Chapter 51
CHAPTER FIFTY-ONE
Abby
I unload the last of the groceries, putting everything away in the fridge and pantry. I’m still getting used to the new kitchen. It’s so much bigger than the one at my old house, so I’m still learning where everything goes.
My guys have been adamant about us making this our home now instead of theirs. They’ve offered to get new furniture and decorations or even paint the walls different colors.
I love that they want this to feel like home for me and Mav, but it already does. I felt at home from the very first night I was here after Kane’s accident, and that hasn’t changed.
I’m sure over time changes will be made, but for now, I’m basking in the happiness of all of us being under one roof.
The original plan was to wait a few months for all of us to move in together, but we were all too excited. So there really wasn’t a reason to delay it any longer.
We had to get creative with the bedrooms so everyone has a little space of their own, but we made it work. Kane’s old room is now mine. I tried to fight it, but he eventually wore me down.
There’s always at least one of my guys sleeping beside me, usually more than one. There’s a second king-size bed set to be delivered next week, so we can all comfortably sleep together in one bed.
The boys are sharing a room on the main floor of the house. We gave them the option to have their own rooms on opposite sides of the hall, but they elected to share.
The relationship they have is so special. They had a close bond before, but we’ve all seen it grow even deeper over the last month.
Apparently, Mav wasn’t surprised when the guys talked to him about marrying me. He had clocked my feelings for them long before that. He’s way too fucking smart for his own good.
I’m going to be in deep shit when he’s a teenager. Let’s just hope he chooses to use his brain for good and not evil.
Maybe Oliver will be a good influence on him.
When I asked how he felt about us moving in with Oliver’s family, he gave me the biggest hug I think he’s ever given me. When he pulled back, there were tears in his eyes.
“I can’t believe Oliver is going to be my best friend and my brother.”
“Is that what you want?” I asked with tears in my own eyes.
“More than any birthday or Christmas gift I’ve ever asked for,” he said.
Mav and I have been here for almost a month now. It has all been so natural. That isn’t to say there haven’t been minor growing pains along the way, but I truly believe we were all destined to be a family.
There’s a string winding through all of us. It was always there, but as my relationship with the guys strengthened, the connection binding us together as a family pulled tighter.
Now, the string is fastened with a knot that won’t be broken.
The boys’ laughter from down the hall hits my ears, making me smile. The guys are at the bar, getting a little work done before our surprise for the boys this afternoon.
They hired a few more employees to help carry some of the load, so they don’t have to do all of it on their own. It also allows for more family time with all of us.
Things are different on the weeks when Mav is with Cole. I can tell Oliver misses him as much as I do, but we’re settling into our routine during those times, too.
It has allowed me to build a stronger relationship with Oliver and really get to know him. He’s coming out of his shell little by little, and every word he speaks to me feels like a treasure I must protect at all costs.
“Abby?”
I blink a couple of times, realizing Oliver is standing in front of me. I must have really zoned out, lost in my thoughts. I didn’t even hear him walk in.
“Hey. What’s up?”
“Snack?” he asks.
“Of course. Is there something specific you want?”
He thinks about it for a minute, then walks over to the fridge. He pulls out two of the apples I just bought from the store and a block of cheddar cheese.
“I like the way your mind works,” I say, grabbing a cutting board and a knife.
We get the apples and cheese cut up and arranged on a plate. He stands there, running his finger around the white and black edge of the plate.
“Is everything okay?” I ask. “Do you want to add something else?”
He shakes his head. I stay quiet, not wanting to pressure him into talking. He’ll process through it in his own time and communicate what he wants to.
“My mom made this,” he says quietly.
My heart feels like it’s being constricted by a tightening vise. “It’s a good snack,” I say with a smile. He nods. “It’s pretty special that you can remember her whenever you eat apples and cheese.”
He nods again, and I make a permanent note in my mind to keep these two ingredients on hand for whenever he needs to feel close to his mom.
“I miss her,” he says, keeping his eyes on the plate.
I squeeze my eyes shut, trying to keep my tears from escaping. He’s breaking my heart right now. “I’m sure she misses you just as much… if not more.”
He looks up at me with a small smile. His eyes are glossy. I reach over, placing my hand over his on the counter.
He immediately turns his hand over, grabbing mine.
“I want you to know that I would never try to replace your mom. She will always hold that place in your heart.”
He nods. A single tear trails down his cheeks.
“But I’m always here. If you need a hug, someone to talk to, someone to not talk to but just be with… anything. I’ll always be here.”
“I know,” he says, swiping at his tears.
I want to wrap my arms around him, but I don’t want to push his boundaries. Luckily, he closes the distance, wrapping his small arms around me. I hold him close, wanting to take away all his heartache with this hug alone.
I know it isn’t remotely possible, but if I could, I would.
“I love you,” I tell him.
It’s barely audible from the way his face is buried against my shirt, but he mutters the words back. I can’t keep a few of the tears from falling.
This kid is ripping my heart from my chest, but in a good way this time.
“Ols,” Mav shouts, barging into the kitchen. “What is taking—oh. What’s going on?”
