That gets my attention. Because Gio is Skye’s brother, and she works with her husband Cohen at a fire station. Surely the world isn’t that small . . .
“Rhodes Anderson. The man who stepped in to help you today.”
Yep. This world is completely too small. What are the odds? “Okay.”
Ezra’s head jerks back and I know I’ve surprised the hell out of him. “Really?”
“Yeah. It’s just a casual meeting amongst friends and family. He seems like a good guy.”
“He’s a fucking great guy, Dee.”
I kind of got that impression, but I’m not going to admit that to you, brother.
“So, tell me about him. I wanna be prepared for this blind date setup.”
“It’s not a—”
I level my brother with a stare, seeing right through him before throwing my head back and barking out a laugh. “You’re so full of shit, Ez. This is totally a setup, and I’m up for it. Does this mean Rhodes knows I’m your sister?”
Ezra’s grin widens. “Nope.”
I quirk a brow. “You don’t think you should tell him?”
“Nope,” he replies, just as sure of himself.
“What about the YouTube account?”
“Apparently he already watches the videos.”
My body jerks at that. “Wait . . . if he knows about the vlogging, does that mean he knew who I was before today? Was he outside the restaurant to check me out?” There goes my thoughts of serendipity . . .
“Now that I can clear up. He’d just been to see his parents at a homeless shelter downtown and happened to be walking by when you were attacked.”
“Okay. That seems like a bit of a weird coincidence.” I tilt my head and bite my lip. “Are you sure he’s on the up and up?” Surely I haven’t been out of the dating game for that long that I can’t trust my gut instinct about a guy.
“Stop thinking so hard and looking for a problem where there isn’t one. If it helps, he’s a widower with a sixteen-year-old son. He’s also a career firefighter who works with Marco Rossi—Gio’s brother, by the way, and little birdie number two—which is the same firehouse where Skye and Cohen work.”
It makes sense and seems like a logical explanation. But it’s a little close to home. What if we don’t get along outside of ‘just been mugged and checking I’m okay’situations? “Do you ever think this entire friendship/family group is way too incestuous?”
Ez leans back in his chair and shoots me a shit-eating grin. “Yep. But there’s no pressure here. If you don’t want to be set up with Rhodes, he doesn’t even need to know. No harm, no foul. But if you do, then a BBQ where mutual friends are there to make it a little less awkward than a straight blind date is a safe bet.”
Harvey walks back into the room with Gilly and Hudson, both of the boys carrying bowls of ice cream.
“Did you ask her?” Gilly says before turning to me, not giving Ezra a chance to answer. “Did he ask you?”
I giggle and nod. “Yes, he did, and yes, I will.”
“Yay. He’s such a nice guy. And hot,” she whispers. “Right, Ez?”
My brother sputters around his mouthful of wine, glaring at his wife. “Hot, baby mama? Really?”
“Hey. I’m married, not dead,” she says, rolling her eyes.
“I know he’s hot. He was the one to help me today when I was mu—” I stop, feeling Harvey’s gaze boring into me.
“When you were what, Mom?” he asks.
I look his way. “When I was outside my work.”
“Who helped you?” he presses, his ice cream no longer his main focus.
“A nice man. A very good-looking man. And one who seems to think your mom here is all that and a bag of potato chips.” Gilly winks at me, and I groan at the impending rapid-fire questions my son will no doubt have.
“Really, Gilly?” Ezra says, chuckling under his breath. “Should I leave you two alone for this conversation?”
“You should do it, Mom. You need more friends. I mean . . .” Harvey shrugs. “You don’t go out and meet people. You’re always at work or with me. And Dad has a girlfriend, so why can’t you?”
“You want me to get a girlfriend?” I tease.
Harvey rolls his eyes and sighs. “You know what I mean, Mom. But I have to like him before you accept a date. Okay?”
My brows shoot up, totally taken aback by this unexpected turn of events. I didn’t expect Harvey to be so on board with this but also want to approve any man I date.
“Is that right, Uncle Ez? Do I get to approve the guy she dates?” Harvey asks my brother, who nods, his eyes shining with pride.
Ezra ruffles my son’s hair. “I think that’s fair. We’re the two most important men in her life. Well, your dad, too, but that might be a bit weird, right?”
I grimace, because Flynn and I are in a good place. He’s moved on and Sophie is awesome. But that’s not to say I’m itching to add someone else to the mix. The joys of not dating two years after an amicable divorce. I can only imagine how that would go down. ‘Hey, by the way, I live with my ex-husband, and he’s my best friend. Wanna meet him?’
Harvey nods and turns to me, his shoulders pulled back, his little man chest puffed out, and a determined glint in his gaze. “Right. You can meet Uncle Ez’s friend, but I want to as well.”
I hold my arm out, and Harvey comes around the table, stopping right in front of me. “Okay, how about this. I meet the guy, feel him out—” Ezra and Gilly start laughing under their breaths, earning narrowed eyes from me. My son frowns adorably. “I’ll get to know him, but before I agree to go out on a date with him, if it even gets that far, then I’ll ask your permission.”
“You’ve got my permission, Mom. If you’re dating someone, that means he could end up being my other dad, like my friend Jesse has, and any guy that might be my other dad has to treat you right, like my real dad does.”
My heart melts. My boy feels deep and he feels hard, and the look in his eyes and the sincerity of his words tells me this is important to him. God, I love my kid! “Come here, kiddo. I love you, you know that?” I ask him, jerking him into my arms for a huge bear hug.
“Mmm hmm,” he mumbles against my chest.
“So, you’ll do it?” Gilly asks, wiping happy tears away from her smiling face.
I nod, looking between my sister-in-law and brother. “Yes. But don’t tell him. Let’s go for the element of surprise.”
Ezra’s lips curve into a wicked grin as he rubs his hands together. “I’m looking forward to this BBQ now. Something tells me this one is going to be interesting.”
Chapter 3
Rhodes
“Dad! Marco and Renee are here,” Jake says from my bedroom doorway.
Looking at him in the mirror’s reflection, I frown in confusion when he scans me from head to toe.
“You sure you don’t want to wear a nice shirt or something?”
Turning around to him, I quirk a brow. “Sorry, kid. Didn’t think the firehouse BBQ was a fashion show.”