Page 6 of The Flirty Forward

“She’s sleep-deprived,” he says, matter of fact.

“Why?” I ask.

“Because Sammy never sleeps,” my sister says without lifting her head. I turn to my sister-in-law, Kristin and snatch Sammy out of her hands.

“Sammy, my man. Are you not letting your mommy sleep?” I tickle his belly, and he giggles. “How is he still not sleeping? I thought that was just a newborn thing.”

It gets quiet in the kitchen, and I look over at Tina, who is no longer laying her head on the table. “You’ve never had a baby, have you?” she asks and gives me a look that would terrify me if I hadn’t been on the receiving end of that look a million times growing up.

I pat my flat stomach. “Nope. Can't say that I have.” I grin, and she drops her head again. I make my way over to her and rub her back. “I’m sorry you’re not getting sleep, though.”

“Thanks, Sebastian,” she mumbles, and her voice is a lot gentler now.

“Want me to tire him out so he sleeps good tonight?” I ask, throwing little Sammy in the air. He squeals with the best laugh.

“Don’t get him all riled up; he has to take a nap soon,” she tells me.

I frown. “I thought you wanted him to sleep good tonight.”

“I do.”

I look around the room in confusion. “Then why is he taking a nap?” I feel like it’s an obvious question.

“Would somebody else please educate him?” Tina asks.

“You don’t want him to get overtired,” Kristin says softly, coming to my rescue.

“Because if he’s overtired...” I start, still trying to figure this out.

“Then he won’t sleep well tonight,” Kristin says.

“So, he has to take a nap, so he will sleep tonight?” I repeat. It sounds just as dumb out loud as it did in my head, but Kristin nods as she takes Sammy back.

“Yes, but not too long or he won’t sleep tonight,” Kristin adds, rubbing Sammy’s chubby cheeks.

I shake my head. “I am never having kids.” That causes Kristin to smile.

“Good. You wouldn’t be able to handle them,” Keith says, knocking my hat off my head. I elbow him in the thigh as I bend to pick up my hat. He grabs my arm and tries to pin it behind my back, but I’m too fast. I know what to expect from him after all his years of torment.

“No fighting in my kitchen,” our mom reminds us. That's been her rule for as long as I can remember.

“Fine. I’ll go see who wants to play with me.” I turn my cap around backward on my head and make my way out of the kitchen to find my nieces and nephews.

“Don’t rile them up before we eat,” my sister calls out after me. I grin. Does she even know me?

“Who wants to play bucking bronco?” I call out. I hear Andrew chuckling behind me, but I brace myself for my nieces and nephews who come running at me. We spend the next thirty minutes trying to see who can ride the bucking bronco the longest. It's always Kayla; that girl can hold on like nobody’s business. I’m pretty sure I’m going to have bruises on my ribs from where she dug her heels in to hang on.

“Everybody wash up,” my mom calls out. “Time to eat.” There’s a lot of pandemonium while everyone washes hands and then makes their way to the table. My dad says grace, and then we pass serving dishes around the table.

“Man, this looks good,” I say as I pass a bowl of sausage gravy to Max, who’s sitting on my left. “I’m starving.”

“You always say that Uncle Sebastian,” Max says as he takes the gravy.

“Well, it’s true,” I tell him. I try to help him put gravy on his biscuit, but he doesn’t let me. I forget that he’s becoming independent.

“So where’s your fiancé?” Tina asks. “Sort of thought she’d be with you.” There’s laughter around the table, and I grin. It doesn’t bother me.

“She couldn’t make it.”

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