The door shudders like somebody ran into it. “I heard that,” Quint calls out, and Reid chuckles. “You don’t have to listen to me, but Slate and Tessa will be here soon. Tessa will not go for anyone sitting out if she doesn’t get to.”
Reid groans. “I guess we have to get up,” I say right before I sit up.
“Wait,” he says before I get too far. He tugs me back towards him. “I didn’t kiss you good morning yet.”
I smile up at him. “Well, in that case...”
It’s a good thirty minutes or so before Reid and I make it out to the kitchen. Remarkably, we didn’t even spend all that time making out. We took turns taking showers, and I guess neither of us were really in a hurry to leave our little haven in Reid’s room. But now that we did, I’m excited to spend the day with everybody. I can’t remember the last time I was here for a Sunday.
“Riley!” Tessa calls out and then swallows me in a hug. She pulls back, beaming. “Congratulations, Guys!” She glances over at Evie and then back to me. “Riley, on behalf of Evie and myself, I would like to formally congratulate you on dog-wah.”
I lift an eyebrow and look between the two girls. Evie shakes her head, but Tessa is totally invested. “I don’t get it,” I finally say.
“You are now a proud member of dog-wah,” she says. “Dating a hot guy who’s also a wolf. But that’s too much to say, so we just say dog-wah.”
It takes me a moment. “Oh, DAHGWAAW.”
“Exactly,” Tessa says, beaming.
Quint leans over Zane and Slate where they’re sitting at the table. “Aw, guys what are we going to call ourselves?”
“How about—get your hands off me before I break them,” Slate says in a low voice.
Quint holds up his fingers. “G-Y-H...” Slate elbows him, and he backs away, laughing.
I rub my hands together. “What can I do to help with food?”
Evie turns to me. “Oh, we ordered food. It should be here any minute.” She grins at me. “P. F. Chang’s.”
My eyes widen. “Really?”
Evie gives me a wide smile and looks at Zane. “It was his idea since he was sort of a jerk last night.”
Zane scowls and shakes his head, but then he turns to the two of us. “I’m sorry I wasn’t happier last night that you two bonded; it just threw me off. But that’s no excuse,” he says, putting a hand up. “I really am happy for you both.”
I walk over to him and give him a fierce hug. “Thank you, Brother.”
He hugs me back. When I pull back, he turns to Reid. “If you hurt her...”
Reid nods. “I know.”
Then they hug, and I can’t stop my smile. It feels really good. There’s a part of me that regrets not doing this sooner. But then I look at the group around me and know that this was just the right time. After we eat our weight in chicken lettuce wraps, fried rice, and delicious entrees like Mongolian beef and Sesame Chicken, we sit around the table talking and laughing. I lean against Reid and hold my sides from laughing too hard. “All right. The food’s had long enough to digest. It’s time to play,” Quint says, standing up and stretching. “No excuses. You all ate,” he says, pointing to each of us in turn. “So, you all have to play.”
“What sport is it today?” I ask as I start gathering the empty cartons.
“Ooo,” Tessa sits up from where she was reclining against Slate, and we all turn to look at her. “We always have to play your sports. Today, Evie and I are picking something new.”
“We are?” Evie asks. When Tessa cuts her a look, she stiffens. “Right. We are.”
“Yes,” Tessa continues. “Dodgeball.”
Evie faces Tessa and scrunches up her nose. “Dodgeball, really?”
“Yeah, what’s after that?” Quint asks. “Tag?”
Tessa’s eyes light up. “Ooo, yes. Perfect. Dodgeball, then tag.”
Quint squints. “Are we back in kindergarten?”
