16. Sloan #2
“Charlie, I'm with Jude…”
“I know.” She sighs and glances over at her brother. “I guess I just always hoped you’d come back and you guys would figure things out. It happened for Wyatt and I, so why couldn’t it happen between the two of you.” She shrugs without an ounce of guilt.
“Man, there’s something about watching a big, strong man with a baby that just makes you swoon,” Emma sighs as she steps behind us with Bella. They’re watching Cody.
“Or with a little girl,” Bella murmurs, staring straight at Jax, who’s holding a little girl in his arms.
“Oh, he’s obsessed with Bree. He’s going to make the world’s greatest daddy.” Emma nudges Bella, making her glare at her cousin. Their dads are twins and their genes are strong because Emma and Bella almost look like twins as well.
“Ew, why are all of you staring at my brothers like you want to beg them to marry you?” Sophia grimaces as she comes towards us.
“Because they’re hot.” Emma shrugs.
“Jeez, don’t say that! We all grew up together. Aren’t they like brothers to you?” Creed shudders at the thought.
“Ehh, the only people on Mulberry Lane I consider off limits are Holt, Calvin, and Tommy.” Emma wiggles her brows, making Creed take a step back.
“I’ve never been so thankful I'm underage and there’s a large age gap between us.” Creed pretends to gag and we all giggle at him. I always loved his personality when he was younger and it seems like he hasn’t changed a whole lot.
“You’re only underage for another year,” Emma singsongs.
Once I have my food, I take a seat at one of the long tables with Charlie and Sophia. I leave space for Jude, but frown when he walks right past me and to a different table with Jax. He hasn’t said a word to me since Wes prayed for dinner. He disappeared and ignored me once again.
“What’s the deal with him?” Emma asks as she sets down her plate and pulls out the chair across from me.
“He has a crush on my brother,” Sophia mumbles as she shoves a bite of food into her mouth.
“Don’t we all,” Emma sighs as she watches Jax.
“Oh, please! You don’t have a thing for Jax and we all know it.” Charlie laughs and shakes her head.
“You’re right, I don’t. But I can definitely see the appeal. Jax is a little too much for me though.”
“Are you kidding me? Jax is a male version of you.” Bella rolls her eyes.
“Oh, I know. That’s the problem. You can’t have two massive personalities like that in one relationship. It just doesn’t work. No one wants to date themselves; you want to date your opposite.”
“That’s true,” Bella whispers, her eyes never leaving Jax.
I could see the two of them together. She’s the quiet, but strong type. The type of woman Jax needs to calm him down when he gets a little too wild, but he’d help her take leaps and really live life.
“I don’t know what his deal is, but it’s starting to grate on my nerves.” I use my fork to move the food around on my plate. My head is all over the place when it comes to men right now.
“You have the patience of a saint.” Sophia points her fork in my direction. “If a man ever treated me the way I’ve seen Jude treat you, he’d be single in a heartbeat.”
“Amen to that!” Charlie lifts her drink like she’s making a toast.
“My husband is amazing. That man is obsessed with me. I swear every day he becomes more and more clingy and I love every second of it. The moment he gets home from work, he’s attached to my side.
We do everything together. He’s my best friend.
” Sophia’s gaze strays to Peck and the most genuine smile I’ve ever seen slowly spreads across her lips.
It’s like Peck can feel her gaze on him. He winks at her and a smirk pulls on the corner of his lips. ‘I love you,’ he mouths.
“Please, he doesn’t even stay away when he’s supposed to be working. We might as well put a door between Bradley Bennett Security and Mulberry Lane Bakery so he doesn’t have to exit the building at all. He’s constantly visiting you.” Bella rolls her eyes, but I can tell she doesn’t mind at all.
“That’s how Wyatt is too. He waits to eat lunch until I'm finished with my patients. He scoops Carter into his arms and holds my hand as we walk to the café at work,” Charlie says.
“I swear, we just need to figure out a way to clone the Pecker men.” Emma shakes her head.
“Ehh, the Robinson men are just as good.” Bella points a fork in their direction.
Cody’s joined Jax and Jude at the table. He has Carter sound asleep on his shoulder and he’s rocking back and forth softly. Wyatt and Peck are sitting with them and so are the younger guys. Creed, Trey, Chase, Calvin, Holt, Leo, Reid, Tommy, and…
“I’m pretty sure it’s Mulberry Lane men in general.” Charlie smirks.
“Is that Kyler, Mason and Kelsey’s son?” I stare at the boy who was so young when I moved away.
“Yes, isn’t he adorable? Those Robinson genes are amazing,” Emma chuckles. “His sister, Elliott, is over there with the rest of the girls.
She points towards a table of younger girls. Nikita, Peyton, Jade, and Elliott are giggling and glancing at the table of guys, I'm sure at least a few of them have crushes on the guys.
“Elliott is gorgeous! She looks just like Kelsey. Is she going to model too?”
“Nah, Aunt Kelsey and Uncle Mason would never allow that after what happened to Aunt Kelsey.”
“Ok! Time for this cake to get cut. I need to know what I'm having!” Sophia claps her hands as she stands and Peck rises to meet her immediately.
I can’t even imagine having a husband who’s that attentive. Someone who watches your every move and knows exactly how they need to respond. It must be amazing.
“What’s the other surprise?” Lincoln calls out as soon as he sees the happy couple approach the cake.
“You know, you’d think you’d have patience at this point in your life.” Sophia mock glares at him.
“That’s not happening, sweetheart. Hate to disappoint you.” He settles back into his chair and drapes his arm around Olivia’s shoulders.
I swear if you want to see a group of men so obsessed with their wives that they can’t stop touching them, you just have to walk down Mulberry Lane. There isn’t a man here who doesn’t keep their wife on a pedestal and act like she’s the center of his entire universe.
“Ok, the bottom two tiers will tell us what gender the babies are.” Sophia smiles at the crowd and it grows impossibly wider when Wes practically jumps out of his chair and marches straight over to his little girl.
“You’re having twins?” He cups her face in his hands and watches her carefully.
“I'm having twins, Dad.”
As soon as the words are out of her mouth, he wraps her in a gentle hug and presses a kiss to her forehead.
“See! That’s why the Robinson men are the way they are. Look at how much that man loves his little girl.” Emma motions towards her friend and Wes. “Why wouldn’t a woman jump at the chance to date Jax and Cody?”