When they happened to be in the same place at the same time, Tanner and Rylan would often shoot a game or two of pool. Last time, Tanner had lost a twenty.

“Sounds fine to me. Slow in here tonight.”

Rylan took his beer and looked at Tanner, as if trying to puzzle him out. “Kailey’s off to some potluck supper and candle party or jewelry or...well, I wasn’t really paying attention. I thought I’d drop by for a burger. What brings you here? The Dollar isn’t usually your speed.”

Tanner shrugged, the dissatisfaction nagging at him again. “Bored, I guess. Hell, Ry, I live in a house with my parents and big brother.” He shook his head. “I should get my own place or something.” His own life, perhaps.

“Why don’t you?”

They made their way over to the pool tables. Tanner was kind of embarrassed to answer the question, actually. It came down to two things: money and convenience. The convenience thing was understandable, so he went with that. “I’m working the place with Cole and Dad. It just makes sense to, you know, be close.”

Rylan nodded. “I get it. And it can get claustrophobic, too.” He started setting up the balls. “I lived in my RV until Kailey and I moved into Quinn’s old place. The last thing I wanted was to be under the same roof with Quinn and Lacey, especially when they were newlyweds.”

Tanner selected a stick and chalked the end. “Tell me about it. I love Maddy, I really do, but she and Cole are all in love and everything, and they’re around a lot.”

“I get it, bro.” Rylan removed the triangle and reached for a stick, testing the feel of it in his hand. “Maybe you should settle down. Could be that’s your problem. Restless feet.”

Tanner laughed. “Right.” Rylan’s statement hit a little too close to home, though. Truth was, Tanner was pretty sure there was more to life than this.

He lined up and broke, balls scattering over the table.

“Naw, I’m telling you,” Rylan said. “Married life is pretty good. I never wanted to settle down, either, until Kailey. Now I know what I was missin’.” He grinned, a little sideways smile that made Tanner roll his eyes.

Tanner missed his next shot, so it was Ry’s turn. As Tanner watched, he let out a dissatisfied sigh. Everywhere around him, people were in love and telling him how wonderful it was. And it wasn’t that Tanner wasn’t happy for his brother. He was. Maddy was a great woman, with adorable kids, and he was pretty sure wedding bells would be ringing for his brother really soon.

Tanner just wasn’t sure he was built that way. Or that he was the marrying kind. He was, as his ex put it, built for fun, but not for a lifetime.

Fun he could do. Because he sure as hell wasn’t interested in having his heart stomped on again. So he worked hard and blew off some steam now and again. As far as the living-at-home thing, he’d been young and stupid and had spent his money as fast as he’d made it. But not in the last few years. He’d saved what he would have paid on rent or a mortgage until he’d built up a nice little savings. His truck wasn’t new, and other than what little he spent on going out, his expenses were few.

Maybe he wasn’t a keeper in the love department, but no one would ever accuse him of being broke and worthless again. Maybe he should bite the bullet and put a down payment on a place of his own.

Trouble was, it wasn’t just living at home that was making him itch. It was the ranch, too, and feeling as if his whole life was laid out in front of him. No deviation. No curve balls. It was so...predictable. He didn’t hate the ranch; it wasn’t that at all. But he couldn’t shake the feeling that there might be something more out there waiting for him.

“Dude. It’s your shot. You off in la-la land or what?”

Tanner frowned. “Sorry. I’m probably not very good company tonight.”

“No kidding. At this rate, you’re going to be down another twenty.”

Mad at himself for being bad company, Tanner let out a breath and focused on sinking the next ball. He did, and two more, which made him feel as if he was a little more with the program.

They finished the game and Rylan asked if he wanted to play another, but Tanner just wasn’t in the zone. “Sorry, man,” he said. “I’m out. But I’ll take that twenty.”

“Come on. Double or nothing. I’m here for another two hours until Kailey’s done.”

Tanner thought about it, but then he shook his head. “I’m bad company anyway. You should get yourself some suicide wings and a few more beers and find another willing victim.”

Rylan laughed and dug in his wallet for the twenty. It seemed like each time they met, the bill just exchanged hands, back and forth. Tanner pocketed it and shrugged back into his denim jacket. “Thanks for the game, Ry.”