Page 33 of The Paths We Cross
“He cares about you. I’m sure that he was just as shocked as you were.”
“I still can’t believe she’s doing this,” I mutter.
“Me either, but she won’t get away with it,” Rowan says. “I can promise you that. Do you still feel up to going to the clubhouse today?”
Today is the end of summer party at the clubhouse. It’s been on our books for a few weeks now. I think that being around the club and having some fun is exactly what we need.
“Yeah. I don’t want Laura to ruin our day,” I tell him honestly. “She doesn’t get to do that.”
“Good girl,” he murmurs into my hair making goosebumps pepper my skin.
****
Later that day, we head to the clubhouse as a family. Summer is slowly evading us, and cooler evenings have taken hold. We’re planning on staying in the suite tonight, so we have a bag packed for the evening.
I never realized how much stuff you have to take with you when you have a baby, but Hazel has her own bag because everything wouldn’t fit in with ours. She’s in a pair of leggings and a soft brown sweater; a matching bow wrapped around her head.She looks so adorable.
I look down at my outfit and frown. “Are you sure I look okay?”
Rowan smiles over at me from the driver’s seat. “You look beautiful.”
I’m wearing a red, off the shoulder sweater and flared jeans. My black hair is in loose waves, and I spent a little more time on my makeup. I’m nervous because I’m meeting the rest of Rowan’s family today.
He looks calm as ever as we pull into the clubhouse lot. He’s wearing a grey Henley, black jeans, and his cut. His black hair is still a little wet from his shower and the scruff on his jaw makes me want to lick him.
We park and get out of the SUV. I grab Hazel’s car seat and Rowan grabs our bags. We go straight up to our suite and get everything settled before heading down to join everyone outside.
The clubhouse’s property is beautiful. The space has lots of soft grass and trees. There are a playground and swings for the kids and firepits for the adults. There are already different groups sitting around multiple picnic tables.
“I’m glad you guys could make it!” Grayson calls out from beside the grill.
“Aunt Everly! Uncle Rowan!” Asher calls out as he runs over to us, dipping his head to check on his cousin in her car seat.
It took a while to get Asher to stop calling me Ms. Kincaid. Rowan insisted that he calls me Aunt Everly, so I just go along with it. Cane’s daughter Paisley still slips up every now and then, but she’s become more comfortable calling me by my first name.
“Come sit with us!” Asher tells us excitedly as he leads us to the table his mom is sitting at.
“You’re not looking so comfortable,” I tell Sophie with a wince. “How are you feeling?”
“Like a whale,” she grumbles. “But it’s not too much longer now.”
“I’m so excited to raise our girls together,” I tell her.
“Me too,” she smiles. “It’s nice to have someone around who knows what you’re going through.”
“I just know they’re going to get into trouble together growing up,” Rowan grumbles as he sets down the car seat, pulling Hazel from inside and adjusting her in his arms.
“The best kind of trouble,” Sophie smirks.
“Agreed,” I tell Rowan before planting a kiss on Hazel’s head.
We turn as we hear new people enter and I immediately know that it’s Rowan’s family. His dad looks so much like Ro and Gray that it’s like looking into our future.
“Spooky right?” Sophie chuckles from beside me. “But how lucky are we going to be?”
“Damn,” I murmur my agreement.
“Please, don’t tell me that you guys are checking out my dad,” Rowan grumbles.
