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She’s off-limits for a shit ton of reasons.
Blaming it on the team is just the easiest one.
Aurora kicks my chest from up on my shoulders. “Let’s go see the ponies, Uncle Brandon.”
“Okay, baby girl.”
I get about ten feet away before my buddy Watkins stops me. “Dude. That one is so fucking far out of your league.”
And there’s the other reason...
“Language, Uncle Watty,” Aurora chastises him, and I punch him in the chest with a smile.
“Yeah, language, Watty.”
* * *
Ashlyn
“You want to go inside and get a real drink?” Juliette, my business partner, best friend, and technically my step-daughter-in-law, eyes me warily as I watch Brandon Dixon walk away. She knows me too well.
“Margaritas?” I ask, knowing there’s a pitcher or two in the kitchen.
“Oh, definitely.” She takes the empty glass out of my hand and leaves it on the table, then links her arm through mine. “You know, when I told you it was time to get back on the horse, I didn’t realize you’d set your sites on that particular stallion. But do you see his ass in those shorts? I mean, seriously?”
I bite down on my bottom lip and sigh. “Yeah... I saw.”
We carefully dodge family members as we make our way into Hudson and Maddie’s house. Not an easy thing to do with a family as big as ours. We’re closing in on forty members in our immediate family, counting spouses and kids, not to mention the friends who might as well be part of the family. Fitting everyone around a table has gotten more interesting over the past few years... not that it’s stopped us. We’ve just had to get creative.
I wait until we’re in the kitchen and laser in on the green pitcher and empty glasses next to it. A few limes, some salt around the rims, and a quick pour later, and we’re toasting to another successful party. Ever After Event Planning came to fruition a few years ago after Jules and I worked together to plan her wedding to Becket. I’d been kicking around the idea for a while. Desperate for something more to do with my life than sit on the boards of charities. I had gone from a life of training for the Olympics, to winning a silver medal, to being a trophy wife in the span of a sneeze.
Then,bam...
My husband died.
I was pregnant.
My already incredibly fucked up life was turned on its head... Not for the first time. Hell, not for the fiftieth time.
And okay, it took me a few years to get my shit together. Maybe a few too many. But it’s together now. It turns out, I needed a challenge. And Ever After was the perfect challenge. Clicking with Jules and having her join me was the icing on the cake.
Jules waves her perfectly manicured nails in front of my face. “Earth to Ashlyn...”
“Fine. I’ll bite. Who said anything about horses?” I ask and watch her over the top of my margarita glass as I savor my first sip. Early September in Kroydon Hills can go either way. Some years, it’s still disgustingly hot and humid, and others we luck out and get a beautiful day like today. Warm with a cool fall breeze blowing in off the lake. The perfect day for sun and fun with family and friends. But man, does an ice-cold margarita hit the spot.
Jules reaches for the tequila and adds another small shot to her glass, then smiles. “Like you don’t know who I’m talking about.”
“Juliette,” I blush. “I swear you weren’t this crazy when I met you.”
“I blame the family. It’s hard to be a Kingston and not be loud and obnoxious.”
“Hey. I think I’m supposed to be offended by that.” Juliette’s best friend and my youngest stepdaughter, Lenny, grabs an empty glass and fills it to the brim. “I’m not because it’s true, but I think I should be,” she laughs. “And why the hell wasn’t I told there were margaritas in here?” She lifts it to her lips but stops and looks at Jules. “Does it need more tequila?”
Jules says, “Yes,” at the same time I answer, “No.”
They both ignore me, and Jules adds a shot to Lenny’s already full glass.
Lenny sips and smiles. “I hate birthday parties.” She licks her lips and sighs. “I know.I know. I’m an awful mom. Don’t ever tell the boys. But what the hell were we thinking? This is complete chaos.”
