Page 89 of The Pass Protection
“Oh c’mon,” JP grumbles.
“Did you seriously not pick Brynn?” Cody chides.
“Don’t be one of those dads that loses his cool when he has kids.”
“I’ll keep him young.” Brynn winks, the suggestive tone not lost on anyone.
Chloe brushes a strand of hair out of her face as she reads another question. “Who will be the first one to get peed on?”
“They do that?” Quinton gasps.
We all shrug as Chloe looks at Q. “I mean, they can’t control it.”
Brynn and Quinton both raise Q’s shoe, and we laugh. He’s obviously going to be the first one to get peed on if he’s not expecting itto happen. The game continues as everyone adds their commentary along the way. Everyone’s playful side came out to play as jokes and digs didn’t go unnoticed.
Savannah and Grant tied with the most correct answers. When she looked over at him, I couldn’t help but notice the slight blush in her cheeks as her eyes seemed to glow. I’m adding that in my mental bank to bring up later. Right now, I am not in a position to talk about anyone’s relationships when I can’t even bring up my own.
As Chloe titters around, ensuring everyone has everything they need, Brynn and Quinton glowed as they walked around the group, enjoying conversations. Their smiles grew wider as the night went on, their happiness radiating. While everyone is busy, I take the opportunity to start gathering all of the dishes from the tables. On my third trip inside the kitchen, I have a shadow on my trail. Scraping the dirty dishes into the sink, I rinse them off before placing as much as I can into the dishwasher.
“Hey, Rebel.” His hushed voice sounds raspy.
A soft smile plays on my lips as I scrub the pan covered in hardened marinara sauce as he sidles beside me. “Hey.”
Opening and closing the drawers around the sink, Crew finally finds the right one as he pulls out a towel. Rinsing the pan, I pass it over to him to dry. Everything about this interaction feels domestic as I glance out the window and watch the group mill among each other.
“I can’t believe Q is having a kid. It feels like yesterday when he showed me the ropes on campus.”
“You two were pretty close.” The words come out as a statement rather than a question.
“He kind of stepped into the big brother role for me. I was pretty dumb and naïve. The small-town kid who’s never been in a big city withparties and girls at the ready.” He glances over at me. “Not that I was with a lot of those girls.”
I give a soft laugh. “It’s fine, Crew. You can talk about all the babes.”
“There was never ‘all the babes.’”He taps his shoulder against mine as I stare up at him. We fall into a routine as I wash and he dries, making our way through the pile of dishes.
“Do you want kids?”
The question startled me as I dropped the soapy plate I was holding. Luckily, it didn’t break in the sink. Leaving the plate in the sink, I lean forward, gripping the edge of the sink and staring out the window.
I used to think about having kids all the time. Growing up, I’d play pretend with my dolls and make Grant be the dad while I was the mom. We’d dress up our babies, pack little diaper bags, and push the kids through the house in little toy strollers. I used to beg my mom to let me take my baby doll with me wherever we went. Even as I got older and outgrew pretend play, I’d still think of kids. I enjoyed babysitting throughout junior high and when I could in high school.
Then, when I started dating he-who-shall-not-be-named, I started picturing the white picket fence and picture-perfect family with two kids, a boy and a girl. But as things got worse, that dream started to fade. Everything started to drift away—my hopes, dreams, and ambitions.
But now, with Crew standing here next to me and as our relationship evolves, that dream begins to flicker in my mind. I can see kids again in the future. Only this time, I want a house on a farm. A place where I sit on a swing on a large wraparound porch, sipping lemonade as my slew of kids play in the front yard. They’d stand and scream excitedly as their daddy returned from a long day of working the fields. He’d bend and scoop all the kids up in his giant arms before carrying them up the stairs to me. He’d place them on their feet and tell themto scurry off because he needed to see his woman. And with a welcome home kiss, he’d sit next to me as we watched the life we’ve built play out in front of us.
“Yeah, I want them.”
He bobs his head up and down. No words are said as he dries the last of the dishes, and I wipe down the counters. Glancing around the room, it sparkles and shines. You’d never think that just minutes ago, this room was lined with dishes to feed our little family.
“Hey, there you two are.” Chloe jogs into the kitchen, pausing to take a look around. “Wow! You guys did not have to clean.”
“It was the least we could do after you did everything.”
She loops her arm through mine as she leads us out of the kitchen. “Please, girl. I could not have done it without you.”
Everyone is sitting around waiting for us to join the group again. I don’t miss my brother’s glare as he watches the three of us. His nose flares as Crew steps out behind us. “I found them. They completely cleaned my kitchen.”
“Thank god we don’t have to do that,” Cody grumbles from his seat.
