“We’d never, Reap,” Simon says, actually looking offended.
“Why are you making secret plans with our girls?”Hayes sits next to Leighton and puts his arm around her.
“We’re not,” Alvin says.
Decker sits next to Penelope and slides his chair as close as he can get.“This isn’t the way to get on our good side.”
Easton comes over, and Tanner stands up on my legs.Easton takes him and bends down, kissing me.“Are they bothering you?”he asks, standing behind me, one hand on my shoulder.
“Fuck, guys,” Alvin says, shaking his head.
“Kids!”all the guys say at the same time.
All the Chipmunks hold up their hands.
“This is why,” Theodore says.
“Why what?”Hayes asks.
“Why you guys need to move out and be in family-friendly neighborhoods where people don’t curse,” Alvin says.
“Or drink,” Simon says.
“Or have sex,” Theo adds.
“That’s what this is about, us moving?”Decker looks between the three of them.
“Why are you here?”Hayes asks, looking at his wife.
Leighton shrugs.“I think I’m supposed to be on their side?”
Hayes takes Flora from her, kissing her cheek.
“You’re all happy, so why not just go live in happily-ever-after land?”Simon says.“We’re up for negotiations.”
The door opens and Ruby comes in.She only has drinks for the kids, which is the way it usually goes.
“This room is ours whenever we want it,” Decker asks.
“But what if we’re here?”Theo asks.
“That’s the point,” Foster says, voice even.“We arrive and you leave.”
Theo looks at the other two, then they get into a huddle to discuss and turn back to us.“Okay.Deal.”
We all sit there, and the Chipmunks look at us for a beat.
“So you’re moving?”Simon asks.
“Yeah.You’re that convincing.”Easton grabs a chair and slides in next to me.
“You run a hard bargain, but it’s yours.”Decker kisses Penelope’s cheek.
“Don’t ever corner our women again, though,” Foster says, the warning in his voice slightly scary.
“Now, go help Ruby with the drinks,” Hayes says.
They scramble up from their chairs, high-fiving each other for a job well done.Once they’re out of the room, we all laugh.
