Page 139 of Our Bender

I giggled as I ran away.

He reached out to grab me again, but I let out a little yelp and got away.

“That’s it!” He called out to the kids, “Chase Josie!”

Suddenly Tyler, Stevie, and the twins were all on my tail as I tried to dodge them around the backyard.

Beau finally grabbed hold of my legs and Tyler mock-tackled us to the ground.

We all laid there, splayed out on the grass, giggling hysterically.

When we finally settled down, we stayed there on the grass, just breathing in the early summer night air, watching the fireflies dance around us while the sun set in the distance.

I could’ve laid there all night, but my stomach started growling. “Wait,” I sat up. “What happened to the steaks?”

Tyler avoided eye-contact and slightly squirmed away from me like he was a kid caught with his hand in the cookie jar.

“It was his fault!” Beau pointed at Tyler.

His mouth dropped open. “Buddy! You tried to run away!”

“Are you arguing with a child?” I whispered out the side of my mouth at him.

He let out a chuckle and laid back on the ground. “Whatever. Steak-shmake. I say we order takeout, yeah?”

“Ooh, you know what actually sounds really good right now?” I asked, putting a hand on his chest. His eyebrows raised in question. “Chinese food,” I announced.

“Yeah!” Stevie piped in. “Can we get fortune cookies too?!”

“No! Nope.” Tyler shook his head vehemently. “Not allowed in the Jettersen household.”

“What?” I laughed.

He reached up and traced my jaw with his strong, rough hand. “Everything’s finally perfect,” he said with a grin before kissing me.

---