Page 27 of Chase Our Forever

Reed’s question makes me narrow my eyes at him. I playfully push him away.

“Reed.” Mom beats me to scolding my younger brother. She pinches her face together while looking at him, aiming her pointer finger in his direction. “Be nice to your brother.”

Reed lifts his shoulders defensively. “I didn’t say anything about Dean.”

I walk over to him and wrap my arm around him to put him in a headlock. It isn’t tight. He’s the athlete, not me. If he wanted out, he could get out. He doesn’t. “Insinuating that Liv should quit before her first full dayissaying something about me.”

He shoves at my side with a cocky laugh and pulls himself free. “Listen, everyone here knows your track record. I’m shocked she didn’t run for the hills after one night.”

Liv looks at me with a raised eyebrow. “Are you reallythatbad?”

“Yes.”

“No.”

I glare at Reed as we both get the words out at the same time.

Thankfully, Ashton steps in and loops her arm through Liv’s. “Dean really isn’t bad. Reed just likes to annoy his older brother.”

“What are younger brothers for?” Reed asks with a smug grin.

“Annoying the shit out of me,” I fire back, watching carefully as Ashton leads Liv down the hallway.

The family disperses in different directions. I decide to follow Ashton and Liv, wanting to know where my sister-in-law is taking my new nanny.

As if she can read my mind, Ashton looks over her shoulder with a smile on her face. “You don’t have to supervise us, Dean. I was just going to give Liv a tour.”

I frown, crossing my arms over my chest, unsure if I like the idea or not.

“I want to join!” Hattie calls from the living room. She rushes over to Ashton and Liv, handing Ruthie over to Jace. “Take your daughter for a minute. My boobs shouldn’t be needed for atleastan hour, which means you’re on Ruthie duty.”

Jace carefully adjusts the newborn in his arms. He meets his wife’s eyes with a cautious smile. “Just don’t scare away the nanny, okay? You and Ashton can be a…lot. It’d be nice for Dean to actually keep a nanny for once.”

Reed busts out laughing from my side.

I let out a frustrated growl. “For fuck’s sake, everyone. Do you think we could lay off the nanny jabs?”

“Language,” Mom scolds.

Hattie takes her spot on the other side of Liv. “This family is always fun. Promise.”

To her credit, Liv doesn’t look bothered by our bickering at all. If anything, she looks like she might actually be enjoying watching the show. I’m sure we are entertaining from an outsider’s perspective.

“So, where to first?” Ashton asks, leaning forward to meet Hattie’s eyes.

Liv looks between my two sisters-in-law with a growing smile. “I vote we go see the puppies first.”

17

LIV

“I’m in love,”I declare for probably the tenth time. The puppy burrows deeper into the crease of my neck as I clutch it to my chest, never wanting to let it go.

“She does look cozy.” Hattie laughs as the puppy she holds tries to lick her cheek.

“Why won’t my puppy chill out?” Ashton asks, trying her hardest to keep the energetic golden retriever in her lap. It keeps trying to leap out of her lap and nibble at the bow in Clara’s hair.

“Yours my favorite,” Clara tells me, leaning over to gently pet the puppy snoring against my chest.

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