Page 89 of The Break Out

“Yes.”

“No.”

They both answer at the same time.

“Hi baby, how did she do?” Vince comes up, wraps his arms around Chandler and kisses her.

“Good for now, but I’m sure these loud mouths will end up waking her up.” Chandler sighs.

“Brent, get your tall ass over here and help grab that for me,” Audrey calls out.

“See,” Chandler chuckles.

“Anything I can do to help?” I interrupt.

“You can just hang out and be pretty.” Chandler smiles.

I shake my head, and Vince gives her another kiss before going back to help the rest of the group and the damn pang in my chest is back seeing them. Seeing everyone, even with the arguing it’s lighthearted and doesn’t make me want to run away and panic but makes me love this giant group even more.

Yet, I still feel like an outsider. The way Vince came up to Chandler, the softness he has toward her. The way that Charlie helps Audrey and loves her through her annoyance with everyone.Brent doing what he did when we were growing up and is really the one in charge but doesn’t need to scream and yell to make it known. Then there’s Matt, he may piss everyone off, but I can still see the love everyone has for him.

Everyone has their place here. Everyone except me.

“Heard there’s a party,” someone announces from the front of the house.

My head snaps up at the voice because it’s one I recognize instantly, and it makes me both excited and nervous hearing him here. In this house.

“You’re early,” Audrey accuses.

“So?” Colton shrugs.

“So, is there a particularreason?” She narrows her eyes.

“Wheeler, didn’t expect you yet,” Brent comments.

“Yeah, figured it would be boring here without me so you’re welcome.” He turns toward me and sends a wink in my direction that I’m hoping no one else caught.

Luckily, Spencer and Jared walk in not much later and I breathe a sigh of relief that I can try and keep some distance from him by using my best friend as a buffer. I don’t care if I have to physically hang onto her, I’m going to do it.

It doesn’t take long before more of the team and their families are showing up. Noise fills the large house and Chandler was right about Evie waking up soon, when she does. I volunteer to go get her.

“Hi pretty girl,” I greet as I enter her room.

She coos as I pick her up and I smile at her tiny face as she lets out a big yawn.

“How sweet,” Colton’s voice says from behind me.

I turn around. “Don’t think you’re supposed to be up here.”

“No one will even notice. I wanted a second alone with you.”

“We aren’t alone.” I lift my arm slightly.

“She wouldn’t tell on me.”

“She might, she has three dads, poor girl has no chance of hiding anything from them.”

He looks down at my sweet niece in my arms and the look that crosses his face seems to soften.

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