I want to scream. I want to rage. I want to throw the phone across the yard and hit it with a hammer until it shatters.
“Fine.”
“Great. I’ll see you tomorrow evening at the diner. Does five work?”
“Yes,” I say through gritted teeth. He hangs up the phone with my confirmation, and I try to hold in my scream.
39
JASON
Fallon was quiet most of last night. I easily convinced her to spend the night as Presley has a few sets of clothes at my house anyway. I held her in my arms all night. I didn’t make her talk or share what she was going through in her head. I was a comforting presence for her. I dropped the girls off at school this morning and arranged for my mom to pick them up so we could meet with Brad. I’m not looking forward to having to spend any amount of time with the asshole, but I’ll do it for Fallon.
The plan is for her to meet me at the brewery after work, and we’ll head to the diner together. I don’t know why the asshole suddenly wants to meet after three years, but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t nervous. I worry he’s going to try and pull some shit to get custody of Presley.
All day I’ve been extra alert, almost like I’ve been waiting for Brad to show up here again and confront me. When four-thirty rolls around and he doesn’t appear, I let out a breath of relief. Fallon should be arriving any minute, and I know I’ll be better when she’s in my arms. My momsent a photo of the girls playing in the backyard a few minutes ago, so I know they’re having a fun time.
The front door to the brewery opens, and all three of my brothers walk in. I toss the rag in my hand into the bucket of sanitizer water at my feet and greet them. “What are you guys doing here?”
Beau shrugs. “Had the afternoon off. Andrew was at Josie’s shop and she needed to work, so I took him with me. We ran into Thomas and figured we’d all come here.”
“I finished a big project and figured I would take the afternoon off. I was going to help Josie with some arrangements, but she said I was doing them wrong,” Andrew explains.
“They looked like shit,” Beau says. “I don’t know much about flowers, but it was not good. Poor Josie was trying so hard not to cringe.”
“She was not!” Andrew smacks Beau’s shoulder. “She loves my flower arrangements.”
“That’s what she tells you,” Thomas says with a snicker. “I’m off duty. Where’s Lenners? Is she back in the office?” He gestures toward the back where my office is.
Usually she would be. After school, we come back here for an hour or so while I finish things up for the day, then we head home. I shake my head. “Nope. Mom picked her and Presley up today. It’s a long story, but Fallon’s ex is in town.”
“The fucker who disappeared on her?” Thomas asks, eyes widening. “Didn’t he leave her super unexpectedly?”
I nod. “Yep. We don’t know why he’s back. Fallon’s worried he’s going to try and get partial custody of Pres, even though he waived his rights to custody on the divorce papers. He wants to meet tonight, so mom took the girls. We’ll pick them up later.”
“Damn.” Thomas shoves his hands in his pockets. “Want us to go with you? We don’t have to sit at the table with you, but we could be stealthily hiding somewhere.”
“No.” I shake my head. “Fallon probably wouldn’t want that. We can ask, but I don’t think so. I appreciate the offer, though.”
I sit down at one of the tables with my brothers. It’s been a while since the four of us have hung out. Life has been changing, and for the first time in a while, I’m not upset about it. I’m happy with the direction my life has taken. I want my future to include Fallon and Presley. I want them to be a part of my family, part of this crazy life we share.
Beau shows us pictures of the twins, who seem to be growing like weeds. I saw them yesterday, but they already look bigger in the pictures that Marley sent him today.
“I really think Josie and I are ready to have a baby,” Andrew proclaims. “Sure, we watched Lennie that weekend a few months ago, and maybe we should watch the twins, but I’m so ready to be a dad. Thinking about it makes me want to go knock her up right now. She’s going to be the best mom, andgod, she’s going to beso beautifulpregnant.”
Fallon appears behind him, a smile on her face. “I agree.” She smiles as she sits beside me.
“See!” Andrew gestures to Fallon. “She gets it.”
I tug her into my side, kissing the top of her head. “Hey, sunshine.” She smiles up at me, her eyes dimmer than normal, but still carrying so much of her usual shine.
Fallon squeezes my hand, then directs her attention back to Andrew. “For what it’s worth, you’re never really ready to have a kid. You learn as you go.”
“Ain’t that the truth,” Beau agrees. He runs his hand through his long hair, putting it up in one of his signaturebuns. “And every kid is different. I mean heck, Arlo is a champion sleeper and eater, and getting Ariel to sleep is like pulling teeth. The girl has some serious FOMO. You could read all the baby and parenting books—I did—and still not know what’s going to happen. What works for other people won’t work for you.”
Fallon smiles, offering an encouraging nod. “But if you are ready to start that chapter of your life, talk to Josie, and if you’re on the same page, then go for it.”
Andrew nods furiously. “You’re so right. Everyone thinks I’m joking, but I’m totally not.”
