CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
The wood bench creaks beneath my weight while I wait for Garrett and Drake to pass another round of judgment. Somehow, I got stuck in the middle. Our seating arrangement is most definitely on purpose. These two instigators tag-team me at every opportunity. A family-friendly picnic in the park isn’t safe from their heckling.
“Not sure what’s got your thong in a twist, Crusher. This is tradition.” Garrett’s fresh attempt to get a rise out of me falls flat.
“Yeah, quit your bitching,” Drake adds.
As if I’ve stooped to their level and given them a crumb to feast on. Instead, the goading rolls off my hunched form. I’ve been ignoring their presence for the better half of an hour. That hasn’t stopped them from swarming like bloodthirsty insects since we arrived.
But it’s nothing I can’t easily swat away. Especially when Callie is within sight. She sits on a blanket beside Grace, Harper, and Sydney. Her smile brightens the sunny afternoon while she listens to whatever nonsense is being served from the peanut gallery. Glitzy and Walter race circles around the group to provide a secondary distraction.
My focus remains straight ahead while the cluckers flanking me decide what shit to spew next.
Drake does the honors. “When’s the wedding, man?”
Garrett’s scrutiny burns into the other side of my face. “Are you about to smile?”
“Told you,” Drake hoots. “Smitten kitten in our midst. He’s lost control of his facial muscles.”
“Damn. Never thought I’d see the day.” Garrett whistles like a plane is about to crash.
The urge to punch them shoots a tremble through my arms, but I don’t break position. My bent elbows stay locked onto my knees.
Meanwhile, Drake chuckles at our buddy’s sound effects. “You’ve become a helluva grill master, Foster. Did we pack wieners to roast?”
“Ridge has a kielbasa we can rake over the coals. Or he used to. Rumor has it, he’s no longer in charge of his own meat. Better check in Callie’s purse.”
Drake nudges me after that eloquent comment from Garrett. “Get it? You’re pussy whipped.”
“Yup,” I grunt.
“At least you can admit it,” Garrett laughs.
“I’ve always wondered how it feels,” Drake muses. “Wanna weigh in on this topic, Evans? You’ve got experience.”
Jake flips him off from across our makeshift circle. The grumpy asshole makes me look like a fluffy unicorn in comparison.
Drake shrugs and chooses the lesser of two evils to annoy. “Do you surrender your balls completely or does Callie just fondle them whenever the mood strikes?”
My temper bubbles to the surface. “Yank that toothpick you consider a dick from your ass and maybe you’ll find out.”
Drake claps after finally managing to provoke me. Such a pathetic victory to celebrate. “I bet getting head on the regular is worth it. Does she spit or—?”
I whack him in the chest with a clenched fist. “Better shut up or you’ll make me mad.”
He doubles over while hacking up a lung. “Shit, Crusher. I’m just fucking with you.”
“Same,” I return.
“Doesn’t feel like it.” He rubs his sternum.
“Find someone who cares.” I blindly wave toward a crowd gathered under the nearby pavilion. “Maybe there’s a single mom who will tend to your wounds.”
After that, the dumbass duo decide to shift gears onto greener pastures. Garrett blows his fiancée a kiss. Feminine laughter snags Drake’s desperation for companionship. Jake’s attention hasn’t strayed from where Harper and Sydney are sliding beads onto string to make bracelets. The fuck-off vibes he’s exuding are potent enough to protect the entire park. That gives me the freedom to stare at Callie until my gaze is likely to burn a hole in her dress. She doesn’t feel the heat of my unwavering interest as she joins in the crafting.
After Drake finishes perusing the options far out of his league, he realizes a comfortable silence has fallen over us. “How did I become the odd fuck out?”
“The fact that you even have to ask, dumbass,” Garrett retorts.
Grace whirls to confront the crude interruption. “There are kids nearby.”
His eyes bulge at her scold. “Did I say fuck? I meant duck.”
“Always fucking with a perfectly good saying,” I mutter.
“Not you too.” The reprimand is aimed at me.
