Page 38 of Take Two

“Colt, please. You’re way too competitive to let anyone win, Son,” his mom says. “Charlie beat you fair and square.”

“Just like I’ve always done in everythang,” Charlie taunts.

“Hm,” I say while I tilt my head and give Colt a smug look. He frowns at me, and I stick my tongue out at him. “Loser,” I taunt.

“Mama, do you hear how Violet is bullyin’ me,” he says.

“Well, you did lose, Son,” Mary Leigh says.

Charlie throws one last splash of water in Colt’s face before I slide out of his arms and remove my dress. I go around him and get on his back. The kids come and jump into the pool, including Wakowski’s little girl who appears to be fearless. She jumps in and swims to her daddy.

Johnny is the only one who stands at the edge. “Mama,” he says. Charlie swims to him with me on his back and reaches forthe toddler. He extends his arms to Charlie, who picks him up. Johnny ends up on his uncle’s chest.

“No,” he says when he notices me on Charlie’s back.

“Yes,” I say back.

Chapter 20

Charlie

“You look pretty,” I tell Violet when she comes out of the bathroom wearing a short black dress. It’s been a long day of family and partying but having her here with me has amplified the fun. Normally I stay in the background at one of these things or I hang out with the kids but not today. Today I had my girl with me. We stayed in the pool and then had cold drinksto fight the heat. We had more food, and the entire time, Colt watched us.

“And you look handsome, but I bet you already know that.”

I grin down at her and watch as she applies lipstick. “I don’t know that. Well, Mama tells me, but that’s it. I think she might be a little biased.” She looks at me in the mirror and smirks. “What? I talk about my mama too much?”

She turns to me and looks up. When she purses her lips, I give her a soft kiss. “You can talk about whatever you want, whenever you want with me.”

When she gives me her back, I bend and kiss the side of her neck. "I hope you don’t take those words back. A man like me has a lot on his chest," I tell her.

“Well, I’m here to help you lighten the load you’re carrying.” She holds my stare in the mirror and says, “I need to ask you something.” I stop breathing while I wait to hear what she has to say next. “Next weekend, would you consider—”

“Yes,” I say, cutting her off.

“What if I was going to ask you for an organ?”

“You can have one. Whatever it is, I’m in.”

“Well, I told my dad about you, and he wants to meet you.”

“I’ll be there and will do my best to charm him. I will lay on that Chastain charm so thick, he won’t know what hit him.”

“Just leave the thickness for me, okay? That’s all mine.” She reaches behind her and puts her hand on my crotch. I move away before I rip off her clothes and take her to bed instead of to dinner.

After she puts on a pair of animal print stilettos, I tuck her arm in mine, and we walk downstairs and outside. Tonight is just the family and a few of Colt’s friends from work. The kids are upstairs with their nannies, and the adults are left to enjoy themselves.

There’s only one bar now, and it’s outside. There are servers with trays of drinks. When one approaches us, he assures me the drinks on his tray are non-alcoholic.

The yard has one long table set for the formal dinner. It’s still light out, but string lights are hung overhead, and the table is decorated with bouquets of red roses, Vickie’s favorite.

Mama sees me and Violet and walks over to us. She reaches up and pinches my cheeks. Her eyes are alive, and she seems happy as she looks from me to Violet.

“Don’t you look handsome?” she says to me. “And Violet, you look gorgeous. Let’s go sit down. There are name tags on the table, and you’re sitting next to me, Charlie.”

While sipping on a fruity mocktail, I walk us to the table and find our seats. I pull out chairs for Mama and Violet, and the three of us sit. People file in, and after about ten minutes, Colt stands at the head of the table and taps his glass.

“Good evenin’, everyone,” he says. The yard goes silent as we wait to hear what he has to say. “Thank you all for bein’ here with us. This weekend is special because it’s all about my wife.” From here, I can see Vickie blush. She puts her hand to her cheeks, and Colt puts a hand on her shoulder. “This incredible woman,” he says. “When I tell you all that I’m the luckiest man on earth, I mean it. Look at her.”

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