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“I just like messin’ with you.” The corner of his mouth curved, and whatever irritation I felt disappeared.
“I got ’em in the truck, but I can’t carry everything at once.” I nodded toward the toddler in my hands. I was about to pass off the little one to Tripp when Edana strolled up next to me, stroking the sleeping boy’s back. He must’ve caused quite a fit earlier for Ryder if he was this tired. He didn’t stir once.
“He’s so adorable. I think my ovaries just exploded.”
Surprised at what she’d said, my mouth dropped open. I’d never heard her say anything remotely like that before.
“We probably couldn’t have one now anyway,” I blurted, not quite sure why I’d chosen to say what I did. Kids had never been on the radar for us, not even when we were young.
The pinch of her brows formed a deep indent. The sight would’ve made me laugh had I not been consumed with thoughts that she’d possibly changed her mind about the little ankle biters.
Her lips were on mine a moment later. “I don’t want any. Stop freakin’ out.”
“I’m not freakin’ out.” I freaked out a little.
“You are. We’re good. I’m happy with our life as it is.”
“No changes?”
“No changes,” she parroted.
The swirl of uncertainty and hope that had plagued me blended together to form a whole other feeling, one I couldn’t decipher.
But I knew one thing for sure.
Any plans I had for proposing wouldn’t be happening today.
9
Leaning against the bar, I patted my belly and smiled at my ol’ lady when I caught her looking my way. She sat at one of the tables, laughing at something Sully said. I loved seeing that look on her face, because for a long time, she barely cracked a smile. So, for every day she laughed, found enjoyment in the world, I was a content man.
“It’s a good day.”
I turned to my left to see who’d spoken, my third beer starting to dull some of my senses. Marek stared back at me, the glint of a smirk inching across his face.
“What?” I asked, not sure why he looked at me the way he did.
“You decide yet?” He took a swig of his beer, the bottle clanking against the wood top when he placed it on the bar.
“About what?” He dipped his head, his eyes focused straight ahead and not on me. I followed his line of sight. “That doesn’t help. I have no idea what you’re talkin’ about. You drunk?”
“Not yet.”
The lines around his eyes crinkled, the sight of a smile on Prez’s face an expression I was still getting used to. I remember a time when he was one of the most laidback people I knew. He didn’t let shit rile him. But everything changed when he met Sully. He became serious, weighed down with what I considered to be fear, and if I rehashed those times with him now, he’d probably agree.
After the first war with the Reapers ended, I saw a sliver of the man he used to be, but I’d become hardened, so it was difficult for me to see anything but the bad in the world.
We were finally at a good place in our lives, and I prayed for more lightness to invade mine and all my brothers’ lives.
I’m gettin’ sentimental. Maybe I should lay off the beer.
A few moments passed in silence, but I wanted to find out what he meant when he’d asked, ‘You decide yet?’
I locked eyes with him. “Are you ever gonna tell me what you’re talkin’ about?”
“Edana.”
“What about her?”
