Our session abruptly ended with Denver shouting on the first level, so I stripped off my vest and headed toward the ramp. “If I don’t get something cold to drink, I’m going to shoot someone for real.”
We emerged from the room and collected our scores for the final round. Not one person had fired at me. Despite my smack talk and uncovering hiding spots, the men avoided me like the plague. Packs were sometimes superstitious about pregnant women, so not one of them raised their gun at me.
I could tell by Denver’s swagger that he’d racked up the most individual points.
“Show off,” someone muttered at him.
He put his faded T-shirt back on. “Shut it. You’re just jealous.”
“Yeah, I’m jealous you racked up all your points stalking two kids,” Reno said, smacking the back of Denver’s head.
Austin and Wheeler moved two long tables together for the pack.
I sat down, and Austin hunched over me from behind, curving his hands around my stomach. “What are you hungry for?”
“Mmm, that’s a loaded question,” I whispered up at him, nibbling his ear. “It’s not like I’m famished. Grab me a soda with crushed ice. I’m hot, I’m thirsty, and I’m probably going to have to pee again in another five minutes.”
“You’re eating, and that’s the deal. I’ll order everything, and you can decide what you want.”
I laughed, but when he walked off toward the counter with April, I realized he was serious.
Better not even, I thought to myself. Austin had been exceptionally attentive during my pregnancy, with an overwhelming instinct to feed me—even when I wasn’t hungry.
I, on the other hand, had my own set of crazy going on. Weird nesting habits—like only wanting certain blankets around me, after-midnight cravings for chicken wings, obsessively cleaning the bathroom, and childproofing every room.
Jericho took a seat across the table, next to the twins. “What’ll it be, kiddos? Burgers or hot dogs?” He kissed the bear claw on his necklace and pretended not to notice the two girls sitting nearby who were gawking at him with hearts in their eyes.
Lennon and Hendrix were arguing over the menu, flipping it over and complaining about who got to pick last time. For some silly reason, they liked ordering the same thing, even if they disagreed.
Reno took the seat at the left end of the table.
Maizy appeared with a hot dog and set the plate in front of Denver, who was sitting to my right. “Be right back with the nachos!”
Denver stood up. “I need to drain the pipe.”
Reno nodded at his hot dog. “You leave, that’s mine.”
With that, Denver lifted the hot dog and ran his tongue along the bread from one end to the other. He gave Reno the finger and stalked off.
Reno reached across me and muttered a few obscenities while pulling out the untouched hot dog meat and leaving Denver nothing but the licked bun.
“Reno Cole!” April said, setting a cheeseburger and fries in front of him. “Can’t you wait for one minute?”
Wheeler nudged Trevor. “Bet he hears that a lot.”
When Austin set a tray in front of me and sat down on my left, I fell over laughing.
“I hope some of this is for you, because I’m not sure I can put away two hamburgers, three hot dogs, onion rings, nachos, celery, and what is that?”
“Hummus dip,” Trevor said, eyeing my plate from across the table. “And if you don’t want it, pass it over.”
William ran his hands through his messy hair, still standing behind Trevor. He had on a shirt with a wide collar that showed off his collarbones and chest. The white material was thin and tight fitting. When he lowered his hands, one of them disappeared behind Trevor, who straightened his spine like an arrow.
April returned with the rest of the food, working her way around the table and passing everything out. My mother didn’t like eating at places that served food in a paper container, and April was definitely not eating since she had a phobia about people spitting in her food. Once she sat down, Reno fed her his fry and she reluctantly ate it.
William cleared his throat. “It’s good to see the family together.”
“When is the family not together?” Austin asked around a mouthful of burger. Two pickles fell out and he held one to my lips.
And I ate it. What woman doesn’t like a man feeding her? I even sucked a little juice off his finger, and for about five seconds, that man forgot he was eating a burger and locked eyes with me. I’d once sucked butter off his finger when we were at the movies, and Austin had grabbed my hand and taken us down to the lobby to get ourselves a snack. Only we bypassed the concession stand and went right for the backseat of his car in the parking lot.
Denver finally appeared and stared down at his plate. Maizy had brought him another hot dog, but he noticed the empty bun beside it. “Dickwad,” he murmured.
Reno smiled cockily before drinking his soda and crunching on a piece of ice.
“So, as I was saying, it’s always good to have the pack together,” William continued.