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“It’s too hot for a fire,” she remarks.
“Agreed, but you can’t camp without it. It’s part of the experience.”
“I’ll take your word for it. I’ve never camped before.”
“Never?”
“Nope. I was invited once, but I wasn’t allowed to go. It was a friend in elementary school. It was right after we lost Jeremy, and my mother wouldn’t budge.”
“I’ll take you. In fact, we’ve been saying for a while now that we need to make a family trip, not just a guys’ trip. Everyone but the twins has a wife, and most of them have kids now. It’s time to start bringing the families.”
“You’re not married.”
“I’m married in my heart. That’s what matters.”
“Ryder—sometimes it’s hard to believe you’re real. The way you speak from your heart and love without restraint, it’s something I’ve missed, and it’s one of the reasons I fell so madly in love with you.”
“I wish you were here, sweets.”
“Me too, but I’ll see you soon. Maybe we can figure something out for next weekend?”
“Yeah, tell me the plan, and I’ll be there. How’s your night?”
“Good. I just left Gianna’s. I’m on my way back to my parents’ place.”
I notice she’s no longer calling her parents’ place home. “Are they home?”
“I don’t think so. They had some kind of work dinner for my father. I honestly don’t really listen. I let it go in one ear and out the other. I just nod where I think it’s appropriate.”
“I hate you going back to that house all alone.”
“The staff will be there.”
“You know what I mean, Jordyn.”
“I know, but, Ryder, this is my life. I don’t know anything different. I would spend the night with friends when I was allowed, and my parents would send a car for me. They wouldn’t even bother to ride along. It sounds unusual to you, but it’s all that I know.”
“Life with me will be different.”
“I’m banking on it, Kincaid. Ryder, when I think about my future, now and in the past two years, it was always you and me, living in Willow River surrounded by family. When I have kids, I want that for them.”
“We. When we have kids.”
“When we have kids,” she amends. “I want that for them. For us. I was born into this lifestyle. I’m forced to continue to live it, but that’s not what I want. I want you. I want a normal house, and I can drive myself. I want to be a soccer mom and drive a minivan and bake cookies for the bake sale. I know it sounds crazy and old-fashioned, but I feel as though I haven’t been living. Just going through the motions, following orders and expectations. I just want to be me.”
“You keep thinking about what our life is going to look like, baby. Write it down if you have to, and we’ll make every single dream come true.” I hate her family and how they’ve treated her. I hate even more that she kept it locked away for so long. She’s been deprived of love and affection, but that’s okay. She’s about to be a Kincaid, and if there is one thing we know, it’s love and affection. She’s going to be surrounded with it.
“Life with you is my dream, Ry.”
“You know how to get a guy all up in his feels.”
She laughs. “Sorry. I’m home, so I’ll let you go. Be safe and have fun. I’ll call tomorrow when I can.”
“You better. I love you, sweets.”
“Love you too, Ry.”
I end the call and shove my phone into my pocket. Grabbing a bottle of water from the cooler, I start down the trail that’s sure to lead me to chaos. Sure enough, when I get there, the twins and Rushton are in line to use the rope swing that will toss them into the dark, murky waters of the lake.
“Everything good?” Brooks asks.
“Yeah, she’s good. You know, we’ve talked about this for years, but it's time we do a trip with the entire family. Keep this one, because it’s always going to be our tradition, but maybe we should start one with the rest of the family too.”
“Ry, that’s the smartest thing I’ve ever heard you say.” Brooks grins.
“I like it,” Dad agrees. “It was never my intention to exclude them. This started as a way to give your momma a break.”
“Yeah, but I like the idea of taking care of the wives. We grill all weekend, teach the kids how to skip rocks, fish, and roast marshmallows,” Declan says.
“And we plan it all,” Sterling adds. “Alyssa takes care of so much. I like the idea of bringing her here and spoiling her. Maybe working on adding to the Kincaid brood.” He wags his eyebrows.
We all laugh.
I chance a look at our dad, and he’s nodding with a smile tugging at his lips. I know he and Mom are down for more grandkids. I mean, they had nine sons. They had to know what that would mean when we all got older. If I didn’t know better, I’d think they did it on purpose. They love us, and never went a day without telling us, but they go crazy over their grandkids.
