Page 4 of Learning at 40

Mason takes a seat and automatically hands Anna an open beer even though she declined my offer. Blindly, she accepts it and takes a drink of the summer shandy. I tip up a brow at Mason, who just shakes his head at me. Don’t ask.

“There they are,” he calls out instead, and I twist in my chair to see Logan carrying three bags and something long under his arm. Autumn follows with baby Ben in a carrier strapped to her chest.

“Lorna. Come here, beautiful,” I address Logan’s daughter, who runs to give me a quick sideways hug before running off for Mila. The two girls are technically cousins now but also best friends despite a one-year age gap. I greet Autumn next, pressing a kiss to her cheek and then one to her son’s head.

“I think he’s finally asleep,” she whispers. Her voice is strained from the effort of walking down all those stairs with an additional ten pounds attached to her. Gingerly, she lowers herself into a chair.

“I forgot how much shit babies need,” Logan huffs, not so gracefully dropping all the bags onto the sand and bending for the cooler immediately.

“It’s not shit,” Autumn argues, pressing a kiss to the head of her sleeping babe.

“You’re right. It’s crap,” Logan mocks, stepping over to his wife and pressing a kiss to the top of her head. “Want me to set up that tent thingy?”

“Not yet,” she sighs. “But I’d kill for one of those.” She nods longingly at the beer in his hand.

“I’ll drink one for you,” he teases.

“You aren’t drinking?” I question and feel like an idiot when Autumn simply replies, “Nursing.”

“Oh yes, let’s discuss breasts,” Mason teases before lifting his beer and taking a long pull.

“As opposed to cojones?” I joke.

“Why are cojones in opposition to breasts?” Logan questions, and Mason shakes his head.

“Don’t ask,” I retort. “But might I suggest when your boy grows older, you keep Uncle Mason away from him when he’s six, seven, or any age where body parts are a fascination.”

“We’re men. All body parts fascinate us,” Mason jests.

“Please let us talk about something other than body parts,” I beg, tipping my head back in my seat. “Tell me more about the neighbor.”

It isn’t the smoothest transition, but I’m curious. Who exactly is River? Is she the golden-haired goddess who hasn’t left my thoughts for weeks since I saw her the night of Ben’s funeral?

“Speaking of body parts.” Mason salaciously grins and wiggles his eyebrows.

Fuck. My hackles instantly rise, asking a question where I fear the answer. “Do you have knowledge of her body parts?”

“Oh my gosh, must we discuss Mason’s sex life? Innocent ears here,” Autumn jokes, covering baby Ben’s ears.

“He isn’t interested in sex yet, just boobs,” Mason replies.

Logan chokes on a swallow of beer. “Those would be my wife’s boobs you’re referencing, and they are not up for discussion.”

“Easy, baby daddy.” Mason holds up both hands. “I just mean River has a nice rack.”

Anna scrunches her face while Autumn shakes her head in disgust. Mentioning her rack reminds me of her outlined form, standing in the dim light of her darkened yard. She might as well have been naked that night.

“Did you bang her?” I crudely ask, my voice rough for some reason. My hand clenches tighter around the beer bottle in my hand. I’ll strangle him if he touched her.

And I have no idea where the possessive thoughts come from.

“Fuck no. She’s not my type,” Mason gruffly answers, holding his head still as he narrows his eyes at me.

“You have a type?” Logan jests. Anna stands without a sound and begins walking down the beach. Shit.

“Should someone follow her?” I question, suddenly feeling bad about discussing sex, even if it is just Mason’s lifestyle. Silently, he watches Anna stalk away.

“She’s going to do this from time to time,” Autumn answers. “She’ll need to break away from the chaos to process her emotions.”