Page 153 of Forgotten Desires

The way that came out tells all of us there’s definitely something. Brynn’s brother isn’t stupid, he heard it too.

“Is she interested in some boy?” Asher asks.

“I wouldn’t know, Ash.” Then she winks at me. “Even if I did, I wouldn’t tell you. That would be breaking the Auntie Code.”

“What’s going on?” Grady asks, rounding out the whole Whitlock crew.

I speak up because it’s much too fun to stay out of. “We’re all just telling Asher about a boy that Olivia may or may not like, that he may or may not have to worry about because you know . . . teenage boys.”

Grady nods his head. “That would be why he looks like his head is going to explode.”

He groans. “You know, you all are fucking assholes. Each and every one of you.” He looks to Grady. “Elodie? Yeah, she’s going to date.” Then to me. “Oh, and Layla? Yeah . . . good luck with that.” Then he turns to Rowan. “You think Maci is going to skip it? At least I will have survived once before you’re all in the shit around the same time.”

Brynlee clears her throat. “Excuse me, but you also have Sienna right on their heels.”

He looks heavenward then reaches for his phone.

“What are you doing?” Rowan asks.

“Buying a chastity belt.”

“See if there’s a family discount,” I say because there’s no way I’m letting some little punk ass around Layla.

* * *

“Daddy, can Jameson stay in New York when we come to Sugarloaf?” Layla asks as we’re sitting on the couch, trying to watch a movie while he wails in the bedroom with Brynn.

I fight back a laugh. “Jameson goes where we go, Ladybug.”

“But he’s very loud. I can’t hear the movie.”

Valid point. “He’s still your brother and we love him.”

“He just cries so much.”

In all honesty, he really doesn’t. She was a much fussier baby than he is. Once a day Jameson is beyond comfort and that’s right after dinner. He screams and screams for at least forty minutes, then he falls asleep and it’s easy sailing after that.

“You know, when you were a baby, I took you to the doctor thinking something was wrong because you cried all the time.”

“You did?” Layla asks. “Maybe we should take Jameson because I think he’s broken.”

I pause on that one. “Broken?”

“Yeah, Uncle Rowan said he only cries when he breaks something. I think that Jameson has broken a lot of things.”

I can’t hold back a laugh this time. “I see. Jameson is a baby and he’s tired, that’s all. He’ll stop soon.” I look at my watch, it’s been twenty minutes already. “How about I have Rin come out and hang with you. I’ll take Jameson outside to see the stars.”

She nods enthusiastically.

When I get in the room, Brynn is on the bed, Jameson in her arms, and she’s got her reading glasses on with her eReader in her hand.

“You’re reading?” I ask when he draws in a breath.

She glances up. “Might as well.”

“You can think with his wailing?”

Just as I say that, Jameson whimpers, but it’s not a complete scream. We both look down at him and Brynn smiles.

---