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18
NICKY
Stayingatthepackhouse was like something out of a fever dream.
I felt like I was at a five-star hotel with a whole herd of servants waiting to attend to my every need. Not that the pack were servants, but there was always someone at the ready, no matter what I needed.
While we watched a movie, I was wedged in the center with Billie cuddled up to me on one side and Jasper on the other, Tony leaning into him. Tony’s arm stretched behind me, and his hand rested comfortably on the back of my neck while Gabe and Hana snuggled next to Billie in the cozy couch nest.
They were the best and easiest distraction I could’ve ever asked for. We ate together, fell asleep briefly in a cuddle pile, and we even made use of their pool.
It was hard to give Alphonse even a second thought while I blasted an inflatable ball over the volleyball net strung across the pool in my borrowed purple polka dot bikini.
We paused the game when Gabe had to leave to head to work at the club.
Gabe climbed out of the pool. “You all behave.”
Everyone all lined up for goodbye kisses. I couldn’t stop my giggle over how sweet they all were, rising up to meet his lips.
“None for Nicky?” Gabe asked.
I hadn’t even considered I might be a part of the ritual, but it warmed me that he wanted me to be included, so I swam over to the edge, lifting myself up to accept a kiss on the cheek with his hand hooked under my chin.
It only took him disappearing out of sight for us to resume our game. Hana switched over to lounging on a float in the deep end, only re-entering the fray when the ball went wild and landed close enough for her to punt it back in our direction.
Jasper and I were up by two points.
The luxury of having a pool this size, an indoor one no less, wasn’t lost on me. I had gathered that this pack was basically loaded, but seeing it in action was another thing entirely.
Jasper swam underneath me and hoisted me straight into the air with me on his shoulders. I shrieked with laughter and fought to maintain my balance. Tony plunged beneath the water and lifted Billie, too. The two of them walked us up to the net.
“Kiss for good luck,” said Jasper.
Billie laughed, and we kissed through one of the open squares of the netting.
“How do we play volleyball like this?” I asked.
“We don’t. I feel bad for Hana floating all by her lonesome,” said Billie.
“Don’t stop playing on my account.” Hana waved them off.
“We can switch to Marco Polo so everyone is included,” said Tony.
Hana gave a long-suffering sigh, even as she smiled softly.
Jasper tipped backwards, and I crashed into the water with a yelp. I flailed back to the surface and swiped my hair out of my face.
Tony closed his eyes and shouted, “Marco!”
We all yelled “Polo!” and I plunged back under, swimming away as fast as I could. I’d played this game with my brothers when we went to the community pool as kids. It had probably been close to fifteen years since then, and it brought back a vibrancy I hadn’t realized was missing.
The game carried on, “Marco!” and “Polo!” echoing off the walls as we splashed around.
“Marco!” Tony yelled again.
Oh shit.
He was way too close.
