Page 36 of Better Not Pout
Chloe gives us both a hug as Scarlett asks, “How’s the bar? And the house? Everything going smoothly? You’ve been quiet in the fam chat. I’d think it was that, but I’m pretty sure I know why now.”
She shoots me a wink, and Wells chuckles, lifting his shoulder in a shrug. “It’s going. Bit slower than I’d like, but it’s looking more like a house and a little less like a construction zone. The bar should be ready in the new year.”
Chloe waggles her brows. “Can’t wait.”
“You can’t even drink yet, Chloe,” Wells mutters. “You can visit all you want, but not serving you till you’re legal.”
She pokes out a lip, and I turn to him, lifting a brow. “That’s a big age difference between you two.”
Wells nods.
“I was the accident,” Chloe says as she leans into her sister with a cheeky smile. “I thrive in being the baby of the family though.”
“Of course you do,” Wells tells her.
Henry, the youngest brother, slips in beside the girls and claps Wells on the back before giving him a hug, then pulling back to look at both of us, his gaze bouncing between us. “Can’t believe you managed to find someone to put up with your shit.”
“Henry,” Wells warns, his lips tightened into a scowl.
Henry lifts his hands in surrender, quietly laughing. “You know we’ve all been saying the same thing. It’s about time you settled down… you’re the only one of us left that’s been hopelessly single.”
I giggle when Wells reaches out and shoves Henry in the chest.
Of course, at that point, everyone joins the conversation, teasing and poking fun at Wells, but they’re all so incredibly friendly and welcoming that it makes me feel slightly less overwhelmed by the sheer number of people. But Iamhaving trouble keeping up with everyone’s names, mostly due to the rapid-fire introduction from Wells and the fact that they all look so similar it’s like his parents hit copy and paste.
The McCoy genes are strong.
I learn that he has three sisters and two brothers. All of them together make six.
And he was absolutely right, there are a ton of kids. At least seven here, a range of ages from newborn to teenagers, and I endup giving up about halfway through on trying to keep everyone’s names straight.
He wasn’t lying when he said I’d need a notebook. More like a spreadsheet organized by colored tabs, but then again, this… it’s just temporary.
I probably won’t meet them again, and for some reason, the thought makes me a little sad. I haven’t had the chance to get to know everyone, but I genuinely love Ally, and I hope that we can still hang out after, you know…
Wells drops my hand momentarily and swoops in, picking up a toddler who looks to be all of three. I think his name is Conner? If I’m remembering correctly. He’s adorable, with rosy red cherub cheeks and a mop of curly brown hair that bounces as his uncle tosses him into the air, a flurry of giggles tumbling out of him.
God, it’s the cutest thing I’ve ever seen.
He sets him back down and moves to the tiny little newborn baby that his sister Isla is holding. She transfers her gently into his arms, and I swear, my heart is beating out of sync in my chest.
Seeing Wells clutching a baby in his massive arms, pressing her bundled little body tightly against his chest as he coos to her… yeah, well, that did something really weird to me. There’s something so damn attractive about a man holding a baby.
Ally sidles up next to me, a knowing smile tugging at her lips. “Isn’t it so hot seeing them with babies?”
I hesitate for only a second before I snap out of it, laughing with my admission. “Honestly, yes.”
We watch Wells interacting with his nieces and nephews, somehow ending up on the floor at the bottom of a dog pile, and I lift my hand to cover my giggle. He’s pretending to flail under the weight of them all, his groans and movements ridiculous and dramatic, but they’re screaming and giggling in delight.
Yeah, this man is as soft as a teddy bear. There’s no way this is the man who stole the last muffin at Frosty’s or my parking spot at the Mistletoe Mercantile.
Not a chance.
Except, it is, and seeing this side of him sheds a whole new light on him.
“I’m so glad you came this weekend. I’m going to head back to the cabin and change out of this.” Ally gestures to the black dress she’s wearing. “We came straight from sightseeing in Mistletoe Falls earlier, and I need better shoes for tonight because I’m not making the same mistake as last year.”
Before I can even ask her what she means by that, Katherine appears in front of me, and Ally excuses herself, walking back over to where Zander’s sitting on the couch.
