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Trav snickered. “She can take one for the team if the cops show up tonight.”
Grinning, I laid my head on Gage’s shoulder. “You know how I roll: uterus to the wall.”
Mace spat his beer and boomed with laughter. “What the fuck, Lil Bean? No one ever says ‘uterus to the wall’!”
“Ido, because I don’t have balls.”
“Jesus Christ,” Gage muttered, running a hand down his face while Ainsley offered me a fist bump.
Trav dashed his head my way and addressed Gage. “You’re marrying that, bro. It’s not too late to back out. Run while you still can.”
Despite the giggles, I brandished my middle finger, just as Brooklyn, Kimmie, and Jess returned from their walk with the kids.
“Uh, what did we miss?” Kimmie asked, handing Xavier to Mickey.
Trav paused rearranging the firewood. “Lil talking about her uterus.”
“What’s a utis?” Elodie asked.
Gage nudged my side. “That’s a question for you, Sunshine.”
I gathered El onto my knee and hugged her, automatically slipping into nurse-mode.
“It’s the part of our bodies that carries our babies inside us,” I explained simply. When El looked at Gage’s stomach, I snorted. “And only girls have them.”
She looked around the crew and I could see all the little cogs clicking into place inside her head.
After confirming that, yes, Jess, Brooklyn, Kimmie, Ainsley, myself,andherself all had uteruses, because yes we were all girls—with vaginas (which I also had to confirm)—she seemed content and easily distracted by Trav asking for a lighter.
All eyes flicked expectantly to Mickey. While he’d quit smoking while Kimmie was pregnant, the habit of carrying a lighter hadn’t passed. Ironic, for a firefighter.
He rolled his eyes and tossed it Trav’s way, complete with a warning: “When I get fired, we’re coming to live with you.”
With a whoop, Trav flicked the flame to life and showed El how to light the smaller kindling before adding thicker pieces. My heart smiled as I watched them. Trav would be an awesome dad one day.
My eyes flicked to Mickey as he entered my psyche.
I internally asked back.
Gage felt me startle and smoothed his hand around my inner thigh. He gave it a double squeeze of reassurance while continuing his conversation with Kimmie.
My focus homed in on Mickey. He’d always had the ability to feel sensations (mostly pain) that belonged to me.
His eyes flared a little.
I fought the tears as they sprang to my eyes and blinked hard to clear them.
Mickey’s face saddened.
I shook my head.
Visible relief swept through him.
