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I rolled my eyes and pointed my sucker at her threateningly. "Don't start with me. He's married."
"So? His wife left him."
"He's still married to her, and he's not going to change that any time soon. I already told you why he needs to stay married."
She had to mumble around her lollipop when she stuck it back into her mouth. "Yeah, I still don't understand why that's keeping you from claiming him. It's obvious to everyone you two are completely into each other."
"Because he's married, Ree Ree." How many times did I have to repeat that?
"Yeah, but it's not like a real marriage. They've never even kissed."
I sighed. "But he's still connected in some way to another woman. How would you feel if Mason married me just to give Sky and I some insurance?"
Reese instantly frowned. "That's different."
I lifted my eyebrows. "Oh, is it? How?"
"Because . . . because Mason and I are already engaged."
"So?" I lifted my arms, needing more of a reason than that. "What if Pick and I started something and decided we wanted to get engaged too? Then what? He can't divorce her."
"Okay, fine. You have a point." She rolled her eyes before mumbling, "I just wanted you to have a happily ever after, like I found."
Well, so did I. But Reese and I were two totally different people, and I had a feeling I'd never end up with any of the gifts she'd been given. I just didn't deserve that, even though I'd already received the most precious bundle of all, still snoozing beside Julian in the back seat.
Reese left the issue alone after that, thank goodness. She ended up sticking around the rest of the afternoon to help me put groceries away and play with the babies.
She booted up Pharrell's "Happy" on her iPhone and danced Julian around the kitchen while Skylar napped in the bouncer and I finished the hamburger helper I was cooking. Pick made it home from the garage in the middle of our supper-fixing party.
"Hey, little man, guess who's home?" Reese smiled at Pick before letting out a low, appreciative whistle. "Yowza. You know, all you Forbidden boys look fine in those tight black T-shirts you have to wear to the club, but this greasy, fresh from the auto shop look is even better on you. Yummy."
Pick arched me a shocked glance. "Did Lowe's woman just hit on me?"
"What?" Reese asked, clueless. "I can appreciate the aesthetic appeal of male beauty whenever I see it. Mason doesn't care if I look; he knows no one else can compare to him. But seriously, I'm going to have to buy this getup for him too, so we can play Naughty Mechanic sometime."
"Wow." Pick shook his head, stunned. "You are the complete opposite of your boyfriend, aren't you?"
Reese scowled. "What do you mean?"
"At work, that boy avoids women like the plague, never checks them out, and he never shares details about you two . . . I mean, other than the jelly thing."
Reese gasped, turning a bright tomato red. "I am so going to kill him for that. Now if you two will excuse me, I need to go home and . . . punish my man, probably with a nice strawberry or grape." She touched her chin thoughtfully. "Though he does have an affinity for peach jam."
While Pick burst out laughing, I rolled my eyes. "Okay, enough. Cut that kind of talk out. Not in front of my children, please."
Reese arched an eyebrow. "Your children?"
I flushed hard, and met Pick's grinning gaze before frowning at my cousin. "The children. Grr. Just . . . quit correcting my grammar. Go home and spank your boyfriend with flavored jelly already."
Reese tossed back her head and laughed before turning to Pick and handing Julian over. "Yours, I believe."
"Thank you." He took the boy into his arms. "And thanks for keeping Tinker Bell company today."
"No, thank you for fixing up my engine," Reese shot back with a small curtsy. "It runs like a whole new car."
He sighed, disagreeing. "It's still a piece of shit, so let me know if anything ever sounds strange or acts funny, especially if you're going to keep driving my children all over kingdom come in it."
Reese glanced back at me and made a pleasantly shocked face before mouthing the words, "He's a keeper." Then, she turned back to Pick and patted his cheek indulgently. "Will do, boss. I assume E. will be playing sleepover again since I checked Mason's work schedule and already know you'll be working at the club tonight."
