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“You’re right,” Alyssa agrees as her cell rings.
She answers the call, and her shoulders drop. By the sound of it, someone is canceling plans on her.
“Well, Kristy and Jerry canceled on us for tomorrow night,” Alyssa tells Sterling. “I guess he did something to his back at work today and going to a concert no longer sounds like a good time.”
“Damn,” Sterling mutters before his gaze finds mine. “Why don’t the two of you go with us?”
“Where?” Kennedy asks.
“Brett Young.”
I watch her closely, and her eyes light up. “You want to go?” I ask her. I’d need to ask my parents or one of my brothers to watch Blakely, and I hate that because Brooks has her tonight, but maybe this one time won’t hurt? I never leave her two nights in a row.
“I can’t leave my grandma again.”
“Mom will help,” Sterling is quick to offer. He pulls his phone out of his pocket and dials our mom, putting the phone on speaker.
“Sterling? Is everything okay?” Mom answers. “You never call this late.”
“Yes. You’re on speaker with Tink, Dec, and Kennedy.”
“Oh, hello, kids,” she replies. It doesn’t matter how old we are. She still calls us kids. As a father, I get it. Blakely will always be my little girl.
“We have a question.”
“This should be good.” Mom chuckles.
“Tink and I had plans to go to a concert tomorrow night.”
“I remember.”
“Kristy and Jerry backed out. We asked Dec and Kennedy to come with us, but she doesn’t want to leave Maureen two nights in a row.” Sterling smiles and winks at Kennedy.
“That’s easy. I’ll spend the evening with her.”
“Are you sure?” Kennedy speaks up.
“Of course. I’ve been wanting her to help me with a blanket I’m going to make for Brooks and Palmer’s baby. This will be the perfect opportunity to do that. And, Declan, Blakely will stay with us. And before you start feeling guilty like we know that you will, you need this. It’s perfectly fine to have a life outside of your daughter.”
“Thank you, Carol. I appreciate that very much.”
“Thanks, Mom. Are you sure you don’t mind? You have her during the week.” I ask. I don’t want her to feel as though she’s raising my daughter. That’s my job.
“No thanks needed. You know I love having her, and so does your dad. She’ll love visiting with Maureen. I only have a small amount of time before my second grandbaby gets here. I need to get busy. This gives me the push that I need. You kids be safe and have fun. Love you.”
“Love you,” Sterling, Alyssa, and I all reply before Sterling ends the call and pushes his phone off to the side.
“So you’re in?” I ask Kennedy.
“I’m in.” She smiles at me from across the table, and my heart does this weird thing where it stalls and then starts with a faster beat inside my chest.
“Whoop!” Alyssa cheers. “I’m so excited.”
“Me too,” Kennedy agrees. “It’s been years since I’ve been to a concert. In fact, I think I was a sophomore in college.”
“Seriously?” Alyssa asks.
“Yep.”
“Oh, girl. This is going to be epic. Sterling is going to be our designated driver, so you and me, we’re going to let loose.”
“Is that what we’re doing?” Kennedy laughs.
“Definitely. And it’s the best way because these two”—she points a finger at me and my brother“won’t let anything happen to us. We can drink and have a good time, knowing that they’re going to get us home safe. I don’t ever drink more than a couple unless I’m with Sterling.”
I watch as my brother’s chest expands, and his eyes soften as he looks at his best friend. I know he cares about her, but that look, there’s something there, and I make a mental note to ask him about it. Then again, maybe I’ll just let it go for now. Besides, he didn’t push me earlier when it came to Kennedy. I’m sure it’s just the effect that Kennedy has on me. She’s got me thinking everyone feels this way, or that they need to.
CHAPTER
THIRTEEN
Kennedy
I fell asleep last night with the feel of Declan’s lips pressed against my cheek. I was hoping that he would kiss me, but he didn’t. What he did do was spend two hours laughing and talking to me in his Tahoe as we sat in my grandma’s driveway. All the lights were out when we got back, and neither one of us were ready to end the night.
I could barely keep my eyes open when he finally walked me to the front door. He gave me the best hug I’ve ever received, then promptly kissed my cheek and told me to lock up. I might have stood at the window and watched as he drove away.
Luckily for me, as I was getting ready for bed, Morgan texted me. She was up feeding Iris and wanted to say hi. Which was quickly followed by an “I hope I didn’t wake you” text. I called her immediately and spilled all that’s been happening in my life to my best friend. It was sometime in the early morning hours when I finally succumbed to exhaustion.
