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“What?” Viper demanded. “I’ve done laundry before.”
I yanked out several lace thongs. “These get their own cycle.”
His eyes heated.
“Don’t look at me that way,” I muttered. “There are children present.”
“How do you think they came into creation?”
I sighed. “Start the cycle, Viper.”
* * *
The rest of the afternoon passed in a state of frenetic energy. Families came and went, rooms were rearranged, and bunk beds were set up.
We placed long folding tables outside to prepare to feed the masses. Food, it seemed, would be a communal event. At least for tonight. Who knew how that would unfold over time. It might turn into anevery man for himselfsituation.
Darcy and Mia were in the kitchen, slapping hamburger patties together and setting them on trays. I took one of the trays out to Gray, who was at the grill.
“Your favorite spot,” I teased.
“I’m the unofficial grill master,” he stated.
“Can I get you anything?”
He lifted his empty beer bottle. “Another one of these would be good.”
“Sure thing.” I grabbed two beers from the cooler and popped the tops off before handing him one.
“How are you doing with all this, Sutton?” he asked, taking a sip. He set his beer aside and then began laying hamburger patties onto the grill.
“I don’t know,” I admitted. “Time seems to be moving really fast. I can’t believe the funeral is tomorrow. Feels like he died weeks ago. I can’t believe it was yesterday.”
Crow sat alone at the picnic table and was drinking right from a liquor bottle.
“Crow’s not doing great, is he?” I asked softly.
Gray shook his head. “No. He and South Paw were close. Buddies, you know? Young brothers with their entire lives ahead of them.”
“No doubt Crow is thinking about his own mortality.”
“We all are, Sutton. We all are.”
Chapter38
“You awake?”I whispered.
“Of course I’m awake,” Viper muttered into his pillow. “Another baby cried. I swear they’ve got surround-sound lungs.”
“That’s what babies do. They cry.”
“I know they cry. I just didn’t know that if one cried, it would set off all the others like car alarms.”
I grinned even though he couldn’t see me.
“Is that why you’re awake?” he asked.
“No.”
