Page 69 of Pull
“Yea, no thanks to him, I bet,” Bill teases, and we fake-gut-punch each other.
“My darling brother,” Jacob says, giving me a hug.
“Ladies, lovely as ever.” I kiss them all on the cheeks, following the sounds of everyone embracing Jess and Ryan.
“Did you invite Tate?” Bill asks, and I don’t miss the fact that he’s mainly looking at Ryan with this question.
It gives my jaw a little clench.
Jess answers. “We did, but he’s working out of town.”
“He’s actually in Tokyo,” Jacob says, stuffing a chip loaded with guacamole into his mouth.
“Tokyo?” Ryan looks surprised as he takes the last bowl from Jess, setting it on the table. “Must be some new account.”
“You mean he didn’t share the details with you?” Bill asks. “I heard you two talk all the time.” He glances at me and smirks.
“You’re highly annoying,” I roll my eyes.
“Yea, wealltry to keep in touch, not just me and Tate,” Ryan says. “In fact, I have to drive up to ABQ next weekend to help Alec and Kayla with wedding stuff.”
“Oh yea? When are they getting married?” Jacob asks.
“April,” Ryan says with a beaming smile. It’s fully adorable how excited he is to be Alec’s best man.
“Speaking of travel,” I use this as my segue, and excuse to get right down to the point. Everyone looks my way, minus Greg who’s still eating, as usual. “We’re going on vacation for Valentine’s Day. So we need volunteers to watch Ethan for ten days.”
“Ten days?!” Multiple people squawk at once.
“You’re really okay to leave Ethan for that long?” Jess’s sister asks her.
Jess looks worried. “If I sayyestoo enthusiastically, does that make me a bad mother?”
Rachel and Laura laugh.
“Look, we really need this vacation,” I tell them, sipping my drink.
“Oh yea, your life seems really tough, Lockwood,” Greg mumbles sarcastically. “Great job, adorable kid and two partners to share it all with. Boo freaking hoo.”
I can’t help the deranged look of amusement I’m giving him.
“Are you saying you’d rather havetwopartners?” Marie folds her arms and glares at him.
He has this dopey look on his face, like a dog that just got caught eating the Easter ham.
“Wait a minute. Is that why you agreed to host game night?” Bill accuses. “So you can butter us up to take care of your kid while you flit off to some island somewhere?”
I shrug. “Yea, kind of.”
“No, it’s not.” Ryan elbows me.
“Plus, look how many of you there are!” Jess adds. “You can each split him for three days.”
“He’s not a timeshare, babe,” Ryan chuckles, and she gives him a look.
“Don’t be silly, we don’t mind watching him,” Laura says with a smile. “He’s the easiest baby in the world, anyway.”
“Yea, I mean where is he right now? You’d have no idea he’s even here,” Rachel adds.
