Page 88 of Hot Shot

“I want one of those,” I murmur, watching Carrie’s nephews.

“A boy?” Grandma Garner says immediately. “That’s good to know you want kids. Carrie’s not getting any younger. How old are you, by the way?”

Carrie slaps a hand to her forehead, having arranged the gifts on a long glass patio table. “Grandma!”

“What?” Mrs. Garner frowns at Carrie. “I’m just asking.”

I squint at Mrs. Garner. “Uh, I’m thirty. But I didn’t mean I want a kid. I want one of those swords.”

Carrie shakes her head, biting back a smile. “I’ll be right back.”

I watch her cross the stone patio, admiring as always her sweet ass, today clad in a short, stretchy tank-style dress that hugs it lovingly and displays her gorgeous legs. Where’s she going now? She’s been running around since we got here, helping her mom with food and gifts, lavishing affection on her nieces and nephews, and waiting on Grandma Garner.

She returns only a moment later, carrying two more swords.

My eyes widen and I grin. She hands me a sword. “Come on.”

I rise out of my chair and follow her onto the grass where the two boys are playing. She brandishes her sword at them and they pause, giving her an opportunity to strike. “Take that!”

I laugh and join the battle. Then Carrie pauses and somehow splits her sword into two, now wielding two weapons.

“Aunt Carrie! No fair!”

“How’d you do that?”

She laughs and stops to show them how the swords work. Then the boys go crazy, spinning and swinging the toys until they both fall down on the grass, laughing.

I fall down too, grinning. I gaze up at the blue sky, panting from the exertion of chasing the boys around. This family shit is . . . fun.

“Carrie, you know I don’t like them playing with weapons.” The female voice that calls to us is sister-in-law Emily, married to Carrie’s oldest brother, Justin.

“Chill, hon,” Justin says. “It’s just a toy.”

I lift my head and grin at the guy, holding up a sword and arching an eyebrow.

Justin laughs and strides over to take a weapon, then starts swatting his kids with it.

Carrie drops to the grass beside me and sets a hand on my chest.

“Where’d you get those other swords?” I pant.

“I bought two sets.” She grins. “Because I knew I’d want to play, too.”

She glows out here in the sunshine, her blond hair gleaming and tousled, her eyes bright. I love how she likes to play.

Another woman emerges from the house, carrying a baby—Carrie’s other sister-in-law, Stephanie, with baby Savannah. Carrie jumps to her feet and rushes over. “Diaper changed? Perfect! Come to Auntie Carrie, you little cutie.” She scoops up her baby niece and balances her on her hip. And I can only gape, my chest feeling hot and tight as she plays with the baby, cooing at her and bouncing her.

Lauren and Julia are here too, of course, Julia not too cool to hang out with her little nephews as they play.

I roll to my feet, brush grass off my shorts, and stroll over to the grill where Carrie’s dad is turning burgers and chicken breasts. “Need another beer, Aaron?” I ask.

Carrie’s dad drains the last of the bottle he’s holding. “Yeah, that’d be great, thanks.”

I take the empty and retrieve two more cold ones from the outdoor fridge. This family apparently likes their outdoor eating, with an amazing kitchen built at one end of the patio including an impressive grill, fridge, sink, and granite counters all attractively finished with stone.

I return and lean against the counter as Aaron lowers the lid on the grill. “Those swords were a big hit.”

“Not so much with Emily,” Aaron notes with a wry smile. “Emily and Justin take their parenting pretty seriously.”

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