Tied with Me
Page 53

“I’ll get the grill going,” Caleb announces and passes Maddie off to Matt, who takes the two girls and their dog into the house.
“What can I do to help?” I ask Brynna.
“You can help by sitting with me on the deck. Caleb is going to grill burgers, and everything else is done.” She sits in a blue chair, and I take a matching love seat next to her.
“Did you have fun with Bailey?” Caleb asks me as he fires up the grill.
“I always have fun with Bailey,” I reply with a laugh.
“Caleb said you guys like to go to Vintage.” Brynna pours us both a glass of sun tea from a frosty pitcher. “It’s a fun place.”
“I love it,” I agree. “We’ve been going there every Sunday for a couple years now.”
Caleb drops four burger patties on the grill, and the sizzle and smell of the grill fills the air.
“You have a beautiful home,” I comment and sip my tea.
“Thank you. It’s actually Natalie’s place. She let the girls and me move in here after Jules moved in with Nate.” Brynna smiles and picks up a celery stick from a veggie tray and nibbles.
“That was really nice of her,” I reply.
“Nat’s the best. She’s supersweet and loyal almost to a fault,” Brynna says. “But I think Caleb and I are going to start looking for a bigger place, since we have a new one on the way. We’ll need the space.”
“I’m telling you, Isaac should build us a place,” Caleb tells his wife.
“Oh goodie, we can argue about toilets and floor plans.” Brynna rolls her eyes.
“What did I miss?” Matt asks as he joins us. He takes a seat next to me, wraps his arm around me and pulls me against his side.
“Nothing much. Did the girls go down okay?”
“I read two stories. But I’ll place bets that someone will need a drink of water before the hour is out.” He kisses my temple and drags his fingertips up and down my arm, over the ink on my shoulder, sending goose bumps across my skin.
“There’s a lot of activity going on down here that they might miss out on,” Brynna agrees wryly.
“Is tonight a special occasion?” I ask and lean my head on Matt’s shoulder.
“Kind of, but we didn’t want to make a big deal out of it.” Caleb flips the burgers, closes the lid and joins us. “The wedding was where we did our adoption ceremony, but we just got the paperwork today that says the adoption is final.”
“That’s wonderful!” I exclaim. “They are lucky to have you both.”
“Congrats, man.” Matt fist-bumps his brother. “But they’ve been yours for a long while.”
“True.” Caleb nods. “How do you want your burger cooked?”
“Medium well,” I answer. “Seriously, can’t I help with something?”
“You worked all day. Relax,” Matt whispers in my ear. “We got this.”
“I didn’t work all day.” I laugh but relax further into the cushion and sip my tea. “But I’ll let you guys handle the cooking.”
“You look beautiful,” Matt murmurs.
I wrinkle my nose at him, making him laugh.
“I love the tattoo on your shoulder,” Brynna comments and tilts her head in thought. “Maybe I should do something like that.”
“You can’t get tattoos when you’re pregnant, legs,” Caleb reminds her.
“I know. Later.”
“I can recommend a guy. I’m thinking about getting another one.”
Matt’s hand stills on my arm, and he pulls back to look down at my face. “What are you thinking of getting?”
“I haven’t decided. I just have the itch to get something new,” I respond with a shrug. His eyes flare, and it’s obvious that the idea turns him on.
He likes body art.
“Burgers are ready,” Caleb announces.
“So, I think I need to hear some good stories about Matt as a kid,” I remark as I squirt ketchup on my bun.
“I have a million. What do you want to know?” Caleb asks while Matt glares at him.
“Everything,” I reply with a laugh. “But start with the embarrassing stuff.”
“He had a blankie until he was nine,” Caleb begins.
“I suggest you shut it,” Matt growls, making me giggle.
“He was always the most sensitive of the group,” Caleb continues.
“I have stories, too, you know, little brother,” Matt reminds him.
“I want to hear some, too!” Brynna claps her hands and bounces in her seat. “This is fun.”
“Matt was always a Batman fan. He liked to wear the bath towels as capes and run through the house, saving Gotham City from evil.”
“Caleb was always the evil one,” Matt adds, his eyes narrowed. “Stop talking. I’m warning you.”
“I think Mom has photos of Matt in the fifth grade, when he let Jules, who was five, cut his hair.”
“Caleb wet the bed until he was six,” Matt murmurs deceptively softly and raises a brow at his brother. “And you never could tell Jules no either, so don’t give me that shit.”
“Was Matt quiet as a kid?” I ask, enjoying the men’s banter immensely.
“Yeah.” Caleb nods. “He’s always been quiet. Somber.”
“I was making up for Will’s crazy ass.”