Oliver hugs me for a few more seconds before stepping back. “We were just talking,” I tell Mav.
He smiles. “My mom’s good at talking.”
I don’t know whether to take that as a compliment or an insult. It really is a toss-up.
Mav spots the snack on the counter. “Yes, I’m starving,” he says. I want to roll my eyes because he ate like an hour ago.
He grabs the plate with one hand and Oliver with the other. They disappear around the corner and into their room.
“Where are we going?” Mav asks for the fifth time since we all climbed into Kane’s truck.
We really do need to invest in a vehicle with third-row seating. We barely fit in here.
I’m not complaining about being sandwiched between Kane and Linc up front, but Wyatt crammed in the back with the boys is a different story. He’s practically a kid himself, so he was the logical choice to join them.
“It’s a surprise,” Kane says, looking at him in the mirror. Mav thunks his head back against the seat, making all of us laugh, including Oliver.
When Kane finally pulls the truck to a stop in the animal shelter parking lot, both boys gasp. “Are we getting a pet snake?” Mav asks.
Of course my nerdy kid would think we’re getting something obscure like a snake, not something normal like a dog or cat.
“No snakes,” Linc says firmly. “Maybe a dog.”
“Oh yeah… a dog,” Mav says as we walk across the parking lot, like the thought had never occurred to him.
“That makes more sense,” Wyatt says, smirking down at Mav. Mav can be so serious, and I love how Wyatt tends to bring out the sillier side in him.
Kane steps up beside me, sliding his fingers through mine. He presses a kiss to my temple. “I don’t want a fucking snake,” he whispers in my ear.
“I’ve been telling him that for years,” I say.
Linc swings the door open, and a big blob of black fur bursts through the door.
“Cash,” Hadley yells, running after him. The big furball doesn’t make it far before he starts running circles around the boys, who think it’s hilarious.
“You sure you want one of these?” Hadley asks, looking at me over her shoulder.
“Well, maybe not that one,” I say, pointing at Cash, who’s currently licking Mav’s face. “That might be a little much.”
“I might have the perfect dog,” Sienna says, leaning against the doorframe.
“I was just getting ready to go, so I’ll leave you guys to it,” Hadley says. She says goodbye and gets Cash loaded into her car before driving away.
We follow Sienna through the lobby and into the back. “I have a little lady that I think could be the perfect fit for your family,” she says.
We get to the last kennel in the row, and I don’t need to know anything else. Her sweet face says it all.
“This is Zara,” Sienna says with so much tenderness. “She’s a four-year-old golden retriever. She is the absolute sweetest girl. I would take her home myself if my guys wouldn’t strangle me for bringing home another animal.”
She bends down, opening the kennel. Zara looks up with wide eyes that are a little wary from where she’s lying on a plush dog bed.
The boys both kneel down and hold out their hands. She hesitates for another second before moving to stand. It takes her a little more effort to do so because she only has three legs.
“She was in an accident about six months ago and ended up losing her leg,” Sienna says, speaking a little quieter to us while the boys pet Zara. “Her name means ‘warrior,’ and that’s exactly what she’s been. She has been resilient through everything and didn’t let it take her sweet nature away.”
Linc surprises all of us. “She’s ours.”
I feel like I’m going to cry for the second time today. “Yeah, she is.”
Wyatt and Kane both nod.
“Do we get to take her home with us?” Mav asks.
“We aren’t leaving here without her,” Kane says.
“We needed to even out the gender ratio a little bit anyway,” Wyatt says.
Sienna laughs, patting me on the shoulder. “I’ll go get the paperwork squared away,” she says before heading out to the front desk.
I look down at the boys who are both completely enthralled with our newest addition to the family. Wyatt steps a little closer to Kane and me.
“There are other ways we could try and narrow that gender ratio,” he says with a wink.
“Or it could make it more in our favor,” Kane says.
“What the hell are you guys talking about?” I ask.
“Babies,” Linc says.
“We could always make lots of babies,” Wyatt says, grinning at me. He emphasizes the word “lots,” like he loves the idea.
I shrug. “Might be worth a shot.”
Wyatt’s eyes narrow. “Are you serious?”
“Yeah.” I shrug again. “We want to have more kids. Right?”
They all nod.
“Then… why wait? I love you guys. You love me. We love all of them.” I motion toward the trio on the ground. “Why not add another couple to the mix?”
Wyatt steps in front of me, bracketing my face with his hands. “Are you telling me I get to try and knock you up?”
“Are you telling me you have a breeding kink?” I ask quietly, waggling my eyebrows.
“With you? Absolutely.”
“I guess I’ll stop taking the pill,” I say.
“I will throw it in the trash for you,” Kane says with his hand still in mine.
“I’ll take the trash to the dumpster,” Wyatt adds.
“We don’t have a dumpster,” Linc says.
“Whatever,” Wyatt says, drawing out each sound in the word.
“So, we can start trying tonight?” I ask.
“Tonight,” they all agree.
An hour later, we walk out of the shelter as a family of seven with the hope of more to come. We might all be misfit pieces on our own, but as one, we make the most beautiful masterpiece.