Page 46 of Never Quiet

“You’re welcome, Taylor. I’m going to get out of your hair and go wrangle some little kids. I’m glad we talked.” Meeting Erick’s eyes on Taylor’s other side, she said, “I like your girlfriend. See you later.”

With a smile, she turned and left the house, walked across the street to Chaz and Shawn’s, and around the back to the deck.

Sitting on the steps, she stared at the water.

A while later, Davis lowered beside her. “Amanda.”

“You know what I realized today, Davis? That some of those women my dad and Rick used to date, they were just like Taylor. Trying really hard to find their place. They probably didn’t have a Noel or Caroline or Zoe in their lives to help guide them there.”

She looked at him with tears in her eyes. “We were so smug. Making fun of them, rolling our eyes when they talked. Taylor loves him and she’s doing whatever she thinks will help her keep him. Meanwhile, who knows if he actually cares about her or is just using her, like my dad and Rick used all those women over the years?”

Tears slipped over her cheeks. “I imagine it’s hard sometimes. Being a man. There’s a lot of toxic masculinity and everything is completely sexualized now. Try not to use anyone, Davis. Make sure the other person is getting as much out of it as you are. Just…see them as people. Will you try?”

“Yeah.” He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her close, kissing the top of her head. “I love you, Amanda.”

* * *

Morgan received a last-minute request to do a photo shoot on South Beach. Callie wanted to speak to the designer so she planned to go with her dads. They invited Amanda to come with them for three days on the mainland.

“I’m going to stay and see if I can talk the parents into taking a night off. Mom really needs time with Dad as adults. I think Lizzy could use it, too. They’re on vacation.”

“Now that things are settled with Taylor, I don’t feel so bad leaving you on your own for a couple of days,” Callie told her. “Don’t let him see you sweat.”

“Nope,” Amanda assured her. In a whisper, she added, “Get the behind-the-scenes shots. They always crack me up.”

The brunette winked. “I’m on it. Dad is such a diva.”

The Harding siblings were always up to take everyone out on the water but Zoe had opted out on the first day.

She’d explained, “I have severe motion sickness from my accident. It would embarrass all of us. Even the plane trip was something of an exercise in nausea control. Everyone have fun and I’ll watch any little ones who stay behind.”

As a result, Lizzy and Zoe spent a lot of the trip talking on the patio with glasses of tea and usually a book they were both reading. They rarely left the house.

Amanda spoke to Chaz and suggested they do a night of dinner and adult time. “We’ll watch the kids. Take all these moms out so they can get a break. Davis and I will be fine.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes. Just make it seem like your idea or they’ll feel even guiltier than they’re going to.”

After a bit of nudging, the plans were made and Amanda instructed everyone to bring their children to Chaz and Shawn’s house.

They planned to put the girls to bed in the room Amanda always used and she’d sleep on the couch in there. Sterling and Davis could share the second guest room with two twin beds.

When she outlined the itinerary, Lizzy’s expression was shocked. “Wait. You’re going to babysit the entire night?”

“Yup. Stay out all night, walk around naked, sleep late. Come by whenever you’re ready tomorrow. Go nuts. We’ll be fine here. Chaz and Shawn won’t mind waking up to three screaming kids. They get plenty of calm over here at their oasis.”

Shawn laughed. “True.”

Davis drove over with Julia and Gunner walked Sterling across the street. As his son ran to the living room to see what the girls were watching, Gunner took them aside.

He whispered, “I’m not looking a gift horse in the mouth. I’d love a night to wine and dine my wife and actually sleep in tomorrow.”

“Haul ass, Gunner,” Amanda told him with a smile.

“You two are fabulous. Call a father if someone is bleeding. Do not call one of their mothers. As men, we’ll handle it and still figure out a way to selfishly salvage the evening.”

Laughing, she nodded. “You’ve got it.”

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