*
Dash arrived with his family for the barbecue first. Haven and Trey immediately disappeared into the shed we made into a boy cave, while Ashe, their seven-year-old daughter, and Phee already had their heads together. Dash’s parents had been invited by Lake but declined. Dash and his father eventually managed to find equal ground after Dash made good on his threat and put the company at jeopardy and ultimately gained complete control from his father. He and I both knew he would never end so many jobs just to get back at his father but Cale didn’t know that. I guess it went to show how much he really knew his son. They’ve been working on their relationship but he still hated me. Willow had opened up a modest boutique here in Six Forks. All of her designs were unique since they were handmade by her but she made a killing...despite her clothes still being weird as fuck. I would never get how kids dressed today.
Keenan arrived last with his hands full shortly after. He opened a new tattoo shop in Six Forks but never managed to do much of the work himself anymore since he was mostly a stay at home dad. After Sheldon finished medical school, completed her residency, and started her own practice she eventually agreed to give him more kids. She gave birth to twin boys a year ago. Tristan and Tobias hung from his arms as he walked into the backyard followed by Sheldon and Ken, who looked as if she’d rather be anywhere else. She was only fourteen and already moody. It made me wonder if we were this bad at her age.
“Hi, Uncle Keiran.”
She also stopped calling me Keke around the time she turned eight. I wouldn’t admit to anyone and if someone should ask, I’d deny it, but I kind of missed it. She grew up too fast.
“So your mom made you come?”
“Nope. Daddy said I needed to appreciate family more so here I am,” she threw her arms out with a blank look, “appreciating.”
I laughed and could mentally hear Lake scolding me. She would always tell me I shouldn’t encourage her by laughing, but every day, I liked the kid more and more.
“Maybe it won’t be so bad this time. What did you have to do anyway?”
“Well, since you asked… there’s this boy…”
“Geez.” I cut her off and backpedaled as quickly as possible. “I can’t hear this.” I walked away, leaving her standing there before she could say more. I found Keenan by the grill. Dash kept slapping his hand away when he tried to take a patty.
“The kids eat first.”
“But they always get to eat first.”
“Why don’t you put them down? How are they ever going to learn to walk?”
“They don’t need to walk. That’s why they got me. Plus, what if they think someone else is their daddy?”
“You can’t be serious?”
“Are you letting your daughter date now?” ?” I questioned. They stopped arguing to shoot me bewildered looks.
Keenan recovered quickly and said, “Of course not.” He was able to snatch a burger off the side table since Dash’s full attention had shifted to me. “She’ll never get to if I have anything to say about it,” he said around a mouth full of beef.
“You sure about that? She just tried to talk to me about a boy.”
He immediately started to choke and spit the rest of the meat he hadn’t swallowed to the ground.
“Come again?” He seemed to get a clue and unhooked the slings that held his boys, handing Tristan to me and Tobias to Dash. Without another word, he stomped off in Ken’s direction.
“You know she’ll be mad at you, right?”
I shrugged and smiled down at Tristan, who grinned right back.
“She shouldn’t be dating.”
“Geez, what is she thinking?”
I snorted. “She’s a fourteen-year-old girl. What do you think?”
“What’s going on?” Lake asked, walking up with Willow.
“Yeah, why is Keenan screaming at Ken about an all girl’s school?” Willow demanded.
They each narrowed their eyes at us. I swear it was as if they could smell guilt.
“Keiran snitched on Ken about dating boys,” Dash offered without hesitation.
“Thanks, man.”
He patted me on the back as an offer of apology, and Keenan chose that moment to come back over. “I can’t believe this,” he growled and snatched another burger.
“It was bound to happen sometime,” Lake argued.
“Yeah, when I was dead preferably. My daughter doesn’t have sex.”
“She was talking about a simple date,” Sheldon scoffed.
“Wait you knew about this?” Keenan, Dash, and I all yelled at once.
Just then Phee ran toward us at full speed, saving Sheldon from answering. “When is Uncle Q supposed to get here?” she whined. She looked over her shoulder with wide, hopeful eyes. “They’re still coming, right daddy?”
I smiled and looked across the yard at the glass door as it slid open. “They’re coming.”
Note