AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“No!” we all say at the same time before I chew and swallow, ignoring my gag reflex. “Or we’ll eat them all,” I add to smooth it over. “And we have to stay fit.” I smack my abs, my stomach gurgling at the somehow overbaked and undercooked cookies.
“Oh, okay.” She shrugs. “Let me get you some drinks.” She watches us for another second before heading into the kitchen.
My girl is made to be a rock star, not a baker.
Chuckling, Gloria watches us. “Adorable,” she whispers loudly so Reign doesn’t hear. “Don’t worry, I won’t tell her.” She winks as Astro shoves more in his mouth until nothing is left.
“I don’t know what they are talking about. They are amazing,” he says, and we all stare at him as he mops up all the crumbs. He genuinely meant it. That boy has a stomach made of iron.
“Your dad’s grilling the meat for the BBQ,” Gloria tells us. “Why don’t you go help while Reign and I finish up some bits in here before we join you?”
Happy to escape, I down some water on the way outside, leaving Reign with Gloria.
* * *
The food is delicious, and I sit back and listen to Glein’s stories with a grin, holding Reign’s hand under the table the entire time. I need to touch her, surrounded by my family, and the knots in my shoulders unfurl. When I glance at her as she laughs, my heart skips a beat.
I promised myself that I would find a partner to traverse this world with one day, but only when I was ready. I wasn’t ready, but she is right here, sitting at my side. Reign Harrow might be a rock star, but Rey is ours and so fucking beautiful, it hurts.
I love her more than anything in this world.
I wasn’t looking for her, but I’m lost without her, and alongside that realization comes fear—of losing her, of hurting her. Reign is so strong yet weak at the same time. If we hurt her, that would be it. She would shut down for good and never forgive us.
I can’t be the reason Reign Harrow gives up on love, so I keep those words to myself until I can prove to her that I’m not going anywhere.
“Right, kids, since we cooked, you clean. Glein and I are off for our date night drinks.” Gloria stands and points at us. “Behave. Don’t do anything we wouldn’t do.”
“So anything goes?” Astro grins, even as she hits the back of his head on her way by.
“Thanks for dinner, it was amazing,” Reign says.
Gloria kisses Reign’s head, and Glein winks at us as he follows his wife. We stay put for a bit longer. Reign nurses her wine while we watch nature and just find peace in each other’s company.
“Right, washing up before we can relax.” I sigh and stand. “Come on.”
Reign slowly stands and stretches, and we all turn our eyes to her. She giggles when she catches us. “I’ll fill my wine and get started inside.” She hurries away from us like we might pounce on her, which isn’t incorrect.
Grumbling, I start to stack the plates with the guys’ help and carry them inside to find Reign wiping down the table and piling up more plates from earlier.
Reign bites into a leftover cookie we must have missed, even as we all dive at her. “Oh my god, these are disgusting.” She spits it out and then turns to us. “You ate every single one.”
When we just stare, she steps closer. “You ate every single terrible cookie. Why?”
“So you wouldn’t know,” I admit. “You tried so hard, baby.”
“You’re fucking nuts.” She laughs, even as something blooms in her eyes. “Come on, Gloria said she and Glein are going out for the night and Cherry took Theo to a friend’s. Let me show you all how cute you are.”
With that and a wicked grin, she takes my and Astro’s hands and leads us outside.
Fuck cleaning up.
My girl needs us.
FORTY-THREE
They ate them all to spare my feelings. Deep down, I know what that means.
Am I ready?
