“It’s not going to stick. Let it go.”
Her face scrunches. “Yeah, they don’t like it either. Something about the A-Team is bigger and no more dicks being allowed around me. I guess it’s a movie or something.” She bats her hand as if annoyed that someone went back in time and stole the name she came up with.
Tank comes strolling back into the room a few moments later with sweatpants and a shirt on. He walks over toward me. Liv steps back out of his way as he lifts me from the kitchen counter, putting me on my feet, then handing me a pair of yoga pants I shoved in my bag yesterday. “A-Team will be here in a moment.”
“You snitch!” Liv acts shocked, placing her hand on her chest.
“Pants, Treasure,” Tank tells me again, not even glancing Liv’s way. I smile and pull them up my legs. Tank didn’t have to tell them where she is. I’m sure they know or will put it together themselves when they see she’s MIA.
“He called them A-Team,” Liv says smugly, reaching out to pet Tuesday, who has moved closer to her now.
“What do you want to eat?” Tank asks, lifting me back up to sit me on the counter.
“Pancakes,” pops from my mouth. Living in a dorm so long you forget what it’s like to have a kitchen.
“With bacon,” Liv chimes in. Tank shakes his head before giving me a quick kiss.
“Coming up.” He moves into the kitchen as Liv starts chirping away about how she’s happy we’ll still be living close to each other. I am, too. I had no idea the whole new world Liv was going to send tumbling into my life that first day I walked into my dorm room and she sent a box flying at my head.
Her eyes widen and a moment later the front door flies open. “Don’t let Tuesday get out,” Tank orders from his station.
“I want a cat.” Liv points to Tuesday, ignoring her boyfriends, who look a mix of amused and annoyed. As always, I can’t tell which is which.
“You have enough to pet,” one of them tosses back at her.
“Do I smell bacon?” the other one asks as he lifts Liv up, throwing her over his shoulder and giving her ass a smack.
“I was petting the cat,” she pouts. He puts her back on her feet. “Are you hungry? I just fed you both.”
The two of them look back and forth at each other.
“Don’t do that.” She motions her hand between them. “They are talking about me like I’m not here.”
“They didn’t say anything.” My eyes dart between them. I have no idea what is happening, but I’m still amused.
“They do this twin thing.” She raises an eyebrow at them. “You didn’t like my breakfast?”
“We ate all of it,” one of them says defensively.
“And you,” the other mumbles.
“I’m making enough for everyone. Get the plates, A-Team,” Tank tells them, motioning to a cabinet. “Silverware.” He points to another. His gaze comes to me as the twins actually do as he tells them.
“Maybe we should move.” He smirks at me. He’s as amused as I am. These are, after all, the people that brought us together. I have a feeling we’re all going to stay that way.
I glance around the kitchen as Liv sits down in one of the high-top kitchen stools. Tuesday climbs into my lap.
“I’m good.” I smile over at him. He mouths “I love you” and I do it back.
No, I’m better than good because I’m all his.
Epilogue
Tank
“Mr. Tanksley! Mr. Tanksley! Over here,” a high-pitched voice calls out.
I swing to my right and see my angel, Aurora, standing in front of her kindergarten teacher, who is waving furiously in my direction. I dodge a couple of other parents walking toward the front of the elementary school. When I reach my girl, I dip down to her level and gather her in my arms.
“How was your day, angel?”
“Good. I’m hungry.”
“I got you a yogurt smoothie.” I pluck the small plastic bottle from my back pocket, uncap the thing and hand it to her.
She gives me a toothy smile and takes a sip. “Bye, Ms. Bingham.” Aurora waves. I straighten and grab my girl’s hand. She doesn’t like to be carried at school because she is not, and I quote, “a baby.”
She is, and always will be, my baby, but I gotta respect her wishes, especially since I’ve been teaching her that she needs to demand that from guys from day one. Her tiny hand is lost in mine.
“Is Ethan home yet?”
Aurora loves her brother more than her parents, but I’m not salty about that. He needs her devotion. The kid had a tough life before he found his way to our house. “Not yet, angel. He’s got practice.”
Her cute mouth turns down in a pout. “I wanted to play with him.”