I hold up a palm. “The children are preoccupied. Except this pair.”
“Oh, we’re entertained.”
“Me too,” Sydney chirps. “But you both gotta put a dollar in the curse jar.”
Grace and Harper pin us to our bench with a mutual glare. I tug my hat down to shield myself from their scathing ire. Drake smirks, far too pleased with himself.
Garrett scoffs. “Don’t loop me in with these two, soulmate. I’m innocent.”
His fiancée snorts. “You’re many things, bartender. Innocent isn’t one of them.”
He scratches at his jaw, not bothering to hide a growing smile. “Got me there.”
Callie squeals, which morphs into an untamed giggle. My concentration is redirected where it belongs to find Walter showering her with sloppy kisses. Lucky mutt. As if listening, the dog doubles his efforts to make me jealous.
Garrett cocks his head at the commotion. “Let me get this straight. Someone just gave a golden doodle away?”
“Apparently,” I drawl.
“Aren’t they a designer breed?”
I shrug. “Depends who you ask.”
“How convenient for your wallet that this one happened to be free,” Drake chimes in.
“I’d buy her a dozen puppies.” The happiness shining on my girl’s face is worth a fortune. A sideways glance from left to right suggests I’m not the only one to notice.
“She’s poking out of her shell, huh?”
I jab Garrett’s arm. “Don’t refer to her as a turtle.”
“Could be a snail,” he grumbles.
“He’s right,” Drake agrees. “Callie is different lately. It’s in a good way, don’t get me wrong. Like she’s more carefree or some cathartic shit.”
“An oppressed seed that needed to be nurtured and watered by a particular hose to bloom into a flower.”
I startle at the sudden appearance of Joy. “The fuck you come from?”
“Main Street.” She points at the road as if I haven’t lived in Knox Creek for years. “Cole and Belle are bonding over ice cream. I needed to stretch my legs.”
Garrett studies his sister. “Are you a poet and I didn’t know it?”
She wrinkles her nose as unshed tears collect in her eyes. “That little sonnet just sprang through the dirt to be heard. The hormones have me all up in my feels.”
“Ah, thanks for the warning.” Drake scoots to the edge of the bench.
“Don’t be a dick,” she blubbers.
He blanches. “What? How? I was just—”
“Being an insensitive prick,” she snaps.
“Sorry,” Drake mumbles.
“How’s my nephew cooking in there?” Garrett pokes at Joy’s small baby bump.
“Just fine, weirdo.” Her hand smacks his away.
“Jeez.” He shakes off the sting. “Do you need a snack? Maybe a punching bag?”
She straightens and blows out a slow exhale. “Apologies for the snark. It’s something I’m working on.”
“I can see that.” Her brother adjusts on his seat as if seconds away from fleeing.
A beaming grin replaces the scowl on Joy’s face. “Love is grand. Good for you, Crusher.”
I bob my head in gratitude while trying to traverse the emotional whiplash. That leads me straight to Callie. Her head is tipped skyward, allowing the sun to bathe her silhouette. A gentle breeze billows the flowing fabric at her waist, a fantasy taking shape underneath. My mind is quick to wander along a path to where she’s pregnant. Her stomach is swollen where our child grows and thrives. I stretch my fingers as if I can reach out to feel the life we’re building. The vision is vivid, blurring the line between fact and fiction.
Motion in front of me steals the picturesque view. “What’s got you grinning like you won the Stanley Cup?”
I scowl at Drake’s waving arm. “Nothing.”
“Isn’t it obvious? He’s tapping that hot ass over there.” Joy lewdly thrusts her hips, but immediately pauses to fan herself. “Damn, I’m getting myself hot and bothered.”
“She’s a total banger.” Grace sidles up beside Garrett to join our sidebar.
Garrett’s mouth pops open. “Like you would bang her?”
I thump the back of his head. “Quit admiring my future wife.”
“Can you blame us?” Joy blinks innocently.
“Solid choice. I’d put a ring on that.” Grace flashes the diamond on her finger for emphasis.
