6. EVERLEE - GETTING READY FOR THE BAR CRAWL
EVERLEE - GETTING READY FOR THE BAR CRAWL
It’s almost St. Patrick’s Day and Beckett and Will texted about a week ago and said they wanted to fly up to visit us and the pups since it’s been a while. I told them we’d see them at the end of the month when we go down for Easter, but they insisted. Seemed a little odd, but I didn’t want to push it because I was missing my brother and I know he wanted to get his hands on the puppies. He and Will already said they want two, which is exciting, because I don’t think my heart could take giving them to strangers and I don’t think the guys would let me keep all of them. I mean Knox would be on my side, and shockingly enough, maybe Jax, even though he pretends like they annoy him. Between Lulu going to Lizzy and two others going to Will and Beckett, that leaves three for us, plus Luna, which I think is perfectly fine.
“How does my hair look?” Knox asks, bouncing down the stairs into the kitchen and sliding his fingers through his wet locks.
“Will you stop?” With a laugh, I playfully hold his face in my hands.
“I haven’t seen my boos since Christmas and I want to look my best for them.”
“Your boos?” With a tilt of my head, I shoot him a mischievous smirk.
“Don’t be jealous. You’re the only McKinley for me.” He grabs my hips and pulls me towards him into a hug.
“Good thing, buddy.”
The doorbell rings, and Knox lets out a squeal and a little hop, then takes off in a run towards the door.
Jax, Emmett, and Callum walk into the kitchen and take a seat at the bar.
“What? You didn’t want to run to the door also?” Jax asks with a smirk.
“He’s very excited. He’s been talking about them all week.” I grab a bottle of water out of the fridge, then lean against the counter.
A shrill jumbled greeting bounces through the halls into the kitchen. When the guys walk in a minute later, Beckett is carrying Knox, who is hanging on him like a koala wraps around a tree.
“I think he missed you.” I chuckle, giving Will a hug first, then Beckett, once he’s free of Knox.
“How was your flight?” Callum asks.
“Good. Easy.” He steps between Jax and Emmett and wraps an arm around each of their necks. “Now, where are these little bundles of love?” Becks asks. The question was more filler than anything because there’s no way anyone could miss the pups. They’re squeaking, whimpering, barking and nearly climbing out of their pen.
“Over there.” I point, walking beside Callum. He wraps me in his arms and gives me a quick kiss on the forehead.
Beckett cries out and scurries across the room.
“Are you ok getting two puppies?” Jax asks Will, standing from his seat to walk with Will over to the pen.
“I don’t really feel like I have an option.” He laughs. “These puppies have dominated our conversations for weeks.”
“Same.”
“Oh stop. You big oof.” Emmett grabs Jax’s arm and shakes. “You’re with these pups more than anyone in this house.”
Jax shoves Emmett off with a playful smile, then grabs his arm and brings him back in for a quick kiss on the head.
Beckett looks like a giant gorilla climbing into a small box. He finds a seat against the wall and Knox opens their little door and they burst through, trampling over themselves to meet their new friend.
“Oh my heart. Will,” he cries, sticking out his bottom lip.
“I see Becks, I see.”
Emmett pats Will on the back. “Good luck, brother.”
“Only two, Beck. That’s what we agreed to.”
“That’s all we’re giving up,” I second.
“Lulu is the one in purple and has already been claimed by Lizzy.”
“Well, she’s not here.”
“Who’s not here?” Lizzy calls out, sticking her head into the room.
Jax jumps in mock horror. “She’s like a little gremlin that one can summon by speaking her name.”
“Jaxie poo. I’ve missed you, too.”
“I don’t see how. It’s only been a day since you’ve seen me.”
“Well, my other favorite men were coming to town, so I may have stalked their flight to see when it landed, did some quick math and then voila!” She throws her hip to the side and her hands in the air.
“That doesn’t sound like you,” Jax grumbles, arms pinned to his side as Lizzy squeezes him in a tight hug.
She gives me a quick hug and kiss on the cheek before walking over to the pen. “Where’s my Lulu?” Lizzy coos, climbing in and sitting by Beckett. “Hello, love.” She leans her head on his shoulder.
“Hey yourself.” He kisses her temple and hands her Lulu, who is fighting to make her way over to Lizzy.
“There’s my little girl.” Lizzy looks up at us. “I’ve got her room all ready.”
“Room?” Jax scoffs.
“Yes, for when she’s older. For now, I bought her a pen similar to this one, a nice bed her and I can cuddle in when we’re not on the couch watching our favorite movies. I also got her nice ceramic dog bowls and Tony said he will build me one of those fancy doggie food dispensers. Her harness and leash will be in tomorrow.” She squeals with excitement, scaring Lulu. “I’m sorry, baby.” She plants a gentle kiss on her head, then cradles her under her chin.
“Will…” Beckett whines, “I can’t choose. Help me.” He reaches out for Will, who is standing with his arms crossed beside Emmett.
“Babe.”
“It’s hard.”
“That’s what Everlee said,” Will grabs his stomach and laughs.
Beckett’s eyes get huge and the entire room freezes. Even the dogs stop moving and barking. “Wilhelm Cavish. That… that… no…you…”
Knox bursts out laughing and claps Will on the back. “My man.”
