Chapter 7
Jaxon
The parking spot for the Sunday fishing meetup was simple to find. Seeing Trystan’s truck right away, I pull up and park, looking around to see if I notice where the guys are setting up.
Mark’s slinging a chair over his shoulder. He disappears for a second behind his vehicle but stands back up, and I now see the pole, the tackle, and a cooler he’s dragging.
“Mornin!” he hollers my way as I open the door and step out from my cab. The crisp, April morning air promises a nice day. I drop my tailgate open and prepare my pole so that I don’t have to carry unnecessary crap over to the group.
“Got everything you need?” Colin asks, reaching inside his truck for some sunglasses, which he pushes onto his nose with ease and a smile.
“It’s been a while since I’ve tossed out a line, but I think I’ve got it all here. Thanks again for the invite.”
“You bet. This is our first Sunday out since last fall. I’m ready. I’m eating this up before the twins get here. Then it might be a bit before I get to come back.”
“That’s understandable.”
Garrett’s truck comes flying in, stopping just beyond the grass on the other side of Colin’s truck.
“Oh, and get your line in. Last line out is beer bitch.”
“No way! I will not be beer bitch today!” Garrett hollers through his open window, throwing open his door with gusto. He hauls ass out of the truck, grabs his pole, and eyes me with glee like I’m some sort of worthy opponent.
Shit. They’re serious.
Colin’s already at the water line next to the other two guys, flicking his wrist. I watch as Garrett scrambles to grab all his things and decide to be prudent about this.
Sensing the urgency, I choose to leave the tackle box and just come back for it.
Pole in hand, I snag my chair and take off walking briskly toward Colin.
“Hey, why’re you leaving your–uh uh. No.
No!” Garrett sputters, clearly struggling with all his gear.
A boyish giggle exits me as Garrett curses when I hear his tackle box drop to the ground.
Next, a chair. By now, it must be a show behind me because Mark, Trystan, and Colin are laughing their asses off.
I hear fast footsteps bringing up the rear, and the mad dash is on.
I’m not getting the beer bitch title slapped on me the very first time I come out here.
We race for the water line, and this is the moment I’m extremely happy with my choice to ready my pole at the tailgate.
“No!” Garrett rushes out in a puffed-out breath of exertion and anxiety, and I force back another chuckle.
“Ahhh…” I exaggerate, flicking my readied line out into the water. “You were a worthy opponent, Gare Bear.”
Boisterous cackling fills the air as Garrett mutters curses and promises of poetic justice.
“Garrett, that was the funniest damn thing I’ve seen in a while. I needed that laugh this morning,” Colin says on a wheeze, still fighting to get air.
“Glad I could be your entertainment,” Garrett mumbles, all salty-like, roll of his eyes included.
“How was Charlotte this morning?” Trystan asks, attempting to pull the sourpuss away from his loss.
“Adorable as ever. She was already about to go down for her morning nap when I was leaving. Jane was going to curl up near her and catch some sleep too.”
“Would you look at that!” Mark exclaims, reeling in the first catch of the day.
It’s a decent-sized crappie. “In the basket you go,” Mark singsongs deeply as he unhooks the fish and places him in the keeper basket, which he fixes in the designated spot in the water.
“You know, I think I’ll just keep living vicariously through you and Colin.
It’s kind of like a parenting what-to-expect book. ”
Trystan rolls his eyes with a huff.
“You can’t gauge anything that way. Every kid is different. Colin’s twins, for example. One may be the easiest going baby in the world, and the other may spew green vomit and give them a run for their money.”
“Not helping my anxiety, Trys,” Colin mutters.
“Just stating the obvious.”
“That’s a scary obvious.”
“They’re both going to be wonderful, man. Plus, you’ve got a whole gaggle of women who will gladly swoop in and help,” Trystan notes, and Colin’s shoulders visibly relax. My line tugs.
“Oh yeah, come to daddy!” I mutter to myself with excitement. I’d forgotten the rush of the catch.
“Now that’s a nice crappie. What you both using for bait?” Garrett asks.
“Just these little marshmallow things,” I say, reaching down into my box to retrieve the little jar so he can see it. “You’re welcome to use them too.”
“Don’t mind if I do. Thanks.”
Within an hour, we’ve managed to bring in a heck of a mess of fish, and I’m the happiest I’ve been in a long time. Friends. I have friends.
“What do you all think about a little weekend getaway before the babies come?” Colin asks as we’re cleaning fish at Mark’s a while later.
“Umm, that’s not a whole lot of planning time for you. Like, you’ll want to do it within the month. That last four weeks can really go up in the air quickly, especially with twins,” I throw out.
