Page 46 of Just Like That

“Veda, are you ditching me?” Kate asked as Veda climbed out of the back of the SUV behind me and Emily.

She smiled and adjusted her skirt. Veda pointed toward JP’s house. “My man is in there. He’s coming home with me.”

Kate waved. “Sounds good. Have fun you three.”

We waved as Beckett and Kate backed out of the driveway and disappeared into the darkness. Veda tossed her arms across Emily’s back and mine.

“You good?” she asked me.

I squeezed her arm. “Great. Only slightly tipsy.”

Veda laughed, dropping her arms. “Well, that’s a shame. I am very much looking forward to giving Royal averytipsy striptease.” She toyed with the gold chain around her neck, and my cheeks heated.

“Woman.” A voice boomed from the darkened porch, followed quickly by Royal’s hearty laugh. “What are you waiting for? Get your ass up here and kiss me.”

Veda covered her giggle with her fingertips and sauntered up the porch steps. Her arms wrapped around Royal’s neck as his thick, tattooed arms wound around her waist, lifting her heels off the ground as he kissed her.

I blushed and looked away when he growled and their kiss deepened.

“Get a room.” Whip playfully pushed past Royal and took the porch steps in one leap before pulling Emily in for her own greeting. After a quick peck, he bent to toss Emily over his shoulder. She squealed and patted his butt.

“Good night,” I called to them as Whip headed straight to his truck.

Royal sauntered down the steps with Veda tucked into his side. “The kid’s cute, I’ll give him that.”

“No Abel?” Veda asked.

“He went with Sloane to do some back-to-school shopping for the twins, I guess. Next time.” He looked at Veda. “Ready, Precious?”

She grinned, and as we said goodbye, my heart pinched. I was surrounded by happy couples and people doing back-to-school shopping. My hands gripped the banister as I climbed the porch steps and tried not to think about how different my life had become in such a short amount of time.

I silently opened the front door, and the house was eerily quiet. A newly opened board game was scattered on the coffee table in the living room, and there were popcorn bowls and kernels littering the floor. A cartoon movie had been paused on the television.

When I didn’t see Teddy or JP, I climbed the stairs and headed toward the bedrooms. I quietly padded across the wooden floor. When I reached Teddy’s room, my heart stopped. JP was holding a limp Teddy in his arms and gently swaying. Teddy was fast asleep, and JP was attempting to pull back his bedsheets with one hand.

I watched from the door as JP lowered Teddy to the bed and scooted his legs under the covers. “There you go, buddy.” JP paused and looked down at Teddy.

For a moment, he just stared.

I wondered what he was thinking. Did he see how alike they were? Did he finally accept that Teddy was his child? Did he regret how things had crumbled between Olive and him?

My heart caught when JP leaned down and brushed a soft kiss on the top of Teddy’s head, then squeezed his shoulder.

“Good night, kid,” he whispered.

Before he could catch me, I turned and rushed down the hallway. I crept down the steps and scurried toward the living room, hoping he wouldn’t realize I’d been watching him tuck Teddy into bed.

When the stairs creaked, my heart jumped. I stacked the bowls of leftover popcorn and pretended like I hadn’t heard a thing.

“I can get that.” JP’s voice was thick and low.

I smiled at him. “It’s okay. I got it. Did you have fun tonight?”

JP raked a hand through his hair and exhaled. “I didn’t realize seven-year-olds were so exhausting.”

I laughed and nodded. “Yeah, I learned pretty quickly that even the good ones have the attention span of a gnat.” I looked around the disheveled living room. “Looks like you did okay, though.”

JP scooped pieces of the board game into the box. “I had reinforcements. I think Teddy likes the fact that Whip plays by the rules, but Royal cheats.” He chuckled, and the low rumble made goose bumps erupt across my skin.

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