Make it Hot (17 page)

G
etting all of the Hightower brothers together once a week was becoming increasingly difficult with two of the brothers having met their soul mates, but somehow, they had managed to get together for happy hour at the sports bar in downtown Paterson after a couple of months of hit-or-miss meetings.

Joel had been busy getting used to his new position as the new VP in charge of the Home Safety Division of Hightower Security, and he found that the proactive work he did in his new job to make sure that people were able to secure their homes filled the need he had as a fireman to help others in a different but still very satisfying way. Samantha’s suspension was lifted after two weeks of paid leave when the investigation committee found that the claims of the anonymous caller were unfounded, and his new fiancée showed him every day that he was all the man she needed. The thrill and rush he got from being with her still sparked his desire, and he didn’t see that ending anytime soon. Everything he used to get from his old job as a fireman was still present in his life in abundance. He felt happy as he joined his brothers, happy and just fine with his life.

Joel walked up to the booth and slid in. He was the last to arrive, but he had a good excuse—at least it was a good excuse to him. He and Samantha had finally settled on a date to get married. She had made him sweat for it and work for it, no doubt, but it was all worth it, and some of the work had actually been fun.

“Look who decided to show up, the other lovebird,” Patrick held up his drink in mock salute. “There are only two of us left to hold down the fort, and since I’ve been down that road before, I can tell you, I won’t be going back.”

“And you know my motto, if she can’t burn in the kitchen like Mama, she need not apply.” Lawrence raised his glass, and he and Patrick toasted.

Jason laughed. “It’s going to be so funny to watch love take the two of you out.”

“You forget, baby bro, I mastered the game. I’m not only a client, I’m the player president.” Lawrence dusted off his collar and winked.

Joel shook his head. “All right, I have great news to share.”

“Me, too,” Jason added.

Joel looked at his youngest brother. If the news was what he thought it was, then this was going to be a night of celebration indeed.

“Penny is pregnant. I’m going to be a dad. We’ve known for the past three months, but we wanted to wait, you know, to make it past the first trimester before we shared the news.” Jason’s eyes gleamed with excitement.

“That’s wonderful. I can’t wait to be an uncle.” Lawrence put all his joking aside.

Patrick stood and embraced, Jason. “Congratulations, baby bro. This is amazing news. Give Penny a hug for me.”

It was hard not to get a little choked up knowing about how Penny and Jason lost their first child to a miscarriage when they were high-school sweethearts. They had spent fifteen years apart, and God saw fit to give them another chance.

The brothers all stood and gave each other hugs and love and then settled back into their seats.

“Samantha has agreed to set a date. We’ve started planning our fall wedding. So, you clowns are going to have to get dressed up in those tuxedos and dust off your electric slide, because come October, the Hightowers are going to have another wedding to celebrate.”

“That’s wonderful, man. She’s a great woman,” Jason offered.

“And she can cook her behind off,” Lawrence added. “Hey, should we order some Buffalo wings or something?”

“Your mind stays on food. It’s a wonder you stay in shape at all.” Patrick shook his head at Lawrence. He turned to Joel. “Samantha seems like a nice girl. I’m happy for you, bro.”

“Let’s toast then.” Jason held up his glass. “To every Hightower finding the love of his life—”

Patrick put his glass down. “Nah, buddy, I can’t toast to that there. I’m going to have to pass.”

Lawrence put his glass down, too. “No need to tempt fate. I like being single.” He stared across the room.

Jason followed his gaze and so did Joel.

“Isn’t that the McKnight twins? They just got back out of prison. Do you think they’re up to any trouble tonight?” Jason turned back to look at Lawrence.

“Who’s that little sexy girl with them? She looks like a young Jada Pinkett-Smith from her pre-Will,
A Different World
days. She’s a hottie. What is she doing with thugs like those?” Jason asked.

Patrick shook his head. “You see, that’s why I won’t drink to that ‘Hightowers finding love’ stuff. Finding a woman with some sense and who’s about something is next to impossible.”

Jason laughed. “She looks like a young Jada, all right, but if she’s hanging with the McKnight Twins, you better make that Jada from
Set It Off.
”

“Do you know her?” Joel asked Lawrence.

Lawrence just kept staring at the group.

Patrick nudged Lawrence’s shoulder.

“Huh?” Lawrence gave them an irritated glare. “What?”

“Joel asked you if you knew her, the girl with the McKnights. She looks kind of young—”

“I don’t know her, but I intend to keep an eye on her.” Lawrence spoke the words and planted his gaze back on the young woman.

But they had too much to celebrate tonight to give it too much thought. He was going to be an uncle and his sweetheart was going to bless him by becoming his wife.

He’d come to think of the accident as not the end of life as he’d known it, but the beginning of a life more rich and fulfilling than he ever could have imagined. His little spitfire had brought the joy, passion and heat back into his life and he could only see things getting better from there.

“So, let’s toast to finding happiness, then, because I have found mine.” He held his glass up.

“I’ll drink to that, because I’ve found mine, too.” Jason grinned.

“I guess I can drink to that, even though I think happiness is way overrated, and it’s fleeting. The wrong woman can ruin a man’s happiness for the rest of his life—”

“All right, all right, just toast, grouch.” Jason cut Patrick off.

Joel saw Lawrence was still paying close attention to the young woman with the McKnights. He kicked Lawrence under the table.

“Ouch! What?” Lawrence snapped as he kept watching the young woman.

“We’re toasting to finding happiness,” Jason offered.

“Yeah, yeah, to finding happiness.” Lawrence lifted his glass and all the while kept his focus in the McKnights’ direction. “I’ll be right back.” He got up and walked over there.

“What’s that about?” Patrick asked.

“Damn if I know.” Jason shrugged.

“Finding happiness?” Joel glanced back at the young woman who had apparently captured his brother’s attention. She looked like a no-nonsense kind of sister. Maybe Lawrence had finally met his match.

Since Joel had met his match, he decided to stop worrying about Lawrence for the evening. Besides, he had to get home to continue the
real
celebration with his woman.