Page 40 of Mother Pucker

Kai nods as if this should be common knowledge. “Yeah, we have a family of raccoons in our chimney, and the mom raccoon, Junior, had three babies. A few of us got to name them, so I named one of them Slick, after you. They’re loud, but we can’t re-home them until they’re older.”

“I see,” I say, even though I now have a whole slew of new questions. “So, they just go in and out of your chimney as needed?”

“Yeah,” he answers. “Bossman and Uncle Cortney put a metal grate around the chimney so they can’t get into the house, but we can see and hear them in there all the time. Plus, Colette, Phoebe, and I made periscopes so we can see Junior when she leaves to get them more food.

Bossman and Uncle Cortney?What the hell?

The confusion must be written over my face because Shay takes a breath, answering my unasked question, “The kids callBeckett Bossman.” She eyes me, knowing that isn’t explaining a whole lot. “I live with my best friends–Dylan, Liv, and Delia–and their significant others. Well, Delia hasn’t had a significant other since her fourth-grade boyfriend, whom she broke up with because ‘he was too entrenched in our systemic patriarchy’. But Beckett is Liv’s husband, and Cortney is Dylan’s fiancé.” She pauses, making sure I’m following. I’m really not, but I’m trying. “And yeah, we all live together with all our children.”

I blink at her. “Beckett Langfield?”

Shay nods. “And Cortney Miller.”

My eyes widen. “As in, the Revs’ catcher?ThatCortney Miller?”

“Yup.”

“All of you live in one house?” I ask again because, clearly, I’m still not processing.

Kai laughs, seeming to find my line of questioning funny, while Shayla lets out a puff of air. “Well, I suppose you could call it a ‘house’.” She air quotes around the last word. “There are parts of it that have a roof, and there are still a few walls missing.”

I shake my head, not knowing what to say. Where the hell is this woman living?

I’d known she was new to Boston, having moved from California, but she hadn’t mentioned anything about living in a house with all her friends and their families.

Was this some sort of cult?

A sister-wives situation?

“Mom and her friends made a pact last year,” Kai adds. “It’s why we all live together in the house Aunt Delia inherited.”

“A pact?” I ask, looking back at Shayla for clarification. This definitely has cult vibes written all over it.

My mind starts buzzing with more questions, like how much am I willing to do for this woman?Am I willing to join a cult?

I've never been interested in doing any sort of wife swapping . . .

And how does that work with Delia, since she doesn't seem to like men? In any case, I don't want any other woman except Shay, so what would this all entail if we started getting serious? I certainly don't want to share her; I’d fucking break Beckett’s pretty-boy face if he touched her. And Cortney Miller? Yeah, he can forget about catching anything ever again when I break his hand for doing the same.

Shit, this all seems really complicated.

Shayla nods, as if what she was about to share was just another run-of-the-mill sort of life story. “After college, my best friends and I remained close. So, when Delia inherited a humongous, dilapidated brownstone here in Boston, and we all ended up being single moms, we decided to move in and raise our kids together. We’ve been struggling to repair the house ever since, mainly due to unreliable contractors, but also Delia’s unattainable standards.” She pauses, taking a breath. “Anyway, that’s how Kai and I ended up here.”

I reel back, taking it all in. “Wow. That’s . . .”

“It’s really fun!” Kai exclaims as I trail off, trying to find the right word! “Thirteen-and-a-half of us and our raccoons!”

I feel like I keep hearing the wrong things and asking dumb questions. “Thirteen-and-a-half?”

“Yeah, Dylan and Cortney are pregnant,” Shay answers for him.

I blow out a breath before looking at Kai. “Seems like you live quite an exciting life, kid. Thanks for naming one of the raccoon kits after me.”

He gleams. “Well, you’re my favorite player. Plus, I think he’s getting pretty big with all Mom’s food we’ve been–”

His mouth falls agape suddenly, his eyes going wide, like he’s just seen a ghost. A flush takes over the tops of his cheeks, and heturns around to face his mom, who’s giving him a look a lot like my own mother did when I’d majorly fucked up.

“Mom–”

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