Page 29 of Saving Tatum (Trace + Olivia 4)

Rowan lifted a single brow, tilting her head towards Jude and I. “Well?”

“No,” I said at the same time Jude replied with, “I wish.”

“Hmm,” she mused, sitting back in her chair. She watched us closely, like we were a map she was trying to decipher.

Clearing my throat, I went back to eating my food. I tried my hardest to ignore the heat infusing my cheeks.

Trent, obviously, didn’t understand that I’d like the subject dropped because the next thing out of his mouth was, “I think you guys would make a great couple.”

Was no one on my side?

I felt like everyone was rooting for Jude and I to end up together, and frankly all I could think about was graduating college and the enormity of life as an adult. The last thing I needed to add into the mix was any sort of relationship, especially one with him.

“I think so too,” Jude smirked, tossing an arm over my shoulders. I shrugged off his touch like he carried some disease I might contract if he got too close. Yeah, I was totally acting like a little kid freaking out at the thought of ‘cooties’ but I didn’t care. Ignoring my gesture, Jude leaned his face towards mine, but looked at Trent and Row. “Don’t we look so hawt together,” he flipped his hand in the air, making his voice sound high and over exaggerating his words, “like we’d have the most adorable babies ever.” Despite myself, I couldn’t help giggling.

Tristan started to laugh too, and then everyone was laughing. Leave it to Jude to make me feel better by turning it into a joke.

Once our laughter dulled, Rowan moved the topic to more neutral grounds. “How’s your paper going?”

I shrugged. “Okay, I guess.” I’d only rewritten it like ten times. It was my final paper and I wanted it to not only be perfect, but to mean something. I wanted to make an impact with the story and my words.

“Come on Tater Tot, give us more than that,” Jude chimed in.

“Tater Tot?” Tristan giggled, marinara sauce spread over his cheeks. “That’s a funny nickname.”

I elbowed Jude in the ribs and mumbled, “Stop calling me that.”

“Mommy says hitting isn’t nice,” Tristan’s eyes widened as he witnessed the gesture. “You should say you’re sorry and kiss it to make it better.”

Jude leaned back in the chair so that only two legs rested on the ground. His brown eyes sparkled with barely contained laughter. I was in trouble now. Crap. “Yeah, Tate, kiss it and make it better. It hurts really bad.” He pouted his full lips and proceeded to pull his shirt up so that his side was exposed.

I narrowed my eyes, opening my mouth to retort. Before I could say anything Rowan slapped her palms against the table. “God, you two are worse than children. I wish you’d jus

t do it already to alleviate the tension!”

Ivy giggled and Tristan looked from his mom and dad to us. “What do you want them to do mommy?”

Rowan’s eyes widened and her cheeks colored.

Trent saved her by leaning his elbows on the table and peering at his son. “She wants them to play Scrabble.”

“Scrabble?” Tristan’s nose scrunched with confusion. “What’s that?”

“It’s a board game,” Trent explained.

“Oh,” Tristan nodded, “I think we have that one. I’ll get it.” He wiped his small hands on a napkin, climbed off the chair, and ran into the living room.

We all swiveled to look at Trenton. “What?” He shrugged, using his hand to cover his smile, “it was all I could think of.”

A moment later Tristan called from the living room, “I can’t find it!”

Rowan started to stand, but Trent urged her to sit. “I’ve got this,” he assured her, gazing at her lovingly. She instantly relaxed as his lips pressed tenderly against her forehead. Sometimes they were too much to handle, but I was truly happy for them. They had the kind of love that comes once in a lifetime and I only hoped I was lucky enough to find that one day.

Trent brought Tristan back into the dining room sans the board game. “Sorry,” Tristan frowned, “we don’t have it.”

“That’s too bad,” I said, reaching for the glass of water. I suddenly felt parched.

We finished eating and the guys were relegated to babysitting duty while Rowan and I cleaned the dishes. I knew the real reason she stuck the guys together. She wanted to talk.

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