Mary had a way of calling each grandchild her favorite, with their own unique designation.
“Hi, Ma,” Jack said before kissing her cheek.
Craft and booze night had always been a girls only thing, but tonight was different.Because of me. I wish Nikki were here; Ineeded my best friend. Unlike me, she’d graduated from college in four years and then moved away after getting her dream job.
Just like all my friends. While they finished school in the normal time, I took time off after my parents’ death. While they got jobs, I switched to taking online classes to finish my degree. While they got married and started families, I took care of my grandmother.
Could I tell Nikki how messed up my life had become if she were here? No, probably not. Austin would have a fit.
Thinking his name conjured him out of thin air.
“Hi Nina, I’m glad you didn’t change your mind.”
“Thanks.”I sound so stupid. But what else could I say?
“The guys will eat with us, then take my grandchildren to the family room,” Mary said.
“And me,” Chase piped up.
“And you, Little Man,” Doug said.
“I love how our children get renamed when Ma’s around,” Jamie laughed.
“A grandmother’s prerogative.”
“Yes, ma’am,” Jack agreed. “And we respect your grandmotherly rights.”
“Not to mention the free, trusted childcare,” Jamie said. “I read so many horror stories while Em was pregnant that I almost became a stay at home dad.” He feigned a shutter.
“Thankfully, I can work from home and don’t keep nine-to-five hours,” Emily said, hugging her husband.
“And thankfully, you can work anywhere,” Jamie said, kissing the top of her head.
“I think it’ll be fun to work at the SSI office,” Ashley said. “We’ll be surrounded by protective, alpha male, eye candy all day.”
“Hey,” Nathan said.
“You have nothing to worry about, Casper. You know I love you best.”
“I know, but that doesn’t mean I want you ogling my bosses.” Nathan rubbed Ashley’s belly.
“Has she ever ogled us?” Jamie asked.
“She has,” Emily said, before she, Ashley, and Meg broke into a fit of laughter.
“She’s the one who started calling you eye candy,” Meg said after the laughter subsided.
“I’m her only eye candy now,” Nathan said. “Right, Slick?”
“Right.” Ashley put her hand over his on her baby bump.
She was due to pop before the end of the month.
God, I hope it doesn’t happen tonight. I didn’t want to accidentally be a part of the family’s big event.
The doorbell rang. All eyes turned towards the door, and the room went silent for half a second before AJ pocketed his phone and said, “Pizza’s here.”
It didn’t take four guys to answer the door, but they did anyway.
