“Some babies are just like that. Braden’s almost five and he still gets up in the middle of the night. At least now I can tell him to go back to sleep,” I interjected.
Jaxon smiled wide at me. “I like you already.”
“Umm... thanks,” I responded.
“Jaxon’s been trying to talk Em out of having a kid since before they were engaged,” Lane informed me.
“Not completely. Just not for at least five years… or something.” Jaxon scooped Em back up into his arms and kissed her quickly. They were really adorable together.
“You could always watch Jocelyn,” Audrey added.
“No thanks,” Jaxon quickly replied, setting Em back down.
“Got something against my daughter? Your niece, by the way?” Jace questioned his brother.
Em laughed and said, “No, she’s just too good of a baby. Audrey told us she’s already started sleeping through the night. He only lets me watch the more… challenging ones.”
“You caught that, huh?” Jaxon asked coyly.
“You’re not that sneaky, babe,” she laughed.
This group was a lot of fun. I didn’t know them at all, but the dynamic between them was awesome. They teased each other playfully, but anyone would be able to tell that they truly cared for one another. I couldn’t help but smile just standing around them.
“It’s good to see everyone. Now, you’ve all met so we’re gonna head back to my place,” Lane announced to the crowd.
“Wait!” We all turned as a pretty little brunette raced across the street, and following behind her was yet another handsome man. Cole and Quinn, I was assuming. Hopefully, this was the end of the welcome wagon. I was surprised I even remembered everyone’s names from the late-night talks with Lane back in New York. “Are they here? Is she blonde? Did I win the bet?”
“Oh God, the bet…” I heard Em whisper to Audrey. They both looked at me and when I caught them, they quickly averted their gazes.
“What’s going on?” Lane asked.
Quinn ran up to us and scanned the crowd of faces before her eyes finally landed on mine. She visibly deflated, then realized her actions before quickly smiling up at me. “Oh, you’re not blonde, but dang… you are gorgeous!”
“Why would I be blonde?” I asked.
“What bet?” Lane questioned.
“We were just being silly,” Audrey offered. Lane looked over at her and she shrank back into Jace.
“Welcome back, man,” Cole said and held out his hand for Lane. Lane set the kids down, Cole pulled him into a man hug, and they patted each other’s backs. Lane quickly moved back to my side, before claiming both Braden and Kate’s hands.
I continued to look at Quinn, wondering if she would reply to my question. She finally answered slowly, “We just… thought you’d be… blonde. It was dumb.” She waved her hand, attempting to dismiss the entire thing.
“Shut it, Quinn,” Em mumbled, but not quiet enough.
“Mommy, what is blonde?” Kate asked.
“Your hair is blonde, sweetie,” I replied.
I glanced up at Lane and saw him glaring at Audrey. “Do you have a thing for blondes?” I asked. His eyes moved to each of our audience members. “You know I’m a brunette, right?” I smiled.
His hand curled around the length of my hair and gave it a gentle tug so I was forced to look straight up into his eyes. “Of course I know,” he grumbled onto my lips. My heart beat wildly in my chest, not only because this was our first show of affection in front of the kids, but in front of his friends as well.
Finally, I couldn’t hold it in any longer and I burst out laughing. He looked so uncomfortable with everyone talking about him in front of me and now the way he was squirming around, it was hilarious. I just couldn’t hold back. The laugh was loud and deep and cleansing. Why did I care who Lane liked or who he usually went after? I had never been that kind of girl. So I laughed off the stress that I had placed on myself.
“I like her,” Cole said with humor in his voice.
“I do too,” Jaxon added.
“Of course you like her,” Quinn said. “She’s practically the brunette version of Em.”
Em and I stared at one another and finally just started laughing together. Yeah, this group was fun.
“Finally, someone I can share clothes with,” Em cheered.
“Well, sorry I won’t be much fun. The only clothes I own can fit into a small duffel bag.” I shrugged.
“We’ll fix that!” Quinn announced excitedly.
“Shit,” Lane whispered, and I elbowed him for his language.
“Say goodbye to your credit cards now, man,” Jace laughed.
I instantly sobered. “Oh no, I wouldn’t use his money.”
“Alright,” Lane interrupted. “This has been fun, but I’m hungry, they’re hungry, and we’re going home before anyone else shows up.”
“Everything’s ready for you guys,” Audrey said, smiling widely.
“Thanks, doll. We’ll see you guys around.”
LANE -
“Lane, your house is huge!” Raegan smiled widely at me from the passenger seat.
I laughed because my house wasn’t even close to huge. “You’re just used to New York City apartments. You saw Jace, Jaxon, and Cole’s places, right?” I never really cared about how much money I didn’t make. It was always enough to do what I wanted and still pay my bills. But when compared to those guys with their families’ trust funds, I was sorely lacking.
“Oh, pfft.” She waved her hand at me. “Don’t get me started on their houses. Beautiful? Yes. Completely unnecessary? Absolutely. They don’t need those gigantic things. This house though, it’s perfect.”
I’d rented out a small, one-story red brick home with three bedrooms that were definitely excessive; at least they were when I’d put down the deposit. Now they’ll be useful. The only reason I chose this one was because it had a big backyard for the dog I hoped to have one day, and it was literally five minutes away from everyone else.
I pulled into the driveway and shifted into park, then glanced back at Kate and Braden in my tiny backseat. Now that I looking at carting around kids, it was probably stupid of me to buy this car.
“Man, I think I’ll need to trade this car back in.”
“Why? It’s nice,” Raegan said, running her hand across the leather seats.
“It seems ridiculous now that they’re sitting in the back.”
“It’s a hot car and they fit.” She shrugged her shoulders as if it were as simple as that.
I actually used to drive an old black SUV in California that would have been perfect, but then I moved to Texas and got a new job. I felt like I needed to splurge a little on my new two-door Challenger and hell, I’d be the first to admit it helped me pick up women… fast. But now there were two booster seats latched in the backseat and it just seemed absurd.
“We’ll figure it out later. Besides, we have to get you a car too. Everyone drives here,” I told her.
“No, no. I can’t drive. No car-buying for me,” she announced nervously.
“Babe, you can’t drive?”
“I lived in New York, why would I need to know how to drive?” she asked.
I smirked at her and replied, “This’ll be fun. I’ll teach you. Not in this car though. You can learn on an automatic first.”
She rolled her eyes and stepped out, but not before I could check out her tight ass. Even better, she turned around to pull the seat forward so she could help Braden from the back, and I got a full-on show of her tits in that V-neck shirt. My jaw may have dropped, but I would never get enough of those.
“Daddy! I want out too!” Kate bellowed from behind me.
“Yeah daddy, get her out of the car,” Raegan said cheekily, all while she looked over at me with an intense burning heat in her eyes. She’d caught me, but she didn’t mind. Fuck, I was in deep with this girl.