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out one pretty vital point. None of us knows what Seth’s going to have to say about it. He might not want to stay here. He might not want to stay with us.”
    “You’re just looking to complicate things, as usual,” Cam complained. “Why wouldn’t he?”
    “Because he doesn’t know you, he barely knows me.” Phillip lifted his cup and gestured. “The only one he’s spent any time with is Ethan.”
    “Didn’t spend all that much with me,” Ethan admitted. “I took him out on the boat a few times. He’s got a quick mind, good hands. Doesn’t have much to say for himself, but when he does, he’s got a mouth on him. He’s spent some time with Grace. She doesn’t seem to mind him.”
    “Dad wanted him to stay,” Cam stated with a shrug. “He stays.” He glanced over at the sound of a horn tooting three quick beeps.
    “That’ll be Grace dropping him back off on her way to Shiney’s Pub.”
    “Shiney’s?” Cam’s brows shot up. “What’s she doing down at Shiney’s?”
    “Making a living, I expect,” Ethan returned.
    “Oh, yeah.” A slow grin spread. “Does he still have his waitresses dress in those little skirts with the bows on the butt and the black fishnet stockings?”
    “He does,” Phillip said with a long, wistful sigh. “He does indeed.”
    “Grace would fill out one of those outfits pretty well, I’d imagine.”
    “She does.” Phillip smiled. “She does indeed.”
    “Maybe I’ll just mosey down to Shiney’s later.”
    “Grace isn’t one of your French models.” Ethan pushed back from the table, took his mug and his annoyance to the sink. “Back off.”
    “Whoa.” Behind Ethan’s back, Cam wiggled his brows at Phillip. “Backing off, bro. Didn’t know you had your eye aimed in that particular direction.”
    “I don’t. She’s a mother, for Christ’s sake.”
    “I had a really fine time with the mother of two in Cancun last winter,” Cam remembered. “Her ex was swimming in oil—olive oil—and all she got in the divorce settlement was a Mexican villa, a couple of cars, some trinkets, art, and two million. I spent a memorable week consoling her. And the kids were cute—from a distance. With their nanny.”
    “You’re such a humanitarian, Cam,” Phillip told him.
    “Don’t I know it.”
    They heard the front door slam and looked at each other. “Well, who talks to him?” Phillip wanted to know.
    “I’m no good at that kind of stuff.” Ethan was already edging toward the back door. “And I’ve got to go feed my dog.”
    “Coward,” Cam muttered as the door shut at Ethan’s back.
    “You bet. Me, too.” Phillip was up and moving. “You get first crack. I’ve got those papers to go through.”
    “Wait just a damn minute—”
    But Phillip was gone, and cheerfully telling Seth that Cameron wanted to talk to him. When Seth came to the kitchen door, the puppy scrambling at his heels, he saw Cam scowling as he poured more whiskey in his coffee.
    Seth stuck his hands in his pockets and lifted his chin. He didn’t want to be there, didn’t want to talk to anybody. At Grace’s he’d been able to just sit on her little stoop, be alone with his thoughts. Even when she’d come out for a little while and sat beside him with Aubrey on her knee, she’d let him be.
    Because she understood he’d wanted to be quiet.
    Now he had to deal with the man. He wasn’t afraid of big hands and hard eyes. Wouldn’t—couldn’t—let himself be afraid. He wouldn’t care that they were going to kick him loose, toss him back like one of the runt fish Ethan pulled out of the bay.
    He could take care of himself. He wasn’t worried.
    His heart scrambled in his chest like a mouse in a cage.
    “What?” The single word was ripe with defiance and challenge. Seth stood, his legs locked, and waited for a reaction.
    Cam only continued to frown and sip his doctored coffee. With one hand, he absently stroked the puppy, who was trying valiantly to climb into his lap. He