Page 92 of Beautiful Mess

Grace: Can’t wait to see you, Daddy. *winking emoji*

Scratching a hand across my jaw, I breathe out a small chuckle.

Me: Me either, baby girl. Having fun?

The text bubble pops up immediately, and a moment later, her response comes through.

Grace: The BEST time!! *confetti emoji*

Me: And how many bottles of wine have you girls gone through?

Grace: *shrug emoji* I don’t know what you’re talking about, officer.

I chuckle as I thumb out a response.

Me: Mmhmmm, sure you don’t. Be safe, please, baby girl. And have fun.

Georgia had some huge event at the bookstore today, so Grace, Gemma, and Charley have been over there with her, first helping her set up this morning, and then they stayed for support once it started. What type of event it is, is beyond me. All I know is it clearly has something to do with books, basically all the women from town are going to be there, and there’s copious amounts of wine and dozens of cupcakes that Grace meticulously frosted and decorated until two in the morning last night.

The timing of it all worked out perfectly for us guys, since there was a huge college football game this morning. We watched it over at Everett and Gemma’s place while the older kids played outside, and the babies hung out with us inside. Everett’s daughter, Rosie, played in her jumper or sat on her dad’s knee the whole time, and Ellie, Graham’s four-month-old, did nothing but eat, sleep, and shit. I always forget how low maintenance they are at that age.

After the game, we took the kids to the new aquarium that opened in the next town over. Everett’s really into sea turtles, and this place has a huge exhibit dedicated to them. I’m pretty sure he had as much, if not more, fun than the kids did. Once we got back into town, the kids were hungry and none of us felt like cooking after spending the entire afternoon with six kids at a packed aquarium, which is how we found ourself here atTaylor’s Grill.

“Dad, I got one!” Willow yells from across the patio, the smile on her face wide. “Did you see?”

“You bet your butt, I saw it. Good job, sweetie.”

“We’re gonna kick these boys’ butts!” Blakely adds with her hand on her hip and enough sass to knock a grown man off his feet. She’s a spitfire like her mom, and I love it.

“That’s the spirit.” I laugh, hearing the guys join in.

“So, Graham,” Everett says, bringing my attention back to the table. “How’re you adjusting to dad life?”

“Honestly, pretty great.” He shrugs, gesturing to where Ellie’s out cold on his chest in the baby carrier. “You guys have seen her today. This is her most of the time, and when she’s awake, unless she has gas or you know, shits her pants out the side of her pants, she’s pretty happy.”

“Willow was like that,” I offer, taking a drink from my beer. “She was a piece of cake, unlike my first, who spent the entire first year of his life screaming his head off.”

Graham winces. “Oof, that’s rough, man. I can’t imagine.”

“Can relate, Conway,” Everett muses, standing Rosie up in his lap and smiling at her as she vigorously gnaws on her tiny fist, drool dripping down her chin and soaking the bib around her neck.

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen Rosie scream her head off,” Fletcher says, a furrow to his brow as he pops a loaded tortilla chip in his mouth.

Nodding, Everett says, “Yeah, she’s content for the most part now, but the first month or so was rough. Between the horrible colic and the eczema that wouldn’t get better no matter what we tried, Rosie was miserable. She was also hell bent on nursing exclusively. Every time I’d try to feed her with a bottle so Gemma could have a break, she would refuse. We thought she’d never take to it.”

“Damn.” Fletcher huffs out a laugh. “The idea of having kids is becoming less appealing by the day.”

Graham scoffs. “Bringing tiny Fletcher’s into this world should be the furthest thing from your mind when you get fired from your job by your own dad and are living in your stepsister’s guest room.”

Holding up a hand, I cut off whatever smart-ass shit is about to come out of Fletcher’s mouth as I focus my gaze on Graham. “Hey, man, wanna talk about what’s got you so on edge?”

Out of all Grace’s siblings, I know Graham the least. He doesn’t hang out with his sisters the way they all do, and until he and his wife had Ellie, he didn’t show much interest in getting to know me or Everett. Despite not knowing him well, I do like the guy, but I get the feeling he’s got some shit going on in his life that he doesn’t talk about with his family. I don’t even know if he has any friends outside of us either.

He shakes his head, blowing out a breath. “Not really. Just shit with Megan, per usual.” Huffing out a laugh, he adds, “We’re really killing this married gig.”

Before I can respond, my phone lights up with an incoming call. Grabbing it and swiping my thumb across the screen, I bring it up to my ear as Everett says something to Graham I don’t catch. “Baby girl…” I drawl, mouth curved up into a smirk as Grace giggles.

“Conway, you guyshaveto come to the beach!” she shouts into the phone, and I chuckle when I hear the other girls agreeing in the background.

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