice started, he tried out for wide receiver and made the team.”
“Good for him. We should go watch.”
“You wanna give the kid a complex?” Tucker asked. “The last thing he needs is all of us on the sidelines breathing down his neck.”
“Hey,” Barrett said. “The whole team might need some pointers. Especially the defense, which is my specialty.”
“I agree with Tucker,” Grant said. “I already told the coach I’d lay low. He doesn’t need some pro quarterback showing up and interfering in his practices. He knows what he’s doing.”
Barrett shrugged. “If you say so. But between the three of us—” Barrett looked over at Tucker. “Okay, maybe the two of us and Tucker could just pretend like he knew what he was talking about.”
“Hey. Fuck off. Just because I don’t play football professionally doesn’t mean I don’t know the game, asshole.”
Barrett’s lips curved. “Sure you do. Anyway, we could turn that team into a state champion.”
“I think we’ll stay hands off for a while, so Leo can integrate into the team on his own.”
Barrett raised his hands in the air. “Okay. Dad.”
Grant grinned.
The intercom system buzzed. “Hey, are you all down there?”
Tucker recognized Anya’s voice, Katrina’s little sister.