“So, where all within a two hour-ish radius do you guys want to go then?” Colin looks up at us.
“How bout a lake house rental? Something we can all just chill at. Maybe do dinner in town that Friday night, bonfire and fish fry Saturday night, after a nice afternoon of tossing out lines while the girls relax, then come home Sunday afternoon?”
“I’m in,” Mark blurts out.
“Same,” answers Trystan.
“You guys think you can deal with a tiny waking up throughout the night? If so, we’re in.” Garrett nods.
“Jaxon?”
“What? You’re inviting me on your big outing?”
“Would I be talking about it in front of you if you weren’t getting let in on the fun?”
I shrug.
“Well, you never know. I’ve heard plenty of vacations being planned in my company.”
“Our group’s not like that. You’ve caught on that we’ve kind of pulled you into our circle by now, right?” Trystan adds.
“I thought you guys were just being nice to one of Colin’s old college buddies who happened to move to town.”
Mark snorts.
“Nah, man, you got adopted.”
A fuzzy feeling explodes in my chest, and I tell myself to play it cool. I’ve never really had a place, or a group of people, before. As an only child, it’s been kind of lonely.
“You barely know me.”
“True, but Colin knows you, and Holly likes you, and those two are excellent judges of character. Plus, you’re my new surfing buddy.”
“You delivered my daughter and made my wife feel like a badass.”
“I think the majority spoke for you, and my sister keeps trying to set you up with the last of our ladies. You seem okay to me.”
I laugh out loud at Mark’s ‘I’m just along for the ride’ attitude.
“Okay, I’m in.”
???
Holly
Midstroke of painting my third toe, I suddenly realize my predicament.
Jade green toes wiggle back at me, and I puff out air through my cheeks and curse under my breath.
It’s a bit of a windy, rainy evening, and I watch the big, fat raindrops hit the windows.
A muted blob of inky sky and water beyond the glass greet me instead of the usual deep purples sunset brings over the dark depths.
Buzz.
It’s our girl’s chat.
Sydney: Colin got a wild hair up his butt. Weekend after next, he’s booked a lake house upstate for all of us to relax before the twins come. Apparently, all the guys talked about it while fishing today.
Jane: They agreed to an infant joining along?
Sydney: Yup
Brynleigh: I’m down
Ava: In
Me: Yeah sure
Sydney: So…looks like we’ll all travel up Friday evening, grab dinner, chill all Saturday while the guys fish, then bonfire and fish fry Saturday night
Jane: What if they don’t catch any fish on Saturday?
Brynleigh: *laughing emoji
Sydney: They’re freezing and bringing a bunch from today.
Jane: Oh, yeah, I guess that’ll work then lol
Me: Guys, my toes are pretty
Sydney: Oh, what color did you just paint them?
Me: A pretty jade green
Brynleigh: Oh really? That’s interesting…
I knew she’d make the connection.
Sydney: Why’s that interesting?
Jane: What don’t I know?
Brynleigh: It only happens to be the same color as Dr. Sexy’s eyes, and she got an awfully good look at them yesterday at the beach…
Jane: Wait, what?!?!
Brynleigh: Dr. Sexy surfs and invited Trystan. Them boys look good in wetsuits
Jane: No fair!
Ava: Wait, Trystan surfs?
Brynleigh: Yeah, news to me too
I snicker.
Sydney: Where were our invites?
Brynleigh: I had to be inconspicuous, you guys, and it was last minute
Jane: Did you at least get a picture?!
Brynleigh: Damn, no I didn’t
Jane: Damn it
I smirk about Jax’s selfie. It may not be of him walking in the wetsuit, but I’m sure Jane will be happy with it. I drop that sucker into the chat and watch as the bubbles pop up instantly.
Jane: Holy moly
Brynleigh: When’d he take that?
Me: He said it was for later when he wasn’t around to stare at. *rolling eyes emoji
Jane: *snickering emoji
Brynleigh: LMAO
Ava: nice…
Sydney: nice? Try hawwwwwwt! *in the most respectful of ways, of course* (clears throat and wipes away slobber)
I’m cackling.
Sydney: Back to these toes… Holly, will you paint mine? I can’t reach my toes
Brynleigh: Colin won’t paint them for you?
Sydney: I already had to ask for his help shaving… plus… I don’t think he’ll paint them like you guys can
Ava: Hahahahaha
Jane: *snickering emoji with hand covering mouth
Brynleigh: If she won’t paint em, I will
Me: I got you, boo
Sydney: You guys are the best
Jane: So, how did the matchmaking ensue?
I roll my eyes.
Brynleigh: It most definitely was not in vain
Me: *sigh…
Brynleigh: See? She’s painting her toes the color of his eyes!