“Well that’s new,” James said with a laugh.
“Who’s that?” Rob asked.
“My son. Jacob.”
“Damn. I mean, sorry. Shoot.” He leaned down to give Jacob a high five. “What’s up my man with the big dick energy?”
“Rob,” Penny said.
“Sorry. I’m trying to work it into my vocabulary more because it makes Daphne laugh.”
But Jacob high fived him instead of hiding.
“Okay, let me go find his clothes,” I said. “I’m sorry, he really hates clothing.”
“Totally understand,” Rob said. “I do too. It’s fine, they can run around naked. Cause I need to be caught up real quick. Ellen!” he yelled. “We need more sandwiches!”
I laughed.
“I really missed you, Sanders.” He hooked his arm around my shoulders. “I’m telling you, everyone was a mess without you.”
“Including you?”
“I mean…someone had to make these guys laugh.”
I smiled at him. For that, I’d always be grateful. “I missed you, Rob.”
“I know. So how are we planning on breaking this news to Matt? Because I only just had to stop keeping all the old stories about you a secret from my wife. And I’m not doing this whole thing again.” They all turned to me.
“I’m going to tell him.”
“When?” Rob asked.
“Soon…ish?”
He raised his eyebrows at me.
“I will, I promise.”
“I’m not keeping this secret either,” James said. “I won’t. I know you’ve been through hell, but so has he.”
“I’m going to tell him, guys.”
They all nodded as Jacob and Scarlett continued streaking through the room.
“Okay, let’s play ball,” Rob said and tore his shirt off. “You next, Brooklyn.”
“Rob,” Penny said. “Excuse him…he…”
“Is an endless flirt? Yeah, I know,” I said with a laugh.
“Ah, no running there,” James said and lifted Scarlett up into his arms before she had a chance to run barefoot over the broken glass.
Rob started kicking the ball back and forth with Jacob and Liam woke up and started crying.
It was pure and utter chaos. And for the first time since I’d come back to New York, I truly felt a semblance of home. Of family.
These guys had been my family.
