Reed yawns next to Blair, and I smirk when I watch him do a slow blink. He’s so tall and mature for his age, sometimes I forget the kid’s only thirteen. And that we’re way past his normal bedtime.
“I think your brother’s about to fall asleep at the table. You ready to go?”
Blair glances at Reed and chuckles, her body pressed against mine enough that it vibrates through me and makes my dick stir. “Yeah, let’s go.”
“I think we’re going to head out,” I announce.
“Already?” Reed slurs, blinking over at me.
“Yeah, bud, already. You’re too big to carry up a flight of stairs if you fall asleep in my car.” I reach over and ruffle his curls, earning me an epic eye roll.
“So fucking cute,” Griffin says to his wife. “Daddy Logan has to take his kid home for bed.”
I choke on a laugh, glad Reed didn’t hear that, because he wouldnothave been pleased. “You’re ridiculous.”
Griffin shrugs. “And you’re the cutest papa in town, bro.”
Mira elbows him. “Don’t embarrass Reed.”
“Reed can’t hear me, wifey. Besides, I wouldn’t want to embarrass the kid. But Idowant to embarrass Logan.”
“It’s all good, Mir,” I say to his wife. “I’m used to his shit.”
“You know I love you, bro.” Griffin levels me with a shit-eating grin.
“Yeah, yeah. Right back at you, you giant idiot.”
“Rude.”
“True.”
We say our goodbyes, and everyone takes turns hugging Blair and Reed as we spill out of the booth, causing a bit of a commotion. I promise the guys I’ll text once we’re safe at Blair and Reed’s, much to Blair’s amusement. And yeah, maybe it’s a bit over the top, but I can’t deny how amazing it is that we’ve got this family around us who loves us enough to worry.
The walk to my SUV is uneventful, and even though I’m hyperaware of every single person we pass, I also allow myself to enjoy the way Reed and Blair banter, how he tries to push her away when she wraps an arm around his shoulder, but we can both tell he doesn’t mean it. I allow myself to enjoy the wayhe loops his arm around her waist and that she reaches for my hand.
It’s all so simple, so domestic, so blissfully normal to them, but to me?
It’s fucking everything.
“Wanna watch a movie when we get in?” Reed asks when I pull into a spot and we climb out and make the quick, but cold, trek into their apartment building.
“You can’t even keep your eyes open,” I tease.
“And it’s way past your bedtime. Nice try, Reedy, but it’s straight to bed tonight.”
“Aw, man, come on,” he whines, sounding every bit like the thirteen-year-old he is.
“Nope.” Blair hip-checks him before unlocking their apartment and pushing the door open. Reed grumbles and complains as he almost trips inside, but he heads straight to the bathroom with a wave.
“Well, that was easy.”
“Yeah, he talks a big game, but I give it five minutes before we hear him snoring.” Blair unzips her coat and hangs it in the closet. She reaches for mine when her attention snags on something on the floor, and she frowns. “What the hell?”
There’s an envelope on the floor in front of the door. Nothing is written on it, but my heart begins to pound all the same. “Baby, wait.”
Before she can grab it, I’m there. I hold the nondescript white envelope like it’s a venomous snake that may bite at any moment. I don’t have a good feeling about this.
“It’s just an envelope,” Blair says. Her voice wobbles, like she’s trying to convince herself more than me. “My landlord probably slid it under the door or something.”
