Page 5 of For the Night

“But you promise to eat all your veggies later,” Colt added. “Otherwise, I’ll have Luke bitchin’ at me.”

I coughed to hide a laugh.

Lucas scowled instead. “Because that’s why he needs to eat his greens? Honestly, Colt.”

Kit giggled. “I promise!” Before he was off, he told me he’d put the big bag of candy on my porch.

That worked for me.

In the meantime, I walked ahead of Colt and Lucas, who went through their version of a fight. Like so many times before. Lucas stressed the importance of Kit eating something other than sugar; Colt apologized and literally forbade Lucas from being mad at him. Then it was time for me to tune out because Colt promised to make Lucas smile the way “only a Texan can” in the bedroom later. And Lucas was a big enough slut to fall for it.

I wasn’t sure Ella and I had ever been that sickeningly in love. We’d had a wonderful kink dynamic, where we’d lived and breathed devotion, but in the months following our breakup, I’d started realizing I’d been missing signs pointing to something that had been missing. The vanilla aspects couldn’t measure up to the kind of love I saw between many of my friends.

It was just my luck that I’d become single during what was turning into the Mclean House summer of love. Colt and Lucas were getting married and planning a second ceremony to include Kit. Tate and Kingsley were also getting hitched—plus they were expecting a kid this fall. Their surrogate was pregnant.

Lucian had proposed to Cam during the cruise…

River, Reese, and Shay were moving in together in a brand-new house.

Greer had found his happiness with three partners, and the four not only lived together on his little farm, they had a bunch of kids too.

Ivy was pregnant, happily sandwiched in her triad with two men.

Macklin had been reunited with his husband Walker, and the two had built a second dynamic with Ty and Lane.

So many different types of relationships, yet they all had one thing in common. The fierce love and loyalty.

I needed Ash to get here so we could be miserable together.

“Your headliner has arrived!”

Hello, Noa.

I yawned and stretched out across my lounger. I’d opted for a double lounger because Ash had asked me to save him a spot. He’d be here soon with pizza. We were gonna talk shit about everyone together.

“Hiii!” Kit climbed out of the pool. “Are you gonna change—never mind.” He laughed, presumably because Noa was already busy throwing off his clothes.

Lucian, KC, and Cam came out too, and they sighed at their wild boy.

“I’m not picking that up, freckles,” KC told him. “Leave your clothes in the cabin before you jump in.”

“I can’t hear you, Daddy!” Noa sprinted across the deck, down past the loungers, and dove right in, naked as the day he was born.

I chuckled under my breath, glad I’d picked the other side of the pool. It was less of a splash zone.

Kingsley and Tate were dozing off in the lounger next to mine, River was snoring softly in another, while Reese and Shay prepared snacks, Lucas was scrolling on his phone, and Jack and Franklin were reading a book together in the corner.

Colt manned the grill, ready to sling hot dogs and burgers to those interested, and a handful of others were grouped off across the deck. Country music was playing, so Colt was clearly in charge there too.

I checked my phone. Furniture delivery in a little over an hour.

I’d break the news to the brats soon.

Ty and Lane were next to show up, having already changed into trunks and matching Ray-Bans.

Another couple who looked so damn in love.

Ash and I would talk shit about them too.

---