Nylah gives him an impish grin, then looks at Zander. “I don’t suppose you have any, do you? Because I could seriously go for carrot sticks too. They aredelicious.”
“Count me in!” Wily raises his hand. “I love those things.”
“Yeah, I’ll take one too.” Tyrell gets in on the action.
“Wait!” Zoey yells, wriggling out of Carson’s arms. He pops her down and she goes to the bag, pulling out the carrot sticksand looking around at each of us with a wary frown. After a beat, she pops the bag open and announces, “I will hand them out.”
She then goes around the circle, allowing us to have one stick each before plunking down by Zander’s feet and finishing off the rest of the bag.
Zander winks at Carson, giving him a grateful smile, then jerking up in his seat when he spots something behind us.
We all turn in time to see Sienna pushing a double stroller around a group of travelers. Her smile is broad and beautiful, and she looks like a million bucks considering she got no sleep last night.
“I made it,” she sings, parking the stroller by my feet and giving me a tight squeeze. “I had to come and see you off. I was dealing with major FOMO.”
I laugh as Zander wanders over to her, kissing her lips as soon as she’s released me. “How’d you get here?”
“I Ubered. The hotel’s not too far, and the guy was really good about having to buckle in the boys’ car seats and fold up the stroller.”
Zander gives her a surprised smile, then peeks into the stroller, grinning down at his babies. “They’re both asleep.”
“Yes, miracles happen,” Sienna murmurs before bending down to pick up Zoey. “Hey, lil’ bug. Good girl. Did you eat all your carrot sticks?”
“Yep!” She gives her mom a proud smile before hugging her, then looking into the stroller and telling us all to be quiet. “They’re sleeping. Shh.” She points at Wily. “Don’t be loud.”
He zips his lips, which causes Blake to snort and start giggling.
“Stop.” He nudges her and she nudges right back, and Grady gets jostled around as his girlfriend tussles with her brother.
Their play fighting is on the cusp of escalating when he lets out a patient sigh and lifts her off his left leg and settles her onto his right so she’s out of easy reach of her brother.
Wily grunts at him. “Spoilsport.”
“Man child,” Grady clips back.
They share a quick side-eye, and then all eyes dart to the departure board as a muffled announcement comes over the speaker.
“That’s us.” I walk toward Tyrell with an excited grin, the anticipation buzzing through me nearly too much to handle.
We’re doing it.
We’re actually doing it.
“Okay, hold up!” Zander calls us all to attention before the farewell hugs ensue. “I can’t say goodbye to you guys without at least having a plan of when I’m going to see you again.”
Tyrell pulls me against his side, smiling at his friend. “We’ll be back. We’re just not sure when.”
“I hate how we’re all so scattered now.” Zander winces. “This weekend we just spent together was the best, and I want to do that again. We should have a set date when we always try to get together. Like families do at Christmas.”
“We definitely can’t do Christmas.” Sienna shakes her head. “That’s too hard with football and family commitments. We need to choose a weekend that doesn’t have anything else on. And preferably after the Super Bowl.” She leans against Zander’s side, and he wraps his arm around her.
“That’s it, then.” Blake bounces on her toes. “The weekend after the Super Bowl. Let’s just make a plan to get together, and whoever can make it will.”
“But everyone has to really try to be there.” Wily points around the group, his finger landing on us. “We’ll give you an exemption for this coming year, but the one after that, you better show.”
“We should get married then.” Satch bobs on her toes. “Give everyone the best excuse, you know? Can’t miss our wedding.”
“I love it.” Wily grins, leaning down to kiss her, then pulling back with an excited gleam in his eye. Oh yeah, they’re gonna have a baby at their wedding! That’s so sweet!
