“Nah,” she says, sprawling out across from us—head near and feet far. “There was the camera crew, the producers, the director. It was the end of the world. They needed backup, just like you two.”
End of the worldis how much of our time has felt. And I know the precise scene they’re referring to, so I pluck my phone from my back pocket while they all chitchat.
“It was rude to have a picnic out here and not invite us,” Liam starts, his head so close to Ty’s that my husband can’t stop chuckling, especially since Liam is petting his cheek.
“Not a picnic,” Ty returns, knocking his hand away. “It was a honeymoon respite.”
“Give me a kangaroo,” Wells orders, leaning into the picnic vibe.
“That’s weirdly specific,” I comment as Ty rips open the bag. “They all taste the same.”
“I like what I like,” Wells volleys.
“Ace and I included you in all in our honeymoon plans,” Liam argues to my husband. “So, again, rude. I even sent you visual aids.”
Wells and Gage break into laughter.
“Jackass,” Gage barks as he bounces a babbling Felicity on his chest. “Give me some of those too. Any animal will do.”
No idea what thevisual aidbit is about, but as I’m pulling up Aerosmith’s “I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing,” Celeste hauls me down to the blanket, so I’m sandwiched between her and Ty, and all of us are on our backs with our heads smooshed together in one of those awkward photo-worthy configurations.
“If you’re going nowhere,” she begins, and Ivy finishes with, “I’m coming with you.”
Pressing play and setting my phone down, I flick my side-eyeing gaze between them, catching the partial view of their faces. “What’s that mean?”
Celeste squeezes my hand. “It means you’re ours. You always were, but it’s more now.”
Ivy shakes my other shoulder until I offer her my hand, which stretches my limbs and has me bonking Liam on the head, but I don’t resist. “No matter what happens, we’re in it together. Lettie and I have been saying that since we were preteens. It extends to you now too.”
“I can’t find a goddamn kangaroo,” Ty mutters, chucking the bag to Wells.
“What about us?” Liam whines—regarding the vow Ivy and Celeste granted me—flipping onto his stomach so he can stare at our upside-down faces.
Without hesitation, Celeste levels her husband. “No. This is just the girls.”
He balks as he tows his wife closer, which squishes our awkward face arrangement even more. “Why don’t we get a saying?”
“We do have a saying,” Wells chimes from the other side of Ty, raising his kangaroo triumphantly into the air before pitching the bag near Gage. “Shut your suck, Graves.”
Ty loses it, barely able to speak while he grips his chest. “That’s my favorite Navy memento, Chief.”
“It’s a good one,” Gage agrees, plucking some animal crackers from the spilled bag and blowing a raspberry on Felicity’s belly, causing her to squeal giggles. “It rolls off the tongue with Graves much better than Petrovsky.”
“I get no respect around here,” Liam snipes, full of humor. “You must be feeling resentful about how long you had to be away from me, Chief. My wife missed me something awful and has been taking up all my time. Not to worry. I’ll be sure to include you more.”
“Oh my God,” I shriek. “I’m going to have so much fun tormenting you.”
Liam pats my head. “Me? I thought we were tight?”
“You’re in for it now,” Ty warns, clearly giddy at the idea of me harassing the current agitator of the family. “My girl goes right for the jugular.”
Wells chuckles, adding, “I can’t wait.”
With all the time devoted to wedding planning, moving me in, Ty’s recovery, and the rest of them settling back into their work routines, we haven’t embraced our everyday roles yet.
“You’re the pest,” I explain to Liam. “But I need to rival you for that spot. It’s where I thrive.”
“You’re looking at that all wrong, my Little Moonshine. We should be teaming up.”
