I laughed. "I already knew that." Isn’t that why we had this bet?
Hawk spread his hands in a gesture of surrender. "What can a guy do when he's outnumbered but grab a burger, some fries and a beer?"
"Brody's in the kitchen, he'll help you out. Meanwhile, my replacement is here, thank the gods. I could eat a whole cow."
"Why don't you join us?" I offered.
Hawk groaned. "Vera will tell you all my secrets." The smile on his face told me he didn't mind.
"That would be great," Vera said. "I don't get to catch up with this hellion often enough." She patted him on the shoulder.
"Better make that beer a double," Hawk said with a shake of his head. He waved toward a table. "I'll get us food. Make yourselves comfortable. And Vera, try not to scare Becca off."
"No promises," Vera said over her shoulder as she slid awkwardly into a seat. She groaned. "Buy a bar, they said. It will be fun, they said."
I smiled. "It must be difficult when you're pregnant."
"Oh, it absolutely is," she agreed. "Luckily it's a little quiet tonight; Geena and Fargo are both off sick. If not for that, I'd be home with my feet up. Thank the gods Mom is watching the kids."
"You have more than one?" I asked.
Her eyes widened. "I have four!"
"Wow. Penny said your favourite number was five." I couldn't even imagine having more than a couple of kids some day. I don't think I could handle five.
"No kidding," Vera said. "After this, my favourite word is going to be 'no'. Or maybe 'snip snip.'
"Who are you snipping?" Hawk asked. He placed a tray down in the middle of the table. "Do I need my ball guard?"
"Probably," Vera said lightly. "But I was talking about Brody. Whether you need yours is up to her." She gestured to me with a smile I tried to return.
I did not want to think about Hawk’s balls, thank you. Okay, maybe I did, but that was no one’s business but mine.
"Ohhh." Hawk dragged the word out and flopped down beside me. "But five is an odd number."
Vera gave him a flat stare. "If you think I should have an even six, you can carry it and give birth."
I stifled a laugh by stuffing a french fry into my mouth. It was good, and there were a lot more of them than haute cuisine.
"I'd like to see that," I said once I swallowed.
"Me too," Vera said. "Wouldn't he look cute with swollen ankles and nipples that leak milk at the worst possible moment?"
"Next time I have one in my hand," Hawk said, his face half-obscured by a huge burger, "I'll stuff a ball up the front of my shirt and you two can live the dream." He nodded and bit down.
"He'd do it too," Vera said. "He keeps the kids in laughter all day when he has the time to visit, or when they visit him at work.The oldest two love game day. Penny, she's number three, loves the hot dogs."
"Game hot dogs are the best," I agreed.
"With ketchup and mustard," Hawk said. Apparently he managed to down the huge bite he'd eaten.
"You're a Neanderthal," Vera told him. "Who puts both on a perfectly good hotdog?"
I coughed lightly. "Um, I do."
Hawk laughed at the look on his cousin's face. "See, I told you I wasn't the only one."
Vera shook her head and started on her fries.
