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“Why?” Soren sits next to me with a beer and lets his feet dangle in the water.
“Because I hear stories about new mothers not being able to even do little things like shower or make sure they change their clothes and eat properly, and you guys have made this so easy for me.”
“It's what we're here for,” Ryder reminds me with a shrug. “It's not like we've always made things easy for you, either.”
I can't argue with that. They've added so much to my life but yes, there have been challenges and setbacks. That was then, though. I'm not deluded—I know there's always going to be hurdles to make it over, but we can do it together. Of that, I have no doubt.
“I'm just saying, I would be completely underwater if it weren’t for you guys. No way could I handle all of this by myself.”
“We all knew what we were signing up for,” Ash points out over his shoulder. “And I wouldn't have it any other way. I don't know about the rest of you jokers.”
“For once, I can say you're speaking for me,” Soren tells him with a laugh.
“I think I'm going to take her in,” Ryder decides. The food's almost ready, anyway, and I would have put Eva in her crib before we settled in to eat. She's such a good baby, sleeping soundly as Ryder reaches into her pack and play and picks her up. His soft, secret smile when she settles against his chest isn't such a secret. I'm always watching, whether he knows it or not. Yet another joy that I couldn't have predicted; watching the three of them fall in love with our daughter.
Our daughter. It almost feels too good to be true sometimes, but then my entire life does. I've come to understand how little it actually matters what anybody else thinks. Anybody who doesn't happen to be in this backyard at this very moment, anyway. What we have together works for us, and that's enough.
With the baby monitor nearby at all times, the four of us sit down to eat beneath the rays of the setting sun. It's just like the old days, when we were first getting to know each other. There's the same laughter, the same teasing. The good-natured rivalry that exists among the three of them. Every so often I have to step in and end an argument, but they're always good-natured. There's never any real rancor. It's not perfect—there are still dust-ups every so often—but they are just as much a team off the ice as they are on it.
It's a joy to take a dip once everything's cleaned up and put away. I never feel more fully in my body than when I'm in the water lately. It's something I've tried to explain to the guys, butI don't think it's something anybody can understand unless they've been through it themselves. After sharing my body and going through so many changes, reconnecting with myself has been a journey. I'm still on that journey now, as I slowly paddle my way through the water while wearing a new two-piece suit.
“Nobody would ever believe you gave birth three months ago,” Ash observes as he joins me.
“You're so full of it,” I insist, laughing and swimming away when he tries to approach. “This suit is a size bigger than the ones I used to wear. You're just trying to butter me up.”
“That's not true!” When Soren comes back out from the kitchen, Ash looks to him for backup.
“You're hot as hell, get used to the idea.” There’s Soren, expertly getting to the heart of the matter with as few words as possible.
Ryder’s head bobs up and down before he starts swimming my way. I am completely outnumbered, but that's the way I like it. “You are more beautiful now than you were the first day I laid eyes on you. Remember when I brought you those Crumbl cookies?”
I do. It feels like a lifetime has passed since then. “How could I forget? You kicked off my addiction.”
“I wanted so much to kiss you that day.” He takes hold of my waist and pulls me close so I can wrap my arms around his neck. “I thought I would die if I didn't get to do it.”
“Did you ever think we'd end up here?” I ask as Ash swims up behind me and takes hold of my hips.
“I mean, did I give it some serious thought? Usually when I was in the shower?”
“Oh, my God!” I swat at him, laughing.
“What can I say? I had it bad.” He grazes his lips over my jaw. “I still do.”
“We all do.” For once, Soren is serious as he takes a seat at the edge of the pool and I settle between his knees so he can lean down for a kiss. He gazes into my eyes once I've pulled back, and he's smiling. “And we always will.”
“I love you all so much,” I tell them. It sounds so simple, but it's the most profound truth of my life. All of the drama, all of the secrets and the risks we took... it was all worth it, because it brought us here. It made us a family.
A family that now moves together in the water, touching and kissing and connecting.
“Come on,” I suggest, pulling back and moving toward the ladder once things start heating up. “Let's take this inside.”
“Aw, come on.” Ash pouts as the three of them watch me emerge from the water.
“Hey. We’re parents now,” I remind them with a teasing smile as I back away, reaching behind my neck to tug at the string holding my top up. “We have to be respectable.” And in the last second before I turn toward the sliding door, I let the top of my suit fall away.
In the history of mankind, I don't think anyone's ever gotten out of a pool faster than they do.
Thankyou for reading Puck It! I hope you enjoyed spending time with Harlow and the boys. If you want more, please check out my bestselling series - Tell Me to Stop.
I owe him a debt. The kind money can’t repay.
He wants something else:me, for one year.But I don’t even know who he is…
365 days and nights doing everything he wants…except that.
“I’m not going to sleep with you,” I say categorically. He laughs.
“I’m going to make you a promise,” his eyes challenge mine.
“Before our time is up, you’ll beg me for it.”
