Page 17 of Pocketful of You

Best day.

Thank you, skanky aunt Nora!

"Well shit," Noah – my cousin's killer half-brother's BFF – said, blowing out a breath when I finished reciting my tale of woe. "You're absolutely right, Luck. Thorn's got nothing on this kid."

"Right?" Lucky chuckled, thoroughly amused at my expense. "I feel like we need to put them in a room together and watch them fight it out for airtime."

"It would be a bloodbath," Noah agreed thoughtfully before turning his brown eyes on me. "You up for it, kid?"

"Question," I said, holding up a finger. "What the hell is aThornand will it hurt me? Because I've gotta tell you now, the strongest muscle in my body is mytongue."

Both men erupted in laughter and I laughed right along with them, a nervous cackle of sorts, while I mentally schemed about how to get these two beasts to help me.

"Thorn is my wife," Noah replied, smirking. "And that's one helluva story you just told us, kid, but I've gotta ask; does monogamy not exist for teenagers anymore?" His brows furrowed. "Does everyone just date… everyone nowadays?"

"Hell if I know, man," Lucky mused. "These millennials are a new breed of human."

"I'm just trying to get this all cleared up in my mind," Noah continued, still frowning. "So, you're dating this Chris dude –"

"Was," Lucky corrected. "Past tense. Chris is the dead one. Keep up, Noah."

"Youweredating Chris, the nerd," Noah said, changing tenses. "Whowasdating Romi, the former popular cheerleader." His brows pinched together. "Who used to date his twin brother Sketch, the varsity jock –"

"Stilldating," I offered. "Well, they're still sexing, at least."

"They only sexedonce," Lucky corrected. "First time in the motel room, witnessed by pervy cowboy here, remember?"

"Sexed?" Noah arched a brow. "Is that a word now?"

"Who the fuck knows." Lucky shrugged. "Millennial slang."

Shaking his head, Noah turned back to me. "And you and the cheerleader –"

"Ugh, only in her dreams, baby-boomer," I groaned with a shudder.

"Gotcha," Noah chuckled. "And what about you and this brooding jock –"

"Sketch," I filled in with a wistful sigh.

"Sketch. You ever hook up?"

"Passionately, provocatively, and frequently." I sighed. "And regrettably, only inmydreams."

"Jesus Christ." Chuckling softly, Lucky stood up and moved for the door. "I need a smoke. All this teenage drama only reminds me that it's coming down the track for us."

"The hell it is," Noah growled. "I'm homeschooling."

"Think that's gonna stop your sons?" Lucky laughed. "They're like chips off the old block, Messina."

"I'm not worried about the boys," Noah called back. "Finn and Jace can't come home pregnant. The girls on the other hand?" He shuddered. "Hell no, they're staying home with their daddy until they're both thirty."

"Erin, maybe, but good luck trying to tell Taylor what to do. Girl's the reincarnation of her mother."

"Are you saying I can't handle my wife and daughter?"

"That's exactly what I'm saying."

"Fuck you, douche. It's happening. Homeschool is on the cards." Clearly pissed, Noah stood up. "And I wouldn’t be so fucking smug if I were you, misterI only make daughters." Narrowing his eyes at the blond god in the doorway, he added, "That's how many girls now? Andstillno son for Lucky."

---