Alanso smiled and waved to the babies Joe and Mike held. “Plus the time difference between us helps.” “Why aren’t you guys in bed yet?” Morgan wanted to know. She sat between the men and alternated entertaining each of their children. “Rough night?” “You could say that. We fucked up.” Eli let his head fall back and thump into the dark wood of Alanso’s bed. “No kidding.” Joe laughed. “You should have done this months ago.” “Well, yeah, there’s that. Mistake número uno.” Alanso shook his head. They sat shoulder to shoulder in his room, videochatting with various members of the crew. This was pretty cool. To see them and talk to them. It made Eli feel less far away from his distant family and the guys who’d become extended members by default. No wonder Alanso had been addicted to this thing lately. He always had been the smarter of them when it came to people. Emotions. Hopefully he could figure out a way to go forward. They needed direction. “Don’t let them bully you.”
