I wrapped my arms around her as she regrouped to finish, everyone else quietly watching.
“It’s just that you deserve to be happy and I’ve been waiting for that to happen for you. I know there are things not resolved and that scares me that someone out there wants to hurt you, but I am so thankful you have Bodie.”
Her shaking body broke my heart and I felt wetness trickle down my cheek.
“He does make me happier than I ever imagined I could be,” I whispered.
She nodded in understanding. “That man loves you and I’ve wanted that for you for so long even though you’re young. I’m just so glad he and the girls came into your life.”
Me too.
“And now I not only have them but my brother too,” I replied, giving her another squeeze.
Looking around at everyone, they all seemed as choked up as we were. My eyes widened in shock, along with everyone else when it was Capri who broke up the melancholy moment by blurting out something highly unexpected.
“Speaking of her brother, did anyone happen to notice the guy looks like he could be an underwear model? I mean, can you all picture it too?” After the words left her mouth she sucked in a breath and covered her lips. She looked as staggered as we did that she’d said that out loud.
Then, while everyone broke into laughter, I made a gagging sound. “Eww, donotput a picture of my brother in my head that way.” I knew exactly then how Paxton felt when he’d heard Bodie talking dirty to me.
The brother, sister thing may be new but from the second I saw him standing there, looking so much like our father, that was how it felt between us. And you didn’t think of a family member that way.
“Hey, now you know how it feels when Alley starts telling stories about my brother,” Summer said with a shrug.
Alley stuck her tongue out at her sister-in-law. Not only had Alley married her brother Landon, but Jurnee had married Alley’s brother, Braxton.
“If I have to listen to Jurnee talk about my brother and dish out the dirty deets, then it’s only fair you have to listen to me. Now Paxton has to listen to stories about Gemma and she will have to listen to stories about him.” She made a point to look over at Capri. “Who knows maybe those stories will involve someone else in the group.”
Capri threw her hands up in the air. “Don’t look at me, I'm done with men for the rest of my life!”
We all stared at her stunned. Capri had never even hinted that she’d had a man in her life. She didn’t talk about guys, kids, her family, or even if she had one. She was always changing the subject away from herself.
Alley noticed her discomfort so she aimed her crazy at me again. “Do you happen to think sex feels like the classic Def Leppard song, “Pour Some Sugar On Me?”
“Woman, what the hell are you talking about?” I asked her.
“You know how he talks about being hot, sticky, and sweet, from his head to his feet? And don’t forget the part when he goes on about peaches and cream. You know he probably got it downtown.” Alley cracked herself up and was rolling on the floor right along with almost everyone else.
“You are crazy,” I told her teasingly. “Does your husband know this?”
She gave me a smug look. “He loves me this way.”
I knew that to be the truth. Landon would do anything for my nutty friend. Their love story started off shaky but they found their way home.
Scanning the group, I was so happy at the men all my friends found.
Now we just needed Capri and Patience to find their soulmate.
Thinking of Capri and my brother lifted my mouth in a small smile. That would be cool and then maybe he’d stick around. But she looked closed off again. Patience, well she had been joining in but it never went unnoticed how much she missed Jett. I hoped he’d be able to visit soon so she could see he was okay. Who knows what would happen from there, we didn’t know their story. But if one day anything transpired between them, Ruby would have to listen to smut about her brother.
We sure had an interconnected group with multiple blood relations running through it. But everyone felt likefamily.
“Oh shit!” Teal wailed, causing my gaze to snap to hers where she was holding her stomach.
Summer and Ruby, being nurses, were by her side in a fraction of a second.
When Teal looked down, everyone's gaze swept to the same spot her eyes were glued to.
“I still have a few weeks,” she moaned, as what I was assuming was a contraction, hit.
