Isaiah
As the burgers finish on the grill outside, I catch the girls standing from their seats in the house. I can’t hear them, but I can see them all laughing, mainly the short one with auburn hair.
Head tossed back. Pretty throat exposed. I can’t help but smile as I watch her.
Then I stop, right there with the spatula in hand, and watch my wife open her arms and take the initiative to hug Stevie first, then Indy. Indy towers over her and that just makes them laugh even more.
“You good?” Kai asks, as he steps onto the back patio from putting Max down for the night.
“Did you see that? Kennedy hugging them?”
My brother’s brows furrow, eyes trained on me. “Yeah? What’s the big deal?”
The big deal is that Kennedy, who is self-proclaimed unaccustomed and uncomfortable with affection, just hugged two women who she’s only beginning to know.
And I’m over here watching like the world’s proudest husband because she gave a couple of hugs.
The four of them make their way to the backyard, out to the patio where an outdoor table is set for dinner. The sun has almost entirely gone for the day, but the string lights hung over the table cast plenty of light for me to watch Miller throw an arm over Kennedy’s shoulder as if she were her little sister, even though Kennedy is the older of the two.
Kennedy wraps her arm around Miller’s waist before picking seats next to each other. My sister-in-law grabs a beer from the cooler, holding up a Corona to see if Kennedy wants one too.
She nods in agreement, and suddenly there are four beer bottles laced between Miller’s fingers that she brings back to the table.
“How much do you want to bet that those beers aren’t for us?” I ask my brother at my side as we both watch them, arms crossed over our chests.
“There’s not a chance in hell those second ones are for us.” “That’s your fiancée,” I remind him.
“And that’s your wife.”
I can’t help the small smile that creeps across my lips. It’s my favorite thing to hear.
Zanders and Ryan bring the burger toppings and condiments to the table, while Kai and I bring the buns and patties, including a vegetarian one for Indy. Rio follows behind with the fries and a bottle of tequila.
“Who wants one?” he asks as I take the empty seat next to Kennedy. “It’s a sipping tequila since you all are getting too old to be throwing back shots.”
“Sorry we’re not twenty-five anymore,” Zanders says.
Stevie holds her hand up. “I can’t. I get really sleepy from tequila.” “Really?” Miller asks. “I get really horny from tequila.”
“Jesus, woman.” Kai shakes his head. “You’re a mother.” “Hell yeah, I am.”
“I get really married from tequila.” Kennedy holds out her hand for me to give her a high five.
I connect my hand with hers. “Hell yeah, you do.”
“You guys are cute.” Miller smiles at us from Kennedy’s other side. “Ken, you’re my favorite sister-in-law.”
“She’s your only sister-in-law,” Kai adds.
“And Isaiah, I just freaking live, laugh, love you.”
My attention darts to Kennedy sitting between us, biting that fucking bottom lip to keep from laughing. “You told her?”
She simply shrugs.
I bend to her level, keeping my voice low for only her to hear. “What happened to doctor-patient confidentiality?”
“It doesn’t apply here.”
I narrow my eyes at her, attempting to be mad, but I can’t. I’m so fucking obsessed with the girl that the only thing I can do being this close to her is lean in and kiss her quickly.
“I’m going to use the restroom real quick.” Kennedy stands from her seat as everyone else begins building their burgers.
“You remember where it is?” Indy asks. “I do. Be right back.”
As soon as she’s in the house, I grab her plate and get her food situated for her so it’s ready to eat as soon as she gets back. With a tomato speared at the end of my fork, I pause with it midway to Kennedy’s plate because it’s far too quiet around me. Looking up, I find every single one of my friends watching me.
“Yes?” I drag out the question, my eyes bouncing around to each person. “You better fucking tell her you don’t want her to go,” Zanders says,
leaning back in his chair.
“Yeah.” I exhale a laugh before continuing to build Kennedy’s plate. “That’s not going to happen.”
“Why not?” Stevie asks.
“Because the whole point of us staying married this season was to keep her in good standing, so when the time came for her to interview for this new position, she wouldn’t have a termination on her work record.”
“But things have changed,” Indy cuts in. “That was before”—she waves her hands, gesturing between me and Kennedy’s empty seat—“this.”
“Would you go with her?” Ryan asks.
My attention immediately falls to Kai. He holds my eye contact for a moment before dropping his attention to his lap.
“My life is here.”
The words don’t taste right as they come off my tongue, because when Kennedy goes, so much of my life will go with her. But Kai, Miller, and Max are here. As are my friends. As are my teammates. As is the team I play for.
“What do you think, Rio?” Miller asks. “You’ve been quiet over there.” Fucking troublemaker. We all know the only thing Rio has to say is— “I just don’t get why I’m the only single one left. It’s not right.”
The table echoes with laughter.
“I’m serious. You know how long I’ve been looking?” “You’re twenty-five,” Zanders laughs. “It can’t be that long.”
Indy cuts in, “I think the hardest part for you will be finding a woman secure enough in your relationship that she’ll be okay knowing you’ll
always be more in love with my husband than with her.” Ryan shakes his head.
“Damn straight.” Rio points at him.
“Honestly, Rio,” Stevie says. “Is there anyone you wouldn’t be open to?
You seem fairly open to everyone.”
“Thirsty, Vee,” Zanders cuts in. “He’s fairly thirsty towards everyone.” “That’s not true,” Rio says. “There is one person I’d never give the time
of day to.” He allows the statement to hang in the air. “And it’s not like I want a girlfriend just to have a girlfriend. I’m looking for something serious, and all Isaiah had to do was get drunk in Vegas and he gets a wife. I’ve tried that. It didn’t work.”
Kennedy opens the backdoor slider, rejoining us at the table. I leave her plate in front of her seat before beginning to build my own.
She takes a seat, but doesn’t reach for her food, simply staring at it instead.
“What’s wrong?” I ask quietly while the rest of the table is too busy chatting to hear me.
“You put fries on my burger.”
“Yeah. That’s how you eat your burgers.”
Big brown eyes look up at me. “How did you remember that? I had one once with you.”
I huff a laugh. “I remember every single thing about you, Kenny. In case you haven’t figured it out already, you’re my favorite subject to study.”
She snakes a hand over my lap, hooking to hold on to my forearm. Her voice is quiet when she leans on my shoulder and says, “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome, baby.”
Sitting up, she uses both hands to pick up her burger, fries tucked under the bun and all.
She pauses with it partway to her mouth. “Hey, Isaiah?” “Yeah?”
“I live, laugh, love you too.”