Blushing, Will tries to smooth things over. “I wouldn’t dare pick because I’ll take no blame when they pee and poop in the house or eat your shoes or something else. Because when they do, you’re going to blame me and say it’s the dog I picked. Even if it’s the dog you picked. So if I don’t pick, then there is no way it can be my fault. I know your game, buddy.”
Beckett scrunches his nose and claps his fingers in the air like a mother trying to shush their child. “That’s a lot to unpack, sir.”
“Ooh kinky.” Knox and Lizzy say in unison, then look at each other and laugh, then mumble something about the ‘sir’.
“Seriously?” Jax asks. “There’s two of them.”
The room erupts in laughter again.
“Someone call him McKinkley.” I chuckle.
“Not even close, sis. You take the cake on the McKink status.”
Nodding my head to the side, I shrug. My heart feels so happy. This is what I needed. It’s been three months since I removed my IUD, and while I knew it was going to take time, I’m still not pregnant. I keep telling myself I don’t need to rush things, but I can’t wait to start a family. There’s no way it can’t be me if there’s a problem, because the chances of four of them having issues with their sperm… highly unlikely.
I’m trying not to put too much stress on myself because I know that doesn’t help. I went to school with a girl who tried for years to get pregnant and couldn’t, so she adopted… and by the time all the paperwork went through and the baby was born, she found out she was pregnant… with twins. She went from no kids to three kids under six months, nearly overnight. I mean she’s happy and documents her story all over socials, but it was almost like her body was like oh you aren’t stressed anymore, here you go.
Lizzy’s been good. I was nervous she was going to ask if I was pregnant all the time. She asked a few times at first, but hasn’t recently, which I’m thankful for. She trusts I will tell her when I am, but constantly telling her I’m not would be hard.
I caught Jax rummaging through my trash last week, looking at the discarded pregnancy tests. I didn’t say anything, but quietly backed away. He hasn’t mentioned it, so neither have I. Something tells me he wants a baby more than he wants to admit out loud, same thing with the puppies. Jax has come a long way in letting down his walls and giving us a peek behind the curtain, but in some ways, he’s still so guarded in fear of letting us know he wants something.
“So, what are we doing today?” Will asks, climbing into the pen with Lizzy and Beckett.
“They’re having a bar crawl downtown, then parade tomorrow.”
Beckett screams out. “Yellow just peed on me.”
“Aww, he likes you, babe.”
Beckett throws his head back in the air and lets out a fake cry.
“Oh, don’t pretend you don’t like being peed on, big boy,” Lizzy says, patting him on the shoulder.
“It was one time,” he defends, then looks at Will. “I’m kidding. I know some of my proclivities may lead you to believe I was, in fact, serious, but judging by the look on your face, I felt I had to clarify.”
“I’m not yucking anyone’s yum… just…” Will shakes his head.
“Who knows, you could like it,” Lizzy coos, then holds up Lulu and starts speaking in a baby voice. “Couldn’t he? Yes he could.”
“So…” Jax draws out the word. “Do you boys have any plans?”
“Not’a one.”
“Then I vote we go do the whole St. Patty’s bar crawl. They’ve shut off McClintock Road and brought in vendors and bouncy houses for kids.”
“Define kids,” Beckett asks, sitting yellow back down and laughing when he tries to jump back in his lap.
“If it’s maturity level, I’m sure you and Knox will be just fine,” Jax jabs, stepping up behind me and crossing his arms over my chest and gripping the opposite hip.
Without missing a beat, both Beckett and Knox pump their fists into the air.
“I may meet you all down there. I have to run a few errands for wedding things first, so it depends on how long that lasts.”
“Take your time. No stone left unturned when it comes to your wedding,” Jax chimes.
“Aww, boo. You can pretend that you don’t like me, but I know the truth.” She plants a quick kiss on Lulu’s head and sets her back down. “I must go. I just wanted to stop by for a second and say hi to my besties.”
“I’ve gotten most of the responses for your bridal shower,” I say, grabbing her hand and helping her over the pen.
“My dear sweet Emmett, letting us have the entire top floor of Bo’s.” She walks across the room and wraps her arms around him.
“Anything for you, love.”
“Put a baby in our girl.” She pats his chest.
“We’re trying.”
“Gross!” Beckett shouts. “I know you all have kinky sex and I can joke about it, but not you. You aren’t allowed to talk about it.” He shakes his shoulders like he just got a chill down his spine.
“Anyway…” I try to step away from Jax, but his arms clamp down harder around me, so I turn my body to watch a flitting Lizzy bouncing around the room like a butterfly trapped in a cage.
Lizzy gives hugs to everyone and when she gets to me, she pins me in a Lizzy and Jax sandwich and he just stands there. She gives me a quick peck on the forehead and hustles towards the backdoor. “Too-da-loo, lovebirds.”
“Bring Tony, if you come today. It’s been a while since I’ve seen him,” Beckett shouts as he climbs out of the pen.
Lizzy tosses her hand over her shoulder and closes the door.
“Whew.” Jax sighs and lets me go.
“Were you using me as a shield?” I turn around, laughing.
His brow peaks on his forehead, but he doesn’t say anything.
Knox claps, then hops up and down. “Let’s get this party train started.” He pumps his fist in the air. “Woo woo.”
“Chugga chugga,” Beckett says.
“No. Just no.” Will laughs.
“I knew I liked you.” Jax claps his hand on Will’s shoulder. “Hey Knox, toss me some leashes. I’ll take the little hellions out before we leave.”
“I’ll help,” Will offers.