Page 42 of Blurry Little Lines
“Mallory, it’s not that simple.” Kelsie chooses her words carefully. “I would have loved to give you kids more siblings, but things worked out differently for our family.” She picks up her mug for another sip, trying to hide her hurt expression. “I’m done with having babies.” It pains me to watch the life she dreamed of has now been deprived. “You two are all I need.”
My gut tightens as Mallory gives me a sly smile and leans my way. “Youdon’t have any babies yet, Max. Give me one to play with.”
“No. Babies and I are not a match. I plan on staying single.” I stammer my words, feeling Kelsie’s amusement radiate off her. “You two are the only kids in my life. Ask your Uncle Adam for one.”
“Oh, I forgot about that! I need a cousin.” Mallory smiles, satisfied with my answer.
“Finish eating so we can swim while your mother gets ready for the day, and then we will head to the dog park.” I end the conversation and the kids finish their food.
Kelsie and I sit on a bench while the kids burn their energy, along with a group of dogs. The park is beautiful this morning under a warm clear sky. Kelsie has been quiet all morning since we left. Mallory threw us both off, but Kelsie has been distant since she walked out of her room. I hope she’s not regretting our fun last night.
“I’m sorry you didn’t get to live out your white picket fence dream.” I break the silence and sympathize with her thoughts.
“I’m sorry you never experienced one growing up.” She takes a sip of her coffee, but I know it’s empty.
“Your parents filled in some gaps. In all seriousness, you would have rocked a handful of children and a puppy on your days off work. You deserved to have a supportive husband and teammate.”
“People change, or it just takes longer for their true colors to shine through.” She shakes her head. “You and Adam saw through Benson. Why didn’t I?”
“Blinded by love.” I laugh and earn a small smile. “You’re doing great.” I place my hand on her thigh and give it a comforting squeeze. “I enjoy helping out with these rugrats too. They’ve taught me a great deal of patience.”
Kelsie glances at her phone that has been going off all morning and shuts it off, trying to go unnoticed. If she didn’t tense every single time it went off, I’d think nothing of it. She’s not one to shy away from phone calls or texts. I decide to bite my tongue and let her keep whatever is going on to herself… for now. We enjoy the rest of the afternoon on the pier before ending the evening at the Rainforest Café for dinner.
“Can we have a fish tank wall in our house?” Mallory walks into James’s room while brushing her teeth and still hasn’t changed into her pajamas. “Like the giant one we saw in the restaurant?”
“Finish getting ready for bed before you come out here.” Kelsie shakes her head with annoyance. “Focus on one task at a time.” She shouldn’t be this testy after the stress relief last night and I know it’s not PMS.
“I think a fish tank wall would be pretty dang cool, Mallory,” I agree, and choose a sea creature book off James’s shelf to read to him. “I’ve been intrigued by tentacles as of lately.” I glance toward Kelsie with a knowing smirk.
“Yeah, it’s nice to know I can rely on one thing to get the job done every time,” she sasses with a playful smirk. “I’m going to tuck Mallory in.” She kisses James on the forehead and adds a purposeful sway to her hips on the way out. I swap the book and push my current thoughts aside as I read to a four-year-old.
I end the night with Kelsie against the shower wall, admitting how my dick is better than a fucking tentacle. A thrill excites me more as I realize she seems to be on board with taking advantage of our time together under one roof.
“It feels strange not to work out with you in person.” Emmett, Kelsie, and Adam’s younger brother says through the laptop screen. “Your workout plan has been working, though, bro.”
“Emmett, you’ve always been fit, but yeah, keep doing that routine and you'll get great forearm results.” I’m in a fitness room at the gym, mimicking his reverse arm curls. “How is Aspen treating you?” Emmett took over the newest family hotel location a few months ago. He had spent the first twenty-six years of his life freeloading off the wealth and finally buckled down to start pulling his weight in the family.
“Dude, I’m running a hotel at the age of twenty-seven. I barely have time to wet my dick with chicks anymore.” He sets the weights down.
“You’ve drowned in enough pussy to last a lifetime.” Adam and I had our fair share of women, but Emmett traveled Europe and had asay yesyear to everything–especially the women.
“Those Moroccan triplets live rent free in my mind, bro.” He picks up his weights again. “I told you about them, right?”
“Only a handful of times, and I was slightly jealous.” If I’m being honest, I would have gone for the willing triplets when I was younger too.
“How about you? How is training and the ladies? I bet you’re getting a lot of puss being a full-time trainer.”
“Life is more than just getting puss, Emmett.” I’m sure he realizes that by now.
“I heard you’re bunking with my sister for a few weeks.” He changes the subject and shoots me his famously charming Wheaton family grin.
“Mybest friendhas been great with the hospitality. I enjoy helping out with the kids.”
“They’re pretty awesome kids. I’m going to have, like, six one day.” Emmett always takes me by surprise when he mentions he wants a large family.
“That requires settling down, and the women you fuck are not the motherly type.” His actions have all of us worried he will end up having six children with six different women.
“I figure the right woman will eventually make me question everything I’ve been doing in life. She’ll make me question who I was before her.” He shrugs and takes a long sip of water. “Look how happy Adam and Lauren are now. And how great you and Kelsie fit as ateam.”