“Of course I do.” Shrugging, I take a piece of cheese from the platter on the counter. “I know food.”
I break the piece of cheese in half, popping one in my mouth and handing the other half to Nate and Mia’s son, Luke, as he rolls by on some toy car and into the living room where his brother and CeCe, Chase’s daughter, are playing.
“Oh.” My eyes light up when I notice the tray Abby pulls out of a giant white box. “Can I have one of these donuts or are they for later? What’s inside?”
“As much as we arelovingall your questions…” Abby walks to my side and rubs my arm. “I think Nate could probably use your help now with those folding tables outside.”
I feel a subtle nudge as she tries to move me toward the door.
“It feels like I’m being kicked out of the kitchen.”
“No—”
“You are,” Summer cuts in, speaking over Abby.
“Fine.”
Taking the not-so-subtle hint, I make my way outside, expecting to find Nate hard at work setting up tables, but I couldn’t be more wrong.
As I close the door behind me, I let it slam a little, startling Nate awake as he’s lying on the chair next to the pool.
“Sleeping on the job. Abby is going to kill you.”
“I wasn’t sleeping. I just needed to rest my eyes.”
I shake my head and take a seat on the empty chair beside him.
“The girls are ruthless.” I pout, nudging my chin toward the house.
Nate barks out a laugh before pulling himself up to a seated position.
“You normally like when women are mean to you.”
“Well, not these women.” I brush nothing off my shoulder.
“You love them and you know it. Quit your bitching.” He shakes his head at me, and I smile to myself.
“Yeah, yeah.” I nod and slap Nate’s outstretched hand as we both stand to our feet.
“All right, let’s set up these tables before they yell at us.”
Nodding, I point to him. “If they do, I’m telling them you fell asleep on the job. Take some of the heat off me.”
“Fine.” Nate sighs.
Between the two of us, we set up several tables, chairs, and two large white tents in the backyard of Ford and Abby’s house. The pool has a volleyball net set up in it along with an inflatable beer pong table and beach balls are floating all around.
“I’m fucking sweating. And I’m hungry. I’m going to run home to shower and change real quick, then I’ll be back.” I pull my T-shirt from my body and wipe the sweat from my face.
“Mia had me bring clothes to change into,” Nate says, pulling his T-shirt off before he makes a splash in the pool. “And this will be my shower,” he says after popping up.
“Yeah, wish I would’ve thought of that,” I grit out as I turn toward the house.
It’s loud and chaotic when I re-enter through the sliding glass door. Mia is sitting on the floor with one baby attached to her chest and two toddlers rolling around in front of her. CeCe has crayons and coloring sheets scattered all over the coffee table, and Abby and Summer are going back and forth about an episode ofLoveIslandthey saw last night.
“I’m going to head home to change. I’ll be back,” I say into the noise, barely expecting anyone to hear me.
But all three of them stop what they’re doing and look at me.
