Page 88 of The Pass Protection
“Yeah, because half of golf is drinking.” Tyler chuckles.
Chloe enters the backyard carrying a large tray with bruschetta, and fresh basil and warm garlic waft behind her. My mouth waters as I inhale the delicious scents. More voices come through the townhouse and funnel through the patio door. Savannah follows my brother and three other guys who I’ve learned are Cody’s roommates—Hudson, Ty, and Niko. And it’s Ty, not to be confused with Tyler, my roommate. Although, I’ve learned I’m the only one who calls him Tyler—he’s Harris to everyone else.
Everyone hugs and gives special handshakes in greeting while Chloe instructs everyone to put their gifts up, grab drinks, and help themselves to food. Twenty minutes go by in a flash as Chloe receives a special text from Macy informing us their car is a few minutes away.
What’s nice about today’s surprise party is that Brynn and Quinton know that the weekly family dinner is still taking place, so we don’t have to worry about hiding, but they have no idea they’re walking into their baby shower. My eyes find the gift table, which is overflowing with presents. Gift bags and wrapped presents of every shape and size cover the table.
Laughter filters to where we are all standing, waiting patiently. Nerves and excitement blossom in my belly as the anticipation builds. Chloe stands front and center as everyone else casually gathers around her.
Macy is the first to walk out, a massive smile on her face. And then out steps Brynn, looking over her shoulder, laughing along with Quinton and Gregg. She’s dressed in a baby blue ribbed dress that hits mid-length, a matching sweater covers her arms, and white sneakers cover her feet. The dress hugs her seven-month baby bump perfectly.
When she turns her attention to the yard, she halts, hands flying to her mouth.
“Surprise!” we all yell as she bursts into tears.
Quinton steps up beside her, lips tipped up in a smile as he wraps his arms around his wife. Brynn is overcome with emotion as Quinton helps her down the few steps.
“Oh my god, you guys!” she says, emotions clogging her throat. “You bitch, this is why I had to be forced to spend the afternoon watching freaking golf?”
Macy shrugs. “How else was I going to get the two of you out of your room?”
“Chlo.” Brynn’s lip pouts as her shoulders soften.
“Like it?” Chloe asks tentatively.
Erasing the space between her and Chloe, Brynn throws her arms around her best friend’s shoulders. “Like it? I love it!”
“Nice job.” Crew nudges my shoulder from where he moved next to me. I smile softly at him.
Quinton goes over to the group and does the whole handshake/pat on the back thing guys do while Brynn goes around hugging everyone. She pulls me in last, hugging me tightly. “Thank you so much for helping Chloe.”
“Of course. You look beautiful.”
“Please, I look like a beached whale.”
Quinton sidles up next to her. “Don’t talk about my woman like that. She’s growing the next football star.”
“Or cheerleader,” she retorts with a wink.
Chloe disappears back into the kitchen as she instructs everyone to grab their plates and make their way inside for dinner. The aroma of home-cooked Italian dishes wafts through the air as everyone groans in appreciation. Platters are filled with roasted chicken and vegetables, garlic-butter angel hair pasta, spaghetti and homemade meatballs, a garden salad, and garlic bread. Apparently, Brynn can’t get enough pasta, which is why Scott and Chloe made a variety.
With plates full, everyone gathers around the perfectly decorated tables. Laughter and the clinking of silverware mingle with the conversations as everyone enjoys the delicious dinner. Sharing jokes and stories while grilling the soon-to-be parents.
As dinner starts to wind down, Chloe passes out the cardstock games to everyone. The first game she had us play was a typical prediction game where everyone had to guess the date of birth, statistics like height and weight, gender, and so on. She saidshe’d keep the cards, and whoever got the most right would win a gift card to The Eagles Nest or something similar.
Now, the next game is interactive. Open conversation and laughter surround the tables as everyone jokes while they answer the questions. While everyone is filling out the cards, Chloe stands and moves between the two tables as Quinton grabs two chairs for him and Brynn to sit on. Chloe instructs them to switch one shoe and to sit with their backs to each other.
“Okay, guys, I’m going to ask Q and B the question, and without seeing each other, they’ll raise a shoe of the person to whom they think the answer applies in the air.”
“Then we’ll mark off who was right on the card?” Hudson, one of Cody’s roommates, asks from beside me as Chloe nods.
Leaning forward with a pen in hand, I wait to see if I’ll be checking off or crossing out my answers.
“Look who’s acting all studious,” Grant chides, teasingly elbowing me in the ribs. I stick my tongue out as he chuckles.
“First question, who will be the most fun parent?”
Both Brynn and Quinton raise Brynn’s sneakers in the air.
