My eyes lift to the sky. “I see where this is going.”
“Something like…” He gestures out to my property with a shit-eating grin on his face.
I sigh heavily. “Dean?”
“Max?”
“Would you like to use my home for your wedding?”
Dean feigns surprise as he places a hand on his chest. “You want to host our wedding? Wow, Max. I mean…boy…I’m not sure…we’ll have to really give it some thought…hell yes!”
I laugh and shove him away from me. “You are about as subtle as a boulder falling in my pool, Dean Moser.”
“I know.” He smiles gleefully and cups his hand to his mouth to yell down to the girls by the pool. “Sugar butt, Max said yes!”
“Yes!” I hear a high-pitched squeal from Norah, and all the girls lean in to figure out what she’s excited about.
“Seriously, Max, you’re the best.” He throws his arm around me and looks toward my sprawling backyard. “This is going to be perfect.”
“Do you have a date in mind already?”
“Thinking mid-October, maybe?”
I grin and shake my head. “I’ll have my assistant clear my schedule.”
Miles holds his beer out. “Congrats, Dean. I’m happy for you. It’ll be nice to add another kid to the group.”
“Hopefully a boy,” Dean says, clinking his glass with Miles’s. “Not that I wouldn’t love a girl. But I wouldn’t trust your son and my daughter growing up together.”
“Fair enough.” Miles laughs and turns his attention to Sam. “Now it’s your turn.”
Sam shakes his head. “Just because you nut jobs are all popping out kids doesn’t mean we are. Maggie and I are enjoying our time with just the two of us.” Sam winks at the group.
Miles groans. “That’s my fucking sister you’re talking about, bro.”
“You just told me you wanted us to have a baby,” Sam argues with a laugh. “You do know how babies are made, right?”
Miles looks ill. “I need more beer.”
After we eat, it starts getting dark out, so we have the kids change into pajamas and all curl up in the theater room for a movie. Everly looks so happy having friends over. It’s not something I’ve ever really let her do, and I realize I need to change that.
The ladies work on getting the girls settled so I head down to the creek to start a fire on the beach. Cassandra is the first to join me with a fresh drink in hand.
“I’m sorry for crashing your party, eating your food, and drinking your alcohol. Mercedes…I mean…Kate is not an easy person to say no to.”
“Oh, trust me, I’m aware,” I reply, stirring the fire around with a long stick and sending sparks up into the air. “And don’t worry about it. You’re not crashing at all. You were invited.”
She pulls a face and lowers herself into one of the Adirondack chairs. “I about fainted when I answered the door. I’ve been binge-reading Kate’s books for the past few months.”
My brows lift knowingly. “So that’s why you couldn’t turn in your own book report.”
She nods regretfully with a small embarrassed laugh. “I’m afraid so. God, I love her stuff.”
“She’s very talented…not that I’ve ever read her work.”
“Why not?” Cassandra gazes up at me, her round eyes sparkling in the firelight.
I huff out a laugh. “I don’t think I’m exactly her target demographic.”
She shrugs and takes a sip of her beer. “Maybe you should. Might help loosen you up a bit.”
I pause my work on the fire. “Need I remind you I went zip-lining yesterday?”
“And you screamed like a girl at least half a dozen times.” Her shoulders shake with silent laughter as she covers her smile.
I point an accusing finger at her. “You promised me in the car we would never speak of that again.”
She bends over, full-on belly laughing now. The sound travels straight to my groin. She composes herself and exclaims, “I promised I wouldn’t speak of it in front of other people. I never said I wouldn’t tease you privately.”
The word private makes me think of my cock. God, I’m a mess. I do my best to scowl at the nanny but the sight of her giggling to herself is too adorable not to smirk at. Her pale skin glows in the firelight and I’m having that issue of seeing her as a woman again and not just a nanny I hired for my kid.
That is not good.
Thankfully, the rest of the group join us, taking seats around the fire and distracting me from my impure thoughts. Miles settles in on his own chair, a fast asleep Tucker nuzzled comfortably in his arms. Kate lays a blanket over them, leaning down and pressing a soft kiss to her son’s head before finding Miles’s lips next.
I look away, struggling to watch the sight of them enjoying life as new parents. It was never fully like that with Jess and me.
“Julianna fell asleep on the couch,” Lynsey says, sitting down on Josh’s lap in the chair beside me.
“Is she okay up there alone?” I ask, turning around to see if I can see the kids from down here.
“I can go up and sit with the kids if you like,” Cassandra offers, her eyes shifting from Lynsey to me.
“God no!” Lynsey waves Cassandra off. “Lennon is watching her. One big perk about having a teenage niece. Built-in babysitter.”
“Did Everly let them pick the movie at least?” I inquire, wanting to make sure she’s being hospitable to her new friends.
“She did,” Lynsey answers with a smile. “She and Claire seem to be hitting it off. They’re making friendship bracelets as we speak.”
My eyes find Cassandra’s as she glances up at the house, trying to catch a glimpse of the kids as well. I like that she’s interested in my kid…even when she’s not on the clock.
“Can you believe how much our lives have changed?” Kate says, stretching her flip-flops out toward the fire. “We used to party down on Pearl Street, and now we’re talking about kids’ movies and built-in babysitters.”
“Sam and I can still party,” Maggie states with a smile, showing her young age.
“You can party, Sparky,” Sam grumbles. “I prefer to stay home with you.”
“Poor Grandpa,” Maggie teases, reaching out to run her fingers through Sam’s red beard. “Are you ready for bed now? Should I bring the wheelchair around?”
“I’m ready for bed with you,” he replies, shooting her a wicked look.
“Bro…sister.” Miles shakes his head, eyeing Sam with a “fuck around and find out” look that makes the group laugh.
“What’s the age difference between you two anyway?” Cassandra asks, watching everyone in rapt fascination.
“Nine years,” Maggie answers. “I’m twenty-four, and Sam is thirty-three. He’s more than ready for kids, but I want a couple of years with my husband first.”
“I’m not complaining one bit.” Sam pulls Maggie’s hand to his mouth and kisses it sweetly. It’s a hard display of affection to watch because I can’t imagine ever having that.