Page 72 of Playing With Forever

“Someone go get Lindz,” DJ ordered. “I got her favorite.”

Fuck, I wish Lindy had been in here to hear DJ say that. Her just knowing he knew what her favorite food from dinner down the street would make her feel good.

“You go get her,” Kane shot back.

I leaned back on the couch, wrapped my hand around Josie’s calf, and listened to the chaos happening in the kitchen.

If I was being honest, this was what I’d always wanted. A big, loud family. A family full of love and noise and bedlam around holiday meals.

I thought that dream died with Celeste.

And it had, for over two decades.

Now, with Josie, I had it.

The back door opened, and Lindy came in with her phone held out in front of her.

“I’m changing my number,” she declared. “Seventeen texts in three minutes is obscene.”

“You should’ve moved faster.”

“Whatever, squirrel boy,” Lindy muttered.

“Low blow, Lindz.”

“I love you all,” Josie announced over the bickering. “All of you. I love all of you.”

My lioness couldn’t even wait until after dinner to move in and protect her cubs.

Four pairs of eyes, all in varying degrees of concern, stared at Josie.

“You’re not going to lose me, Lindy.” Josie pinned my girl with a stare before she looked around the room. “None of you are.”

“Okay, Mom,” DJ agreed.

“Lindy? My girl, you understand? You’re losing me. You’re losing our family.”

My girl’s face crumbled, tears hit her eyes, but she didn’t wipe them away.

Kane wasted no time throwing his arm around Lindy’s shoulder and declaring, “I’m finally not the baby of the family. No way in hell am I losing my kid sister.”

Incidentally, Carrie was a year older than her husband.

“Please, you’ll always be Mom’s baby boy.”

Fuck, but I loved this.

“Green looks good on you, brother.”

I glanced over at Josie and asked, “Happy now?”

“Deliriously happy.”

“Can you please hold off on making any declarations of happiness until Carrie and I tell you our news?”

I heard Josie suck in a deep breath, I braced for the coughing fit and only relaxed when she only had to clear her throat.

I found Josie’s hand and curled my finger tight.