“I wouldn’t dare.” I promise her, and then my eyes connect with the sassy blonde who has entered our lives. “Get over here little minx,” curling my finger, in a come here motion.
Looking in the direction of the front door quickly before she stands up and walks over to me. Her head tilts back as she connects her eyes with mine.
“Have fun… but not too much fun without me.” I tell her, cupping her face and dragging my thumb over her bottom lip.
An easy smile crosses her face before she nips at my thumb. “I make no promises.” She says to me, before rising up on her toes and places a quick kiss to my lips. Then takes a seat next to Josie, throwing her arm along the back of her chair.
I run my hand across my beard, scratching along my jaw line as I take in my women. I hope they take the time to get to explore one another, not only physically but intellectually as well.
“Make sure you guys go out or something instead of holing up in the house while we’re gone.” Reminding them to take that time, and as if on cue, Hayes begins babbling loudly pulling all of our attention to him in his play area.
“Da-da da-da” He says, holding himself up along the gate. My guy has been starting to say some words. Sure it’s da-da and mom, but those are some important words. We’ve been working on Shiloh and Evie, but those words are pretty hard for an eight month old.
“Hey little man, let da-da give you some love before I leave.” Walking over to him, I reach over the gate and lift him up. I spend the next couple minutes talking to him and throwing him in the air a few times.
“Now, you’re gonna be hanging out with the ladies this weekend.” I tell him, after catching him and holding him at my side. He gives the purest laughs when he’s free falling in the air like that. His smile is huge as I continue what I’m saying. “I want you to be on your best behavior for momma and Evie.”
“V-ee” He squeals, throwing his hands in the air, kicking his feet like he’s bouncing up and down.
I look at him in shock. He’s never said that before, my head snaps up and I see Josie and Evie with matching expressions of shock.
“Did he just…” Evie starts. The moment she speaks Hayes looks over at her and begins chanting “V-ee! Vee Vee!” Making grabby hands at her.
A smile breaks through on her face as she walks over to him. “Yeah buddy, that’s my name!” Holding out her hands she takes Hayes from my arms and begins to pepper him with kisses all over his face. Which justcauses him to squeal with joy and I swear my heart grows two sizes at the sight.
The way she cares for the boys, and how much they clearly care for her.
Josie joins beside Evie and begins kissing the other side of Hayes’s face. “That was amazing.” She says when she pulls back. “You are so smart!” She tells Hayes, booping him on his nose before she looks at me.
“I can call my mom and see if she wants to come down and spend a day with us and maybe take Hayes for the night so we can go out for supper.” Josie tells me, returning back to what we were talking about earlier.
“Good.” I confirm with a nod of my head, leaning forward I place a kiss on everyone's cheek one more time before I say my final goodbyes and head out the door. They follow behind me, and once we’re all locked and loaded we drive away with everyone standing in the driveway waving us off.
The drive out to the cabin we rented takes us about three hours. Somehow we managed to make it through the whole trip there with minimal casualties.
Only a package of goldfish that Shiloh insisted he open which resulted in tiny cracker fishes all over the back of Xavier’s truck.
Uncle Xavy was of course a good sport and actually thought it was hilarious. Stating that we’ll just clean it up when we get there. My once closed off best friend is enjoying his life again.
“Have you ever thought of having kids with Harps?” I ask him, taking one of the duffle bags and bringing it to the back door. Shiloh has taken off and is exploring the cabin, insisting he needs to find a good bed to claim.
Xavier only pauses momentarily before answering me, “I have.”
Placing my hands on my hips I stare at him, waiting for him to elaborate. He just continues to unload things from the truck and doesn’t seethat I’ve stopped in my tracks. When the cooler’s on the deck he turns around and notices my stillness.
“What?” He asks me, eye brown raised in question.
Throwing my hands up I scoff, “that’s all I get?” I ask in exasperation.
“Yes– you asked me if I’ve thought about having kids with Harps. The answer is I have.” He says matter of factly.
This mother fucker.
“Yes, we’ve established that.” I deadpan, getting more from him feels like I’m pulling teeth. “Have you and Harper talked about it? Are you going to be trying? When?”
I fire off the questions one after the other, because hell, why hasn’t he told me this? Am I so caught up in my current state of relationship that I haven’t made him feel like he can tell me these things?
“How about we do one question at a time, yeah?” He says hands up in a slow down position, “But let’s get everything inside first.”
