“It’s only a question, Mr. Naysayer,” she huffed, slurring her words. As she turned back towards me, Hudson raised an eyebrow. “What would you want?” Molly added with a goofy look.
I pushed back into my chair and stole a glance at Phoenix. The biggest Sawyer brother was sitting on one of the patio chairs we’d pulled over from another table earlier. He looked relaxed with his legs crossed at the ankle, and his head was back. Nix’s hands rested in his lap and were wrapped around a beer. He had his eyes closed, but I knew he was awake.
“Harper?” Molly prompted, dragging my attention back.
“Sorry, what do you mean?
She pursed her lips, her eyes glassy from the alcohol she had consumed. “What would you want to have? A boy or a girl?”
Hudson huffed, wrapping his arms more securely around his girl and resting his chin on her shoulder. “Can we not talk about babies and shit?”
I cut Molly off. “Why? You scared?” My tone was challenging. Hudson reckoned he wasn’t scared of anything. Bullshit. All guys shit themselves when the baby subject came up.
He raised his eyebrows and cut me a look. “It doesn’t scare me, but I’d rather finish college first. You want to talk about something scary? Now, Reed’s cardigan, that shitisterrifying,” he sarked before jerking his chin at Nix. “Anyway, Phoenix is the commitment-phobe. Not me.” I ignored his comment about the top Storm must have given Reed; the boys had been needling him all evening.
The big guy flipped him off, his eyes still shut. “Bite me, lover boy. Just because I’m not already married off doesn’t mean I won’t be, one day.”
I turned in my seat to watch him with interest. “I can’t imagine you with kids.”
One of Phoenix’s eyes opened and cut to me. “Why not?”
“You’re too neat. Kids are messy and cause chaos,” I explained.
“As I’m sure you’re aware, I know how to deal with chaos.”
The guy had a point. “So, youdowant children?”
Both eyes then opened, and he pushed up into a sitting position. “Yes,eventually.”
My uterus fluttered from the way he looked at me. Being orphaned and alone at such a young age, I knew that I wanted a big family—one day.
A moment's silence trickled between our group. All you could hear was the soft beat of the music in the background, a handful of subdued conversations from the other guests, and crickets.
Josh also said something about kids, but it didn’t register. I had tried to act casual, but the way Phoenix was staring at me, like he could read every thought in my head, had caught me in a trance.
Cash cleared his throat, which dragged mine and Nix’s attention off each other. “Well, I think that conversation has terrified me to death.” He checked his watch. “It’s late, party’s over, I think.”
“Yeah, we should probably go,” Josh echoed, flexing his shoulders. “Any chance of a ride, Hud?” He then started to shake his sister awake from her lounger.
“Yeah, I can take two more in the truck,” he stated, nodding at Josh and Verity.
“My mom’s already outside, Cash, if you want to jump on that?” Michael offered.
“Momma’s boy,” Nix said with a smirk.
“Blow me, Brutal.”
“How are you getting home, Harper?” Cash said as he pushed to his feet. This forced Phoenix and Hudson to do the same.
“She’s with us,” Hudson answered before Nix could comment. “Have you calmed your tits now, Phoenix?”
“Why does everyone keep asking me that? I’m fine now,” he snapped back, misunderstanding Hudson’s question. Gosh, he was touchy.
“I meant to get home, dickhead.”
His shoulders relaxed as he replied. “I’m not sure. We left the Jeep by the sidewalk.”
“Where is Reed?” I questioned, glancing around the gardens.
