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I fight back the tears as I pull out, and the door slowly closes, holding him inside. This is going to be so much harder than I ever thought it would be.
CHAPTERTHIRTEEN
Brooks
It’s been raining like pouring piss out of a boot all damn day. I’ve been at Mom and Dad’s along with all eight of my brothers, waiting to see if this storm is going to pass so we can work on finishing up this outdoor pizza oven my mom’s been talking about for years.
“It doesn’t look like it’s going to let up.” Ryder turns the screen of his phone so we can all see the radar. “It’s supposed to be clear and sunny tomorrow.”
“Well, I guess we’re rained out, boys,” my dad says.
“You mean I get all my boys here two days in a row? Mother Nature is my new best friend,” my mom teases. “I’ll make Sunday lunch and Sunday dinner.”
“Mom,” Archer speaks up. “You don’t have to do that.”
“I know, but I want to. I miss having all of you here, and I know you all try to make it on Sundays, but that’s for a couple of hours. I get all of you all day. And there are some Sundays when your lives make it so that you can’t be here, and I understand that. I’ll take the small victories with my sons when I can get them.” She smiles at each of us, and damn if that doesn’t hit me in the feels.
“Daddy,” Blakely calls out. “Can we have Rams, and Palmer, and Jade spend the night with us? Please, Daddy?”
My dad coughs to cover his laugh. My mom looks horrified, as if Declan has been having orgies in front of his daughter. Orrin grins because he knows where the question is coming from, and me, well, all I can think is that she can’t stay with you because I want her to stay with me.
“I don’t think so, squirt. Uncle Orrin and Jade have plans,” Declan tells his daughter. He’s totally making that shit up. I’m sure they’re going to be together, but Orrin hasn’t said a word about plans with Jade tonight. We all left this day and night open. We wanted to get this project finished for Mom. “Ramsey is with Deacon, and I’m sure Palmer is out on a date.”
“Can I go on a date too?” she asks.
“When you’re thirty,” Declan tells her.
Blakely nods. “Okay.” In her four-year-old mind, thirty seems like a fair answer. She has no idea thirty is way off the mark of the age she’s actually going to start dating.
“You ready to go?” Declan asks Blakely.
“I guess.” She shrugs. “Are we coming back soon?”
“We’ll be back tomorrow,” he tells her.
“Dec?” Mom speaks up. “Can she stay?” she mouths. Declan nods.
“Blake, do you want to spend the night with Mamaw and Papaw?”
“Yes!” Blakely punches her little fist in the air. She runs to her dad and throws herself onto his lap, where he’s sitting on the couch. “Can I, Daddy? Please, can I?” she begs.
“You promise to be good?” he asks.
“Oh, I so promise.”
We all laugh. “You can stay. Give Daddy and your uncles some love.” She does just that. She hugs and kisses all of us goodbye, and we all head to our vehicles with plans to come back tomorrow and try again.
“What are you doing with your night off?” Sterling asks Declan.
“Sleeping.” He laughs. “Sleeping in the rain is my jam, and having a night where I don’t have to be on, sounds like the perfect night.”
None of us give him shit because how can we? We don’t know what it’s like to be a dad. We do know that he’s a damn good one, and if he wants a night to just chill in his own space, he’s earned that.
“What about you?” Sterling asks.
“I think I’m going to do the same. It’s been a long-ass week, and I need to get caught up on laundry and a few other things if I’m going to be here tomorrow.” A murmur of agreement from all my brothers fills the small front porch. The twins are even claiming they're staying home tonight. Truth be told, they love spoiling Blakely, and they’re all about trying to win the favorite uncle titles.
Once I’m on the road, I grab my phone and call Palmer. She answers on the first ring.