I turn my gaze to the source of my obsessions. Callie is on her feet taking pictures. She spins and aims the camera at me. Before I can blink, the film is spit out from the top of the Instax.
The sneaky photographer winks at me. “I caught you looking.”
My smirk is entirely for her benefit. “I’m looking at you.”
“Luckily I’m behind the lens, huh?”
“C’mere, sweetness.” I crook my finger.
Callie’s hips sway to an exaggerated degree. I’m instantly hypnotized by the effortless flow of her stride. A slight curl quirks her lips as she approaches. It reveals this sultry strut isn’t an accident.
Her sandal bumps my boot. “Hey, boyfriend.”
Lust stabs me in the gut. “Missed you.”
“I was right over there.”
“Distance doesn’t matter. Need a seat?” I pat my thigh.
A blush colors her cheeks but she inches forward to comply. I pull Callie onto my lap and tuck her flush against me. Vanilla swirls in the air to provide me with an instant sense of peace. In the next moment, my face is buried in the dip of her shoulder for another hit. But it’s not enough. My hat gets flipped backward to grant me unrestricted access. Then I’m diving in for more.
A shudder rolls through my body. Callie gasps as if she can feel the desire swirling off me. The park fades into a colorful blob. Idle chatter goes mute. Nobody else exists but us.
“Um, wow. You’re very… affectionate. Didn’t know you had it in you, boss.” Harper must’ve abandoned her spot on the blanket as well.
I couldn’t care less about who’s witnessing my unconditional attachment to this woman. Callie isn’t as immune and squirms in my hold. The extra attention probably makes her uncomfortable. I slouch onto the bench and tip my legs upward. The change in position rests her head on my chest. Her face is aimed at the clouds, away from prying eyes.
“Just ignore them,” I whisper in her ear.
Her exhale is choppy. “You’re a cozy chair.”
“Best seat in the house.”
“Welp, that’s our cue.” Harper signals to Jake and Sydney. “We gotta get home and do the dishes.”
The little girl pouts. “But I don’t wanna clean.”
“You actually have a playdate with Polly. Daddy and Mommy will handle the dishes while you’re gone.”
“Really?” Excitement raises Sydney’s tone several octaves.
“Yep, we’ll get them taken care of. Doing the dishes is very important.” Harper puckers her lips at Jake.
The little girl spins on her heel to address us like an adoring audience. “Mommy and Daddy do the dishes a lot. Like all the time. Especially after I go to bed. Not sure why there are still plates and cups by the sink when I wake up in the morning.”
Joy snickers. “They take their time on certain platters. Those big ones are tricky. You have to scrub really hard to get them clean.”
“Daddy does best on those tough-to-reach stains. Really gets after it.” Harper wiggles her brows.
“Dirtier the better,” Jake says.
“Adults are weird,” Syd grumbles.
“Yeah, kid.” Drake appears perplexed while trying to follow their exchange. “But only certain ones.”
Harper ignores him, turning her attention to Callie and me. “Have you started on any small plates? Maybe just spoons? Forks are fun. Especially in the afternoon.”
“Pairs well with a nap,” Jake offers.
Her eyes sparkle. “Oooooh, yes. Lay them all out on the counter. A nice kitchen is essential.”
“You have to watch how hard you bang the pots together or you’ll be eating for two.” Joy pats her belly.
“Food for thought.” Harper taps her temple. “Toodles.”
But it’s never that simple to part ways. Our group disperses in an extension pack of Minnesota goodbyes. The crude humor mixed in makes the long-winded farewells somewhat tolerable. Drake is last to amble off, leaving me on the bench with Callie.
“Why do they care so much about dishes? I’m confused.” A furrow creases her forehead.
“They’re talking about sex,” I rasp.
“Oh! How sneaky.”
“Very.”
Her eyes trail after our friends as if she wants to chastise them. Before she can make good on that plan, a different idea seems to distract her. “Should we… um, do the dishes?”
“Not yet, sweetness.” I chuckle and skim my fingers along her sides. “But we can definitely do a pre-rinse and soak cycle.”