The trip actually goes pretty quickly and I load up the groceries for her and we head back to her place. I can’t wait till we finish the additions in our place so we can get her to agree to move in.
She gets me out of my head when we are almost back to her place.
“Are your sisters coming to the cookout?”
“I think they are, yeah. They usually show up, and now that they know you’re around they’ll come around even more. They keep sayin’ we need more old ladies and girlfriends around for them to hang out with.”
“So they don’t have boyfriends or do they just not bring them around you guys, since I’m sure you’re all just so nice to them.”
I can see out of the corner of my eye that she’s got a shit-eatin’ grin on her face.
“Baby, what makes you think that we would be anything but nice to any of the college age fuckfaces they’ve brought home before?”
She busts up laughing.
“Watch yourself or they’re gonna end up with friends of yours. God help any girls we might have someday, they’re gonna end up dying virgins with y’all around.”
“Woman. First, don’t put that juju out there about my sisters. Second, our daughters won’t die as virgins, but they can’t date till they’re like thirty-five or forty. But baby, I love hearing you talking about having kids with us. Shows me you want a future with us and that makes me happier than a kid on Christmas Day morning.”
“Well, it’s a good thing I’m okay with it since I think all three of you have slipped up a time or two in the condom department. Probably a good thing I’ve got an appointment this week to get on birth control.”
“You know, baby, we’d be happy if you did get pregnant. We’re also fine with waiting for you when you’re ready.”
“I know, but I just want some more time with y’all by myself for a bit, before thinking about all of that, though I say we keep practicing for when that time doesn’t happen.”
“That right there, baby, tells me you're a genius and I couldn’t agree more.”
Jane
I spend the next couple of hours putting together potato salad, pasta salad, condiment trays for burgers and cookies for dessert. I decided at the store I wanted to make both Ben and Tim’s favorite desserts for them tonight. I’ve got Ben’s Pineapple Dream dessert in the fridge, and Tim’s berry cobbler is getting ready to come out of the oven. Luckily, both are really easy to make for a crowd, something I’m having to learn to do.
The guys all left to run some errands as soon as all the groceries were unloaded, though they did tell me they left the prospect Cain out front and Mario in the back. I know they were planning on having church and to introduce my uncles to the whole club.
Just as I pull the cobbler out of the oven, my phone dings with an incoming text. It’s in our group chat.
Jon: Babygirl we just finished church. You ready for us to come get you?
Me: No need, I’ve got everything ready. I’ll have the prospects help me load up and just head over.
Rory: You sure, beautiful? We can come help load up, no problem. You did all the work.
Juan: Yeah, what they said, baby.
Me: I’m sure. I’m just going to change and we’ll load up and be over in just a few minutes. Doesn’t make sense for you just to come load up when I’ve got help here. You know they won’t let me lift a finger.
Jon: They know I’d kick their asses if they didn’t help you. Alright, see you in a few babygirl.
Juan: And don’t try and unload anything when you get here either, baby.
I send an eye roll emoji and a thumbs-up one. I know they mean well but shit, I ain’t broken and can do this stuff myself without a problem. I’m reminded of what Ma told me the other day.
“It’s not that they think you can’t do it, it’s that they need to take care of you. It’s ingrained in their DNA. Women today can take care of almost everything without men, but their inner alphas still have the need to do things for us. This is one of those things that you can let them do, it makes them happy and you don’t have to lift anything heavy ever again. Consider it a win-win situation. Same with the door opening thing, it’s not that you can’t open your own door for yourself, but my boys were raised with their Pa instilling in them that they open doors for any woman. It’s the same with the walking on the sidewalk thing. They don’t even think about it anymore, it’s just second nature. No use fighting it or arguing about it. Save your arguing for the things that drive you nuts. Like spending the next twenty-five years arguing with my boy Juan and how he always misses the hamper with his socks.”
Damn if she wasn’t spot on about his damn socks. He may be one of the three sexiest men I’ve seen in real life, but he can’t get his socks in the hamper to save his life. The rest of his clothes, no problem.
Looking at my phone, I realize I have another new text. This one from Nicky. I know he really didn’t know, but it still hurts that he thought that and didn’t share with me his suspicions. I know I’ll get over it and talk to him, but not today.
I got changed and called the prospects in, and as I figured, I didn’t lift a finger, save for my purse and my drink to take with me. We head out, with one prospect, Mario, in front and another, Cain riding behind me.
