I glare at my brother a moment. It’s obvious that little love tap via text didn’t mean shit to him.
Coop tosses a football into the air. “You up for a little fun? We heard you had a brand new lawn to break in.”
Laken laughs as if he were speaking right to her, and knowing Coop he probably was.
“You know I want in on that,” she chimes.
“How’s Fletch?” Cooper comes in close and Laken goes straight to him. Cooper knows exactly how to steal Laken’s attention. He’s an expert, a mastermind one might say. And certainly, mentioning Laken’s brother is one way to cut to the quick. Fletch is in New York on business, but has threatened to come out later this summer when the baby is due. Fletch and I were tighter than brothers at one point and now, just like everybody else in my life, he feels like a virtual stranger.
Gage smirks my way. “What’s with the long face, sweetheart? Your jeans too tight? Afraid your stomach is starting to show?” He takes Charlie from me and she shouts, “no,” with the best of them and reaches right back for me. Both Charlie and Eli are seven months now. Charlie seems a little more advanced, for sure, far more articulate, or vocal as it were.
“Dada,” she purrs as she lands right back in my arms.
“That’s what I like to hear.” I reward her by dotting her face with kisses.
Gage pumps a dry laugh. “And that’s what you’re gonna hear, twice over in August.”
I pull Gage over a few feet as Tobie careens past us, her arms stretched out as she does her best impression of an airplane.
“Would you keep it down?” I growl at my brother. “Don’t ever say that again.”
“I’m just saying, five kids, Wes. You’re virile. There’s no arguing that.”
“One of them is yours.”
Gage hikes a brow. “And one of them is Coop’s.” He tries to brush a finger over Charlie’s nose and I spin her out of his reach.
“All right. You’re a comedian today. I get it. You’re cooped up all day with that shrew of a wife of yours, and she’s making you certifiably insane. I’m speaking from experience. I should know. I’m sorry the Chloe curse has befallen you. But you need to lighten up. Accept your lot in life.” I take a deep breath as I glance to Coop edging his way closer to Laken.
“Is that what you’re doing?” He nods to Laken and Coop. “Accepting your lot? You can’t get rid of him, Wes. I’m sorry, man. I don’t know how to help you out in that department.”
“I’ll give you a tip. Drop him like the brick of shit he is. He’s not your buddy, Gage. He’s only using you to get to Laken.”
His dimples dig in and out, not a smile in sight.
“He doesn’t need me to get to Laken,” he says. “He doesn’t need you to get to Laken. Laken herself has given him an all-access pass. She remembers their marriage. She remembers who they were. And she still likes the guy. She’s nice. Even if she wanted to get rid of him, she wouldn’t have the heart. If you really want to bump Coop out of the picture, the best thing you can do is tell Laken to cut him off. Whatever the hell you do, do not kill the guy. I don’t care how masterfully you plan out that little accident to pan out, it will blow up in your face like a powder keg. And Laken and the kids will be the casualties right along with him. She’ll pin you with it before you can fake the fact you heard the news.”
He’s right. I take a deep breath as Laken hands me Eli. I watch Laken and Coop head to the lawn and toss the ball for the better part of a half hour before Gage gets in and it’s a three-way.
By evening, the entire neighborhood is out. Eli is with Kresley again. Laken is feeding Charlie and sitting on a folding chair with Chloe by her side. It’s just the boys out on the lawn now.
Flag football.
Gage, Brody, and I against Logan, Coop, and Ellis.
I go easy on them. I’m downright soft. I let the game go on for over an hour before I make my move. And when the time is right, I charge that piece of shit and nail Flanders to the grass, making sure my elbow pins him in the neck.
He grunts and groans as I do my best to crush him with the weight of my body.
“Sorry about that, Coop,” I say it a little too loud, stepping on his ankle as I stagger to my feet.
“Geez,” he barks it out with all the drama he can afford. Ah hell, he’s not faking it. I made sure it hurt. And how I would love to hurt him just a little bit more.
I help him up, just to sand the edges off any anger I might have invoked in Laken, and I catch her pressing her hand to her chest with relief.
I’m still holding Coop’s hand, a love story in the making, when I notice a bright red spot just above his wrist.
“What’s this?” I yank his sleeve up and note his arm is sprinkled with dots. “This start on your stomach or your limbs?”
