Page 86 of From Our First

Macon’s two dogs chased after Arden’s Jasper and our Daisy with Joshua following behind, laughing and trying to make barking sounds. Macon shook his head, then went after them as if he were going to wrangle the crew.

Dakota looked over from the kitchen island where she set up dinner, laughing at the two loves of her life before going back to work.

Paris was trying to help, but kept getting her hand slapped for daring to touch Dakota’s deviled eggs with her special new recipe.

Dakota let out an exasperated breath. “Seriously. It’s fine. It does not have to be at the perfect angle.”

“It’s like you don’t even know me,” Paris complained.

“Come on, darling. It is time to go sit over with Nate and Myra and see how they’re doing.”

Paris scowled. “You only want me out of the kitchen so Dakota cooks faster.”

“I can’t help it if you’re right,” Nate added on a laugh.

I held back a laugh at Prior and looked over as Paris stomped her way over to where we sat and took a seat herself.

“I feel like I’m never appreciated.” Paris mock-pouted.

“I appreciate you,” I said, leaning into Nate.

“You’re only saying that because you’re cuddling with the love of your life and acting all lovey-dovey. Believe me, it doesn’t last,” she growled, and Nate blew her air-kisses.

“I’m kidding,” Paris added quickly.” I shouldn’t even joke like that,” she muttered.

“Good, because I was going to have to hurt you,” Prior said as he moved into the living room, kissing the top of Paris’s head as he winked at me.

“You two feeling okay?” Hazel asked as she joined us.

I let out a sigh, the same as Nate. “Yes, for the eighteenth time, we’re both fine. We could stand, you know. Help out.”

“If you two stand up, we will push you right back down,” Cross growled. “Don’t make me hurt you.”

“He sure is grumbly,” I muttered, and Nate snorted.

“Oh, this is him in a good mood. You should have seen him before he met Hazel.”

“Hey,” Cross said.

“Nate’s not wrong,” Arden added, coming into the room with Liam following behind her. “Okay, I am going to go help Dakota because now that Paris has been kicked out of the kitchen, she’s all on her own.”

“No, no, we have it.” Nate’s mother waved her hands, his father right by her.

“Yes. All of you guys just take a seat and let me help my future daughter-in-law,” Nate’s mother said, clapping her hands before making her way into the kitchen. Because the room was large and open-concept, everybody was pretty much hanging out in the same area anyway. Still, I knew Dakota liked having a little bit of space. However, one look at the three of them together, and I knew that this was what Dakota wanted. She wanted to get to know her future in-laws, two people I was now getting to know, as well.

It was weird to think that I was only just now finding out who they were and how we fit together. Even though I had once been married to their son, this was all new.

That hadn’t been an easy conversation at all, telling them about our marriage and divorce, but there was no going back. We had made our apologies, and now we were living with our consequences. But nobody held a grudge. I think we were all simply happy to be alive and able to annoy and be annoyed by each other.

“Okay, dinner’s ready. We’re sitting around the house, not at the table since I don’t think we have one big enough for all of us,” Dakota commented, looking around her. “Macon, you’re going to have to convince your brother to build something.”

“I already had it on the list,” Cross said. “I’ll build a big enough table, but I’m trying to figure out whose house can handle it.” Cross narrowed his eyes and studied all of us before his gaze rested on mine. “Myra, you do have the largest dining room.”

Liam frowned. “Really? Even me?” Liam questioned.

“We know, we know, everything you have is big, darling,” Arden soothed, and everyone in the room groaned.

“Never say that again,” Nate said, visibly shuddering next to me.

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