Did I go too far? Am I pushing her too hard with the whole co-parenting thing? Does she see right through me?
A solid minute passes before Daisy stands, her attention still on our fur baby. “Owen, why did you name the dog, Maui?”
For an intelligent person, she sure loves to play dumb.
“I’ve got some pretty fantastic memories from my time on the island, and it was better than naming her 5:55.”
“Yeah?” She finally looks at me for the first time since I joined them.
“My life changed pretty significantly during that week,” I confirm.
“Owen.” She sighs, closing the gap of space between us.
She knows what I’m referring to. Nothing has been the same between us since that trip. If she needs me to say it out loud I’m more than happy to. I’m about to open my mouth to elaborate when Maui barks.
Bernadette, Sharon’s highland cow, is casually approaching us. Maui must think she’s a big dog, because her butt is in the air, tail wagging as she hops around in front of the blonde beauty.
“Shit, this could go badly if she gets under her feet,” Daisy says. “Let’s co-parent the hell out of this and stop our girl from getting stomped on.”
I don’t have time to bask in the glory of her words, but fuck if my heart doesn’t ramp up into another gear and my dick doesn’t flinch at the sound ofco-parentingandour girlfloat on the evening air.
Chapter Thirteen
Daisy
“Why can’t every day be Oktoberfest?” Ryan says as she takes a bite of her deep-fried Twinkie.
She’s a little tipsy, as nearly everyone in the beer garden is. It’s rare she goes anywhere these days without my brother, but Mia, Ryan, and I haven’t had a girls' weekend in years, and Oktoberfest was the perfect excuse. Sawyer is with Gus and Knox, who are tag-teaming dad duties. I don’t have a kid or a significant other unless you count co-parenting the cutest chocolate lab there ever was. If that counts, she’s at home with her ridiculous daddy.
“Tell me about it. Fried food, enormous beers, and no sticky little hands all over me.”
“Ew. I don’t need to know about you and my brother's sex life,” I yell at Mia, pretending to gag.
Yelling is the only way to talk as loud as it is in here. Packed into this beer garden like sardines with hundreds of otherpeople, there are a few things you have to be okay with before you enter.
Beer being spilt on you.
Partygoers bursting into song throughout the evening.
Obnoxiously drunk men will talk way too close, using the loud surroundings as their excuse. Some may even act inappropriately until you put them in their place.
If you’re okay with all of the above, then you’ll have a grand old time here in the beer garden.
Mia smacks me on the arm. “Shut up. You know I meant my kid. Who I love. But not being mommy for 48 hours is pretty dreamy.”
“I can only imagine. You deserve a break,” I assure her.
“Well, I’ll be getting more breaks than I ever thought I would be. This is Knox’s first full weekend with Sawyer.” Her focus leaves mine and moves to Ryan. “I know he’s great with him, but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t down that first beer in record time because my world is a little rocked.”
Ryan takes her hand. “Totally understandable. This is new to everyone. At least he’s with Angus, and they're doing this first weekend together. It’s gonna be fine. The four of us are gonna be fine.”
Mia’s eyes go glossy, her beer and emotions getting the best of her. She places her free hand on top of Ryan’s and even though they can and will discuss anything and everything with me I think I’m going to give them a moment to be in their feelings and discuss their new life ofactualco-parenting together. Sawyer is not a puppy after all.
“You know what’s not going to be fine? My bladder. I’ll be back.” I begin to leave but stop mid-stride, turning back to my best friends. “You beer buzzing bitches better not leave this table. It’s a miracle we have it. We do not want to lose it.”
“We won’t go anywhere,” Mia assures me.
“Okay, I’ll be back after some quality time in a tiny box full of feces.”
