The kid is cute as hell.
But soon, she’s crashing from the sugar, and Shelly and Randy are wrapping her up in her coat and taking her out to the car. Gabe and Walker help carry presents out and say goodbye while the adults continue the party inside.
I wonder if next year there’ll be more kids running around. The way people are coupling up around here, I wouldn’t be surprised.
And sure enough, as soon as Gabe and Walker rejoin the party, Sarah gets our attention with a special announcement. From the way Missy is holding her belly, I can guess what the announcement is even before they say it.
“We’re pregnant!”
The guys all hoot and holler their congratulations. We knew they were going through IVF to try to bring a child into the world. Unfortunately for them, several of the guys offered up their sperm when they told us at a morning meeting. They politely declined, choosing to go the anonymous-stranger route. Good for them.
I love these guys, but they can be a lot. I can’t think of better parents than Missy and Sarah either.
“We’re getting another Oakley’s Crew Member,” Oakley squawks, grabbing them both into a gentle bear hug. They both just pat him on the shoulder, clearly fond of the big guy.
I look over and see Luke, Sarah’s younger brother who just joined the crew recently. He looks pretty happy, though I’m sure he already knew the news. I hold up my glass to him in cheers, and he holds his back to me, nodding with a grin.
He’s a good kid. And though I know he’s gay—I may have heard him talking about a hookup on break at a huge project and also got a vibe that he’d be interested in me—he’s just not my type.
My eyes slowly drift toward the literal definition of my type—Jackson. Goddamn him for looking so good all the time. We’re friends. Have been for a long time. But maybe that’s not what I want...
Of course, he doesn’t fail to let me know how much I bug him constantly. I’m just being myself, and I don’t sugarcoat a damn thing. It’s not my style. It’s on him if he can’t handle it.
And he doesn’t like Little Miss Perfect, no matter how hard he’s trying to convince everyone. He’s currently standing by her side, politely chatting away. She’s probably going on and on about how she can’t wait to be a mother, and I guarantee you he’s panicking right now.
Sweating. Because Jackson doesn’t really like kids either. He definitely doesn’t want kids of his own. But has he told Rebecca that? I very seriously doubt it. I hate how polite he is with her.
There are no snarky comments. There’s no fire. He looks bored out of his mind.
What is he even doing with her?
I go on about my own way, chatting with everyone and drinking maybe a little bit too much, but I’m not shitfaced. And then, wouldn’t you know it, I wind up right next to Rebecca. She offers me a sweet, adorable little smile as we both reach for some snacks at the same time.
I’m a gentleman and let her go first. She grabs the smallest handful of Chex Mix known to man, while I grab enough to fill my big hand and start munching. “Hi. Asher, right?”
“Yup,” I say, not rude or anything—at least, I don’t think so, but not over-the-top nice either. I am who I am, after all. I’m not going to be fake like Jackson.
“I’m Rebecca,” she says, her eyes all hopeful like she wants me to like her. I don’t. I mean, I guess she’s fine, but I don’t like her being with Jackson.
Which is... Maybe I am a little drunk.
“I know.”
She giggles. It grates on my nerves. I don’t know why. I don’t know what’s wrong with me. I usually like most people, and she’s a nice person. I have no reason to hate her. But I can’t stand the woman, apparently. “Jeez, is everyone on Oakley’s Crew drop-dead gorgeous?”
I stare at her, irritation ratcheting up as I frown. “I don’t know what you’re getting at, but I’m gay as fuck.”
“What?” She sounds shocked, almost scandalized. “I... No. I wasn’t like...” She’s really fumbling for words here, and I sway on my feet a little bit, trying to focus.Yeah, I’ve had too much to drink. Whoops.“I didn’t mean it like that. I’m with Jackson.”
“Yeah,” I grit out, taking a swig of my drink—even though maybe I should lay off the alcohol. “Good for you.”
“Are you okay? Did I do something to offend you? I wasn’t hitting on you or anything. I just meant that the crew is very good-looking.”
“And most of us are very, very gay. Or bi.”
“Right. Like Jackson,” she says as if she knows something big. News flash—we all know Jackson is bisexual. He’s very vocal about it.
“Right.”
