This year, though, we’re trying to ignore the difference by hosting our own at the beach house, and when we leave, we’re bringing my brother back with us.
“You didn’t get to come inside the place last time, huh?”
“Nope.” Noah reaches over the side of his truck for our bags. “You left me out on the sand.”
Spinning to face him, I lift a brow. “You shouldn’t have hit me in the head with that football.”
Noah drops our stuff, rushes over and wraps me up. He spins me around, planting a hard, quick kiss to my lips. “Best thing I ever did was miss that pass.”
“Mmm.” I peck at his lips. “And here I was thinking the best thing you ever did was toss me on the bed and—”
“Don’t finish that sentence.”
I whip around, my smile stretching at the sight of my brother. I kick my legs and Noah sets me on my feet. I rush Mason, throwing my arms around him, and he groans, his jaw clamping shut.
My hands fly away, my eyes wide. “Shit. Sorry.”
“It’s fine. Come here.” His arms pull me in, a long exhale slipping from him. “I’m okay, baby sister. Promise.”
“Yeah?” I blink back my emotions.
“I was fucked off for a couple weeks,” he admits. “But I’m good now.”
“Thank god for that.”
I turn to find Payton leaning against the doorframe, her belly swollen and looking ready to pop.
“Oh my god,” I coo, rushing over. “Look at you.” I hug her, and when I look to her stomach, she giggles.
“Go ahead, feel me up.”
Grinning, I place my palms on her belly, feeling the firmness of the left side and gliding my palm right, where it smooths out again. I then move it back right. “Is this him?”
Payton nods. “He likes to squash my lungs.”
“Pretty cool, huh?” Mason steps up.
I cut him a curious glance. “Yeah, it is.”
“When are you due? I feel like you’ve been pregnant forever.”
“Next week. Your cousin and I just finished getting the nursery together. You’ll have to come see it.”
“Kenra?”
“No,” she sighs playfully. “Nate.”
A laugh flies from me, and she grins.
“Trust me, I was just as surprised while it was happening.”
“I bet.” I nod, turning to Noah as he steps up, taking Mason’s outstretched hand.
“Riley.” He raises a brow. “Looks like my sister’s still in one piece. This shit serious now, or what?” He frowns.
“It’s whatever she wants it to be.”
Mason’s lips curl up. “Good fucking answer, my man.” He chuckles, turning to Payton. “Payton, Noah, Noah, Payton.”
“Hi Payton.”
Her cheeks grow a little pink, and I hide my laugh.
“Hey.” She eyes him.
“Okay, intros are over. Inside. It’s getting cold as fuck out here.” He turns, slipping in front of me and we follow behind.
“Ari, did you know your brother is the bossiest person on the planet?” she calls out.
“Yeah, you get used to it.” I grin.
Mason groans, flipping me off over his head and I can’t help but smile. He’s feeling better.
Cameron runs around the corner, jump tackling me onto the couch, and Mason takes Noah into the kitchen, re-introducing him to the gang, in case his small stopover during the summer is out of their minds.
“Sara and Ian didn’t make it,” Cam tells me of my aunt and uncle. “Nate said his mom hurt her back when they took the quads out a couple days ago, so he lied and said they’d be out of town for Thanksgiving so that she wouldn’t feel bad and still travel while in pain.”
“Sounds like Nate. Why didn’t he tell me?”
“In case you blabbed about coming this way, I’d bet.”
My head jerks her way, and we laugh, because yeah. I might have done that on accident.
Payton pushes to her feet, only moments after sitting, and puts one hand on her lower back, the other lowering onto the table. Mason beelines her way, passing a water and pulling over the chair with cushions stacked inside it.
“I’m fine,” she tells him, but Mason being Mason, doesn’t move.
Payton lowers into the seat.
“He looks good.” Cam nods.
“Yeah. I think so too.”
“Think it has anything to do with the pregnant mama he’s hovering over?”
“Cameron. Stop.”