Page 45 of Lovers at Seaside
“Whatever,” Leanna mumbled.
“Why do you always deny that people have sex?” Jenna asked. “We had to rig your bedroom window so we could close it from the outside. Remember?” She turned to Parker and said, “She and Kurt always forget to close the window. It was like listening to the porn channel.” She waggled her brows, and Leanna turned bright pink.
Parker could only imagine how embarrassing it would be if she or Grayson had neighbors. She’d only slept with a few men, but she’d always been a silent lover. Grayson brought out sides of her she’d never known she had. Including the warm and squishy feeling moving through her now at the sight of her big, virile man bouncing his adorable year-and-a-half-old niece, Bea, on his knee. Bea’s dark hair curled up at the ends, and her smile lit up her blue eyes as she giggled anew with every bump of Grayson’s knee.
“Your lover’s calling. Your lover’s calling. Your lover’s calling.” Everyone turned toward the automated voice coming from the other side of the road, where a short-haired woman was poking at her cell phone.
“What was that?” Jenna whipped her head around.
“Your lover’s calling. Your lover’s calling. Your lover’s calling,” sounded again, and the woman poked at her phone again.
“Thatis Bella in action.” Leanna pointed at Bella, whispering in a harsh tone, “You have got to stop this. Seriously. Theresa turned usbluelast year as payback for your pranks. Heaven knows what she’ll do next time.”
Parker realized this was another one of Bella’s pranks.
Bella was busy breaking up little pieces of a muffin for her daughter, Summer. “What makes you think I did anything?”
“Your lover’s calling. Your lover’s calling. Your lover’s calling,” sounded again, and Bella stifled a laugh. Theresa stormed inside her house and slammed the door.
“You changed Theresa’s ringtone?” Jenna laughed. Then her face went serious. “You know she has no clue how to fix it, right?”
“You should probably fix it,” Amy said. “Not that I don’t love your pranks, but what if she’s in a store and it rings?”
“Ugh.” Bella pushed to her feet. “Fine, I’ll go fix it, but you know what this means, don’t you?”
“That you’re lying and you won’t really fix it?” Amy teased.
Bella crossed her arms, shaking her head. “No, that this is it. The pranks were the last link to our carefree years. What’s left? Getting old and gray and fat and boring?”
“You’re only thirty-four,” Amy reminded her.
“Down!” Summer demanded.
“You’re not hungry?” Bella asked, holding up a piece of muffin. “Auntie Leanna made this especially for you.”
Summer shook her head, sending her blond ringlets swinging against her cheeks. Bella reached for her, and Caden said, “I’ve got her. Why don’t you go help Theresa? I promise, babe, I’ll never let your life get boring.”
Bella rolled her eyes. Caden whispered something to her that made her turn beet red.
“I’m going!” Bella bounced down the steps.
Caden lifted Summer from her high chair. “You guys know she adores Theresa. She wouldn’t prank her if she didn’t.”
“We know,” Jenna said. “And now she’ll probably pull more pranks in hopes of getting even more sexual favors.”
“Lucky me.” Caden smiled and lowered Summer to the deck. The moment her feet touched down, she was off and running, which caused Amy and Tony’s daughter, Hannah, to squeal with delight and fight for freedom, too.
“Of course you want out.” Amy lifted Hannah from her high chair and kissed her cheek, setting her down to chase Summer. Pepper, Leanna’s dog, popped up and followed the girls. “Where Summer goes, Hannah follows.”
“Which will be torture when they’re teenagers,” Tony added.
“Not this one,” Grayson said, kissing Bea’s cheek, then lifting her into the air. “Pete’s going to lock her in a closet as soon as she discovers boys.”
“Gway!” Bea shrieked.
Gway. You’re too cute.
“Bea!” he teased, and pulled the baby down to kiss her chubby cheeks, earning more sweet giggles and melting Parker’s heart.
