shrugged, not at all convinced. “Yeah, maybe. But I’m not sure I—”
“Sorry to interrupt again, boys.”
All four of them turned their heads as Roz sauntered to the table with a bottle of Coors in her hand. “You’ve got an admirer,” the forty-something-year-old brunette said with a barely restrained smile.
The remark was directed at Dylan, and she promptly set the beer in front of him. “Compliments of the redhead over there.” Roz nodded her head toward the pool table, where a very pretty woman was eyeing Dylan with a coy smile.
Dylan ran a hand through his short blond hair. “Aw, shit. Tell her I appreciate the gesture but I’ve already got a redhead waiting for me at home. And don’t you dare charge her for the drink, Roz. Put it on my tab, ’kay?”
“You got it, hon.” The older woman strode off in the direction of Dylan’s fan, still grinning to herself.
“Anyway,” Seth said after Roz was gone, “now that we’ve listened to Texas whine about his love life—”
“You frickin’ asked me to tell you,” Jackson cut in, rolling his eyes.
Seth ignored him. “—how about we get back to my problem? You know, the only issue that matters.”
Cash groaned loudly. “For real? We’re still on this? Dude, just get the kids a kitten. It’s not going to kill you.”
“Wait, what are we talkin’ about?” Jackson asked.
Dylan quickly filled him in. “The twins want a pet and they can’t decide if they should get a kitten or a puppy. Smartass wants a dog, and he’s vowed to divorce Miranda if she brings a cat into the house.”
“Cats are dicks,” Seth burst out. “Seriously. They’re fucking dicks. I don’t want a pet that makes me work for their love and devotion. Jesus.”
“But kittens are so damn cute,” Dylan protested.
“Then you get one,” Seth grumbled. “Me, I’m a dog guy. Dogs are loyal and smart and they would never fucking eat you if you dropped dead in front of them. But cats? They’d turn you into a meal before your body even got cold. McCoy, back me up here. You love dogs.”
Cash chewed on his lip. “I dunno, man. Dylan makes a good point about the whole cuteness thing.”
Seth scowled. “Oh, for fuck’s sake. You watch one YouTube video and now you’re going against everything you once stood for.”
“That was the most adorable video I’ve ever seen in my life,” Cash said solemnly.
Jackson had to grin. “Shit, you talkin’ about that link Jen emailed everyone? The one where that teeny white kitty was sneezing?”
“Oh man, that was amazing,” Dylan agreed. “Screw it. I’m asking Claire and Aidan for a kitten for my birthday.”
“Traitors,” Seth muttered, jabbing a finger at each of them. “You’re all traitors.”
“Me again.” Roz reappeared, this time carrying a tray of beers. “You boys are popular tonight. This round is from the ladies by the window.”
Jackson followed her gaze and tried not to wince when he spotted the group of blondes across the bar. He knew them well—all four had hit on him and his boys at one point or another, but none of the SEALs had ever taken the bait. When you lived in San Diego, you were bound to run into navy groupies, women who trawled every bar and club in the city in search of military men to hook up with. SEALs were the ultimate catch for navy groupies, but Jackson had no intention of sleeping with a woman who only wanted to brag to her friends that she’d bagged a SEAL.
One of the women in the group boldly took a step forward, only to halt when Seth held up his left hand to flash his wedding ring, which gleamed in the dim glow of the overhead light fixture. Seth waved at the other men to indicate they shared the same status, causing the woman’s face to flood with disappointment.
Roz chuckled. “I guess I’ll be putting these on your tab, too?”
Dylan sighed. “Yup.”
“Was it always like this?” Cash asked after Roz dashed off. “When we were single, I