Without even glancing at me, Finn ran toward her and disappeared between the picnic tables.
“He’ll be fine,” Curtis told me as he lowered the baby and tucked her into the crook of her arm. “Everyone keeps an eye on the kids. They won’t get into trouble.”
“My stepmom will wrangle them,” Kara agreed. “She’s the one who brought the water toys.”
“Shit,” Charlie muttered, pausing. “That’s Cody’s hurt cry. Does anyone see him?”
Curtis looked around the area and then jutted his chin toward the building. “He’s over there. Bishop’s got him.”
“Thanks,” Charlie replied, turning on her heel. She raced in that direction.
“I’m going to go get a drink,” Kara said, still smiling. “You wanna come?” she asked Jesse.
“You want one?” Jesse asked me.
“I’m good,” I replied quietly. “Go. Meet people.”
Jess grinned and followed Kara away.
“Come on,” Curtis said, leading me through the throng of people. I tried to smile at everyone as they greeted us, but Curtis didn’t pause to introduce me to anyone, and by the time he came to a stop, my face felt frozen.
“I wondered when you’d get here,” a beautiful woman with long black hair and Curtis’s smile greeted as she rose from her seat. “I see you stole the baby on your way through.”
“Hey, Ma,” Curtis greeted happily. “Tried to find you first, but Charlie jumped on my back.”
“Hopefully she wasn’t holding Jenna when she did it,” his mom joked as she rounded the table.
“Nah, I stole Jenna from Kara,” Curtis replied. “Ma, this is Teddy. Teddy, this is my ma, Trix.”
“Nice to meet you,” I said, my mouth so dry it came out a little hoarse. I didn’t know why I was so fucking nervous to meet Curtis’s mother. It didn’t matter if she liked me or hated me. None of this was real.
“Hey, Teddy,” Trix said, smiling. “How’s the new place? You guys getting all settled in?”
“Uh, yeah,” I said, relief making my legs a little wobbly. “All good.”
“Good,” she replied. She looked up at Curtis. “Kara said you guys are still looking for furniture?”
“Yeah,” Curtis said, his arm shifting. His fingers began to play absentmindedly through the hair at the nape of my neck. “We need a couch. Teddy’s ten-year-old still needs a bed, dressers, coffee table—”
“Make me a list,” Trix said, her gaze coming back to me. “I’ll pass it around and see if anyone has anything they’re wanting to get rid of. Some of these guys buy new furniture every season.”
“Oh, I donot,” a blonde woman called from the table.
“I didn’t saywho,” Trix replied without turning to look at her. She grinned at me. “I’ll make sure anything they’re offering up isn’t shit.”
“Thanks, Ma,” Curtis said.
“Yeah, thank you,” I agreed. “We had a furnished apartment before. I swear my kids weren’t sleeping on the floor of our old place.”
Trix chuckled and waved me off. “It’s good for them. Builds character.” She turned and gestured to the table. “These are Curtis’s aunts. Cecilia and Lily.”
“Hi,” I greeted. By the way she introduced them, the two must’ve been Cam’s sisters, but again, I couldn’t see any resemblance. Both women were on the smaller side, but they didn’t look like each other or their brother. Cecilia did look a little like an older version of Charlie, though.
Baby Jenna started to fuss, and Curtis let go of my hair in order to readjust her, pulling her up so that she rested curled up against his chest. She stuffed a hand in her mouth and started noisily sucking on the side of it. Trix smiled softly, reaching out to rub her little back.
“Looks like she’s getting hungry. You should go find Charlie before she really lets loose. That baby’s scream is so loud, your ears will be ringing for days.”
Curtis nodded and looked at me.
