“Yes,” she replied, proud of her big sister. “Olivia is three years older than me. She got the brains. Emily got the athletic prowess, and I got…” She waved at herself. “The messy middle.”
The women laughed.
That’s what Amanda did. She made people laugh. But since that usually made those people feel good, it made her feel good too.
“You’re not messy,” Stef said. “Christa says you run a very organized class.”
Warmth spread through her chest. She smiled, pleased to hear a parent had noticed. “I try.”
“You don’t need to try,” Rylee stated, readjusting a sleeping Sophia in her arms. “Sounds like you already do.”
“Speaking of do…” Loni said, dropping down into a vacant chair. “What do you think about Dante predicting that rainstorm last Saturday?”
Stef’s eyes widened. “I know. That was something, wasn’t it?”
“I’ll say.” Amanda nodded. “When he first said we should move the party inside because it was going to rain, I thought he was joking because the skies were clear and blue.”
But thanks to him, fifteen minutes later, everyone was inside his house when the skies let loose.
“Think it was a fluke?” Loni asked. “You know, like a one and done.”
Rylee snorted. “Oh, nothing about that guy says he’s the one and done type. Wouldn’t you agree, Amanda?”
Considering her mind had jumped ship and was currently swimming in naughty waters, she lifted her fingers and made a zipping motion by her lips.
Amusement lit Stef’s eyes. “Pleading the Fifth, huh?”
She nodded.
“Smart.” Rylee smiled.
The others laughed and she joined in.
“What’s so funny?” Mac asked, lumbering near with Dex and Dean on his tail.
Dante sauntered over to the kids, a bottle of water to his lips.
“Just girl stuff,” Stef replied smoothly, lifting her face for Mac’s incoming kiss.
Dex and Dean extracted kisses from their women, leaving her to wait it out. It wasn’t uncomfortable at all. She laughed inwardly and sipped the drink she’d nursed all day.
“So, you ready to play?” Mac asked her.
No. Probably never.
Amanda cocked her head. “Don’t you want to rest?”
That volleyball game had been energetic with a capital E. And she would know, since her gaze had barely strayed.
“Nah.” Mac shrugged and sucked down a bottle of water as did his two buddies. “We’re good, right, Dex?”
Dex nodded.
“Thanks for filling in for me, Amanda,” Stef said, a slight grin tugging her lips.
Would the woman be happy about it later? Amanda didn’t have a great track record with horseshoes.
“You sure you don’t want to play?” she asked.
