Chapter 4

4

The music shifted gears; the beat pulsating through the dimly lit bar as Caleb emptied his glass. Bishop, seated across the table, eyed the water in Caleb's glass while swigging his beer.

"I'm on call." Caleb set the glass down.

"You're always on call." Bishop wiped his upper lip with the back of his hand.

Caleb shrugged. Volunteering for extra shifts was his way of avoiding the echoes of the past. It was far from perfect, but it was the best he had. "We should get Henley down before he embarrasses himself." He gestured toward the dance floor where his teammate was showcasing his questionable dance moves.

Bishop grinned. "I'm not going to spoil his fun—hey. Trouble on the dance floor."

Caleb turned. A determined blonde cut through the dancers. Sarah. Henley tried to intercept her with a dubious hip thrust fueled by one too many shots, but she dodged him, her gaze set on Caleb.

She stopped at their table, slender fingers resting on the worn wood. Even off-duty, Sarah exuded authority—intelligent eyes that missed nothing, her jeans emphasizing legs toned from years of horse riding.

Bishop straightened, smoothing his crumpled shirt. "Sarah. Hi."

Caleb suppressed a smile. His big sister had that effect on most men, even though there could be no doubt the only relationship she was interested in was her career.

Sarah shot Bishop a smile, then turned her attention on Caleb. "Hey. I heard it was bouncy out on the water today."

Bishop flashed his teeth. "All in a day's work."

Caleb lifted a shoulder. "You off duty?"

She nodded, but her forehead wrinkled, as if being off duty was a foreign concept. "I was looking for Ryder. I promised Ellie I'd take her to see Captain."

"Isn't she a little young for horse riding?"

Sarah winged an eyebrow at him. "Smart ass."

He cranked an eyebrow. "Ryder has a hot date tonight."

"Seriously?" Sarah surveyed the crowd as if expecting to see their brother there.

"With Ellie. His babysitter canceled." Caleb drained the last of his drink. "Mentioned something about a spaghetti restaurant."

Sarah grinned. "Of course. Not that she has her dad wrapped around her little finger."

"The force is strong in that one," Caleb agreed.

"What the heck?" Sarah's eyes widened in disbelief as a roar from the dance floor drew her attention. "My God. What is he doing?"

Caleb followed her gaze, where Henley spun wildly on his back like a malfunctioning robot.

"He's going to hurt himself." Concern laced Sarah's voice.

Caleb chuckled. "That's Henley for you. Pushing the boundaries of safety on the dance floor."

He grabbed his jacket from the back of the seat, grateful for the change of conversation. Too often for his liking, discussions about Ryder's love life would veer into an analysis of his own single status. It was a topic he preferred to avoid. He was happy with his solitary existence exactly the way it was, thank you very much. That way, no one got hurt. "Ryder will call, Sarah. Ellie's his entire universe, but he won't miss an opportunity for a little child-free time."

Sarah tore her gaze away from Henley's antics and turned back to him. "Sure." She inclined her head toward his jacket. "You need a ride home?"

"Nope. Water all the way. I'll catch you later." He pressed a kiss to her forehead. "Catch you later, sis. Bishop."

Bishop raised his glass as Caleb left the table. It was time to head home. The atmosphere was growing increasingly rowdy, and one bartender was setting up the karaoke. He needed the space, the quiet of home to process the day.

At least, that's what he told himself.