Page 153 of Voices

“He parked like an asshole taking up three fucking spots. You’ll be lucky if it doesn’t get towed,” Matt says from the floor.

“They wouldn’t do that. I live here and pay for a parking spot.”

“Key word being one spot, not three you dumb fuck.”

Ryder whips his head from Matt to me with wide eyes. “They wouldn’t do that, right? I’ve never seen a tow truck. Plus isn’t this private property or something?”

“To be honest, I don’t know,” I shrug. “But if I needed to park and you’ve taken up three spots, I’d be pissed. Might even call a tow…”

He jumps off his chair faster than he flies up the ice and is out the door before I finish my sentence.

We look around at each other before busting up laughing.

“Now why when I told him the same thing, he rolled his eyes, but you say the same thing and he panics,” Matt grumbles.

“Probably because you don’t have a car, so he thinks you didn’t read the section about parking when we moved in.”

“Well, I mean I didn’t but still, I know taking up three spots was a shitty move.”

Charlie chuckles next to me. “I think it’s because you’re the goofball of the group and he thinks he’s the serious one, when he’s far from it.”

“You might be right about that, Charlie,” Matt winks.

Ash waves his hand in front of Matt’s face to get his attention. When he has it, Asher smirks as he lays down four Ace’s to accompany the four Kings and a flush in Diamonds. Matts’ mouth drops open as Ash adds a Queen and Jack to the flush then discards a two. Making his total over one hundred and winning the Gin Rummy game.

“You fucker! That’s three games in a row! You’re cheating somehow, I know it!” He huffs, crossing his arms as he pouts like a baby.

Charlie snickers as he lays down, using my thigh as a pillow. I run my fingers through his soft hair. Ryder comes back andretakes his spot in his chair, complaining about how cold it is. Asher shuffles the cards and deals while Matt hypes himself up, convincing no one that he’s going to win this round.

I smile to myself as I settle into the back of the couch. It’s good to be home with my boys.

“Where are we going?”

Charlie is currently blindfolded as I lead him to one of the basement rooms in the condo. I pulled a few strings and was able to rent it for the day so I could give Charlie something special.

“We’re almost there, baby. Just a few more feet.” His hands are fisted on the sides of my shirt as I come to a stop. “Take the blindfold off in three, two, one.” I open the door as he pulls off the bandana.

He blinks a few times as he slowly steps into the brightly lit space.

“Wow.”

He walks up to the two large canvases on easels and runs his fingers along the table filled with paint in every color under the rainbow.

Looking back to where I’m leaning against the door, he tilts his head for me to come closer. I wrap my arms around him from behind and kiss the side of his neck.

“Are you painting with me?” He points to one of the canvases.

“I’m not about the let you have all the fun.” I step next to him and pick up a paintbrush, dipping it in dark blue paint. “Iwas thinking we could do one of those couple’s paint date night things.”

“What are we painting? I think it’s supposed to be the same thing then we compare them at the end.”

I look over at the paint again as I scramble to think of something I can actually draw. The truth is, I came up with this idea last minute and was going to let him do his thing while I watched but Lily suggested I paint with him. But I have no idea what I’m doing. He must pick up on my hesitation because when he looks up at me, he’s trying to hold back a laugh.

“You didn’t think that far ahead, did you,” he teases.

“I might have gotten in a little over my head. You pick what we’re painting, and I’ll do my best to out paint you.” I wield my paintbrush like a sword, getting his beautiful laugh in response.

“Since you already have dark blue on your brush, how about we paint a nighttime scene. Something that has the sky in it, but we pick what’s in the rest of the picture.”

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