Aidan sighed. “Yeah. Thanks.”

At the other end of the bar, Char stood up. She pointed two fingers at her own eyes and then at her boys before heading down the back hall toward the restrooms.

Her date, Marcus Dolby, was looking both relaxed and amused as he sipped his beer.

“Go,” Gray said. “Make our move.”

Aidan slid his brother an incredulous look. “Are you crazy? She just let us know she’s onto us.”

“Just do it,” Gray said in his annoying big brother voice.

“Do what?” Jonathan wanted to know.

“It’s about her date,” Gray said. “He’s gotta go.”

“You’re going to try to scare him off?” Jonathan asked. “I know Marcus. He’s not scared of much.”

“Not scare exactly,” Gray said, and paused. “Maybe intimidate. Just a little bit.”

“That’s … horrible,” Lily said.

“She’s not in a dating place,” Aidan said. “She’s … healing.”

“She’s fine,” Lily said, and when Aidan and Gray just stared at her she said, “She is! I did her hair for tonight and she’s great, actually.”

Shelly snorted as she walked by on the other side of the bar. “You gotta keep in mind that these two geniuses think their dear mama’s too old and feeble to do the nasty. A bad hip is a setback not a deterrent.”

Aidan shuddered.

Gray looked … well, gray. He gave Aidan a little push. “Get on with it. I gotta get back before Penny runs out of popcorn.”

Aidan walked the length of the bar and sat down on the empty barstool next to Marcus.

Marcus nodded at him.

Aidan nodded back.

“What happened?” Marcus asked. “You lose at rockpaper-scissors?”

Aidan’s gaze slid to Gray. “Uh—”

Gray jerked his chin as if to say, Go on, do it.

Lily rolled her eyes.

Marcus grinned and leaned back. “Well, let’s hear it already.”

“Hear what?”

“All the reasons why you think I shouldn’t date your mom. Does it have anything to do with the fact that I work for you?”

“No.”

“What then?” Marcus asked.

“She’s not up for it, for one thing,” Aidan said. “You shouldn’t have asked her out. You—”

“First of all, she asked me.” Marcus smiled when Aidan just stared at him slack-jawed. “That’s right. And I jumped on the chance. She’s funny, she’s warm and wonderful, and if you want the truth, she’s sexy as hell.”

Aidan scrubbed a hand over his face.

Marcus laughed softly as he leaned in closer. “Things don’t shrivel up just because you turn the big five-oh, you know. In fact, some things just get better with time. Your mama is one of them.”

Aidan closed his eyes. “I will pay you to stop talking.”