Total pages in book: 128
Estimated words: 122966 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 615(@200wpm)___ 492(@250wpm)___ 410(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 122966 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 615(@200wpm)___ 492(@250wpm)___ 410(@300wpm)
With a long table packed with food to the point where we barely saw the tablecloth underneath, Christmas music, and my favorite people, it was bound to be a fantastic evening.
“Did you share your news yet?” Darius asked Ryan. They were seated across from each other in the middle seats, and I was next to Ry, which wasn’t always a safe pick. Regardless of how they crawled closer to forty, everything within grasp was a weapon if necessary.
“What news?” Mary perked up.
Ryan sent Darius an unreadable—never mind, I could read it. It was anything but pleasant.
“This is gonna be good.” Lias had picked up on it too.
“Easy for you to say.” I frowned. “You’re not in the splash zone.”
“If you lean forward a little, you’ll protect me from the splash zone.” Pipsqueak batted her lashes.
I shot her a smirk. “Nah, it’s every man and woman for themselves in this bunch.”
She narrowed her eyes at me.
I shoveled some turkey and gravy into my mouth and grabbed another roll.
Her huff was drowned out by the brothers’ commotion, but James put a stop to it eventually and ordered Ryan to share whatever news he had.
“It’s nothing huge,” Ryan defended. “I’ve met someone, all right? That’s it. I’ve met someone.”
“Oh, but that’s wonderful, sweetheart!” Mary exclaimed. “Tell us about her. Or him?”
Ethan snorted.
“It’s a her,” Ryan confirmed.
Darius was smirking wolfishly, so I knew that wasn’t the extent of it. “Tell them how old she is.”
“I swear to Christ!” Ryan threw a roll at his brother, who ducked and started laughing his ass off.
“Boys!” Mary warned. Next, she quirked a brow at Ryan. “Either she’s my age, or you’re robbing the cradle. Which is it, son? Otherwise, Darius wouldn’t be acting like a child right now.”
“What the fuck?” Darius scowled.
I shook my head, too amused. It was best to just stay out of it.
“It’s possible she’s on the young side,” Ryan admitted. “In my defense, she’s very mature for her age.”
Jesus, how bad could it be? Ryan was thirty-six, I was fairly certain. Yeah, because I remembered he was four years older than me. Darius was eleven months older than Ry, making them Irish twins.
“How young?” James pressed.
Ryan sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “She’s eighteen.”
“Holy shit,” Willow and I blurted out at the same time. The rest of the table was a mixed bag of shock and laughter.
Except for Pipsqueak, it seemed. “I don’t see the problem.”
“Thank you, hon,” Ryan said.
“Yeah,” Pipsqueak went on. “She’s legal, and Ryan’s mentally twelve.”
Fucking hell. I didn’t know who guffawed the loudest, Ethan, Darius, or me. That was too funny. And Ryan’s expression was priceless. He went from thank you for the support, little sister to a look of betrayal.
Man, I’d needed this night.
Eighteen
“I reckon it’s time we take you out and get you laid, Ave.”
“Hey. Young ears.” I pointed at Grace, who was squirming around on her back and chewing on her foot in her playpen.
Spring had finally arrived, and as soon as the weather had allowed it, I’d lured Darius over for beer and assistance to assemble my new lawn furniture. The new grill was in place, and I’d installed the retractable awning last year. Now I just needed to get rid of the plastic lawn furniture, and then I could host proper barbecues here.
Darius lifted a brow at Grace, then slid me a frown. “She’s five months old. Quit hiding behind your kid.”
I flipped the table on its side and reached for the next set of screws. “Last time ended with a baby and an STD screening. I think I’m good for a while.”
He let out a laugh.
I was serious, though. Women, even for the briefest of encounters, weren’t on my mind. I had my hands full with Grace and work.
“I don’t remember a time I got more than four consecutive hours of sleep a night,” I went on. “Last week, I picked Grace up an hour later than usual after work so I could nap in my car.”
As rough as it had been in the beginning to leave her at day care every morning, there was relief too. Grace screamed—a lot.
It’d made me realize I needed little breaks here and there where I could feel like an adult and not just a dad. It was why I wanted to get my patio ready for the summer now. Mary and Pipsqueak were always offering to babysit, so I figured a few Fridays and Saturdays this barbecue season, they would get to do just that. While I had some buddies over for beer and food.
“I’m surprised you didn’t have a heart attack at being away from her for a whole extra hour.”
I flipped him off and stepped back, surveying the table. I just needed to tighten the screws, and then it’d be done. But first, I walked over to Grace’s playpen, and her incoherent babbling turned all excited as I picked her up.