Page 53 of Mr. Broody

“Yeah. I understand. I was a kid once, and I had your great grandma dressing me.”

He laughs. “Was it bad?”

“I love her, but let’s just say I was never wearing what everyone else was.” I pick up the postcard my grandparents sent from Arizona. “This came today for you.”

He looks at the picture, turns it around, and reads the simple message they wrote for him on the back. “Can I?”

Mack might kill me, but I nod anyway. “Make it quick.”

He barrels down the hall and into his room. Then I hear his drawer open, and he slides out his chair, no doubt climbing up on the desk to pin the postcard up with the others. He comes back out. “One day I want to travel to all those places. Miss Jade showed us pictures she took in Zimbabwe. Can we go there this summer after you win the Cup?”

I ruffle his hair. “We’ll talk about it.”

We walk out of the condo while Bodhi tells me about all the pictures Miss Jade shows the class and the stories she’s told about where she’s been. Apparently, all the kids want to be her when they grow up now. Lucky me, I get to hear about how amazing she is the entire way to the trampoline park.

When we arrive, Mack busies himself decorating and tells me to just do whatever I have to in order to stay out of his way. Guess I’m not needed anywhere today.

Of course, Kyleigh, Rowan, Conor, and Tweetie all show up together with way too many presents for Bodhi stacked in their arms. It warms my heart that they care, but at the same time, they’re spoiling him. But yeah, he’s a great kid, and he deserves it.

“Bodhi!” Kyleigh calls, but all she gets is a wave and a hi before he jets off in another direction. “Okay, that was hard. You’re gonna have to adopt another kid. He’s already over me.” She sits next to me, sipping her iced coffee while the guys place the presents on the table.

“Why don’t you work on having your own?” I eye Rowan.

I know he would be game, but they’re taking it slow after such a quick start together. At least that’s what they say, but I bet they’re married and have a kid on the way in the next two years max.

“Anyway,” she says dramatically, rolling her eyes at me, “the decorations look great, Mack.”

Mack turns from the step stool he made the workers spend ten minutes looking for. Not that he didn’t have the time, what with the fifty balloons he had to fill with helium.

“Why do you think it was all Mack?”

Kyleigh and Mack share a look and laugh. Whatever.

“So, this is birthday parties now, huh?” Conor looks around.

“This is how Mack throws a birthday party, yeah.”

Mack sticks out his tongue at me before going back to putting together a balloon arch. Why do we need one? I have no clue.

“Who wants to jump?” Tweetie says, toeing out of his shoes.

“I’m pretty sure our contracts states that we can’t?—”

He’s already out of the designated room for the party.

“I got a call from a mom about her son not being invited. You’re gonna deal with her when she comes.” I look at Kyleigh. “Pretend you’re my girlfriend, go crazy on her when she starts up with her attitude, then I can say that I broke up with you because you were so mean.”

Rowan comes over and pats Kyleigh on the shoulder. “Get your own girlfriend.”

She stands, then she sits back down on his lap.

Conor groans and looks around. “Am I the only one who sees all the empty seats?” He toes off his shoes and places them next to Tweetie’s size fourteen ones. “I’m heading out there.”

Slowly, the kids arrive, and I make small talk with the parents, informing them when they should return for pickup. So far, Micha and his mom are no-shows.

I decide to hang out in the party room until all the kids have arrived, and Rowan stays with me, eating the snacks. For some reason, Mack asks Kyleigh for help, so the two of them are perfecting the custom-made banner.

“How much did I spend on this birthday party?” I ask Mack.

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