I nod, shifting forward to tangle my legs with his. “I’d really like that.”
“We can say . . . carrot?” Bailey suggests, chuckling a bit. “I think it’s easy to say if we need to remember it, and silly enough that we’ll know to stop immediately.”
I feel the weight in my chest loosen a bit because it does make me feel a lot better. “And you swear you’ll use it if you’re uncomfortable?”
“Cross my heart and hope to die.”
“I love you,” I say, smiling when I feel his heart beat faster underneath my hand.
“I love you more,” he says, and we lie there, tangled up in each other as we hide from the world.
“Luna, did you know mermaids exist?” Javi asks, failing in his attempt to whisper.
She feigns a gasp, pretending to be surprised. “I didn’t. Have you seen one?”
“No, but that’s because I haven’t been able to go swimming yet. Mom, oh shit, um, Mira says that we can look for mermaids when the doctor says I can,” Javi says, and I clap my hand over my mouth to keep my gasp from escaping.Did he really just call her that?
Bailey chokes on the cereal he’s chewing, and Javi turns to look for Mirabelle, a shy smile on his face.
“Sorry, Mira, I called you Mom,” he repeats, laughing a little to himself.
Her mouth is hanging open in surprise, and I nudge her under the counter with my knee. She coughs, blinking as obvious tears pool in her eyes. “That’s okay, buddy,” Mirabelle says, and Javi squints.
“Are you crying? Fuck,” he says, and this time, I’m holding back a laugh. Luna coughs, turning away, and I can’t wait to see how this plays out.
“I’m more worried you said fuck and shit, so maybe we don’t say those again,” Mirabelle says, and Javi tilts his head.
“Technically, he used them the right way,” Luna adds, and I turn to hide my face in Bailey’s shoulder.
“Maybe you shouldn’t have said them again,” Bailey adds, stifling his own laughter.
“But JJ says them all the time,” Javi says, and I can’t help it. I turn into a giggling mess, and then everyone else is joining me as poor Mirabelle tries to keep it together.
“Sweetie, he shouldn’t say them either.”
“Got it. I won’t say fuck or shit again,” he says, and I lose it completely.
The door from the garage opens a minute later, and Thalia and Sebastian walk in with JJ and Hunter behind them.
“Wait, what’d we miss?” JJ asks, and Bailey laughs harder.
“I’m gonna kill you,” Mira chokes out, holding her side as she laughs. “Shit, I’m gonna pee my pants. I’ll kill you after,” she says, hobbling down the hall to where the closest bathroom is.
“We’re not supposed to say fuck or shit!” Javi calls after her, and JJ realizes exactly why his sister’s threatening him.
Hunter chuckles as Thalia sighs. “Well, seems like we came back just in time,” she says, and I wipe the tears streaming from the corners of my eyes. Thalia surveys the room, and when she spots Bailey, her shoulders relax.
“Guess so,” he says next to me.
JJ drags a hand over his face, but he freezes when he sees Luna standing there. “Who are you?” he asks, and Sebastian pinches the bridge of his nose.
“I know we taught you better manners than that,” he says, and I look at Hunter. It hurts a little to know I don’t know much about his new life in California, but I’m glad to see their road trip seemed to fix the cracks in his relationship with JJ. It’s not my place anymore, but I’m proud of him for coming back with JJ to be here for Bailey.
“I’m Luna. Who are you?” she asks, holding her own.
Bailey was right—I do like her.
“JJ,” he answers, moving on to come around the kitchen to hug Bailey. “You doing okay?” I hear him ask, and Hunter makes eye contact with me.
