“What are you smiling about over there?” Ari asked, reaching for my hand.
“The look on my mom’s face when I told her she was going to be a grandmother again. ”
Ari started laughing. “Yeah, it was priceless. I’m so glad she finally made the move to come and see y’all, Jeff. ”
I smiled as I thought about Ellie. I knew how she had dreamed of this moment, especially when she’d found out she was pregnant. I remembered the day we’d walked along the river when she told me how much she wished our mother could help her through her pregnancy because she felt so scared. My heart had broken for her. She’d had Grace there, but it hadn’t been the same thing.
“I can’t wait to see Amanda! I feel like I haven’t seen her in so long! I wonder if she’ll have the baby before she graduates,” Ari said.
“I just hope everything works out for them with the move. I hate that they are moving to Florida. ”
Ari grinned. “We’ll have a place to visit now, I guess. ”
I glanced over and smiled at her before looking straight ahead.
“Okay, why in the hell is Gunner not going? It’s a damn green light!” Ari said.
After sitting there through the whole green light, I jumped out of my truck and ran up to his. I was about to knock on his window when I saw that he was kissing Ells.
What in the fuck?
I banged on the window, and they both jumped.
Gunner rolled down his window. “What’s wrong?”
“You just sat through a damn green light while you were sucking face with my baby sister, you douche. ”
Gunner gave me that damn smile of his. “I can’t help it if I sweep your baby sister off her feet, dude,” he said with a wink.
Ellie started laughing as Ari honked the horn.
“Fucker!” I jogged back to my truck and jumped in, shaking my head. “Stupid romantic ass. ”
Ari started laughing as Gunner punched it when the light turned green again, and we made our way to Luckenbach.
As soon as we pulled up and parked, Ari jumped out of the truck and ran over to Ellie. I knew she had been dying to talk to her. Gunner smiled and gave me another wink.
Bastard. Thinks he’s all romantic and shit. I can be just as romantic as his ass. “Keep on smiling, dude. I’ve got my game on tonight,” I said as I slapped his back.
Gunner started laughing. “Yeah, okay…if you think you’ve got what it takes to outromance me, dude, bring it. ”
“Oh, I will. I am! You wait and see. ”
I turned around to see Heather with a big-ass smile on her face as Ari and Ellie attacked her. They each grabbed her arm and started heading into the dance hall. I watched as they walked by. They were talking so damn fast that my head was spinning from just trying to figure out what they were saying.
Baby…twins…cribs…wedding…
Gunner turned to me, and he looked just as confused. I shrugged my shoulders and glanced back to see Josh walking up with the biggest damn smile I’d ever seen on his face.
I stuck out my hand to shake his. “Congratulations, Daddy!”
Josh laughed. “Twins! Can you fucking believe it? Twins. ”
Gunner started laughing as he slapped Josh on the back. “Let’s buy you twin beers. ”
When we walked in, I saw Scott right away. “Ah hell. What’s Scott doing here?”
Gunner shook his head. “Dude, he’s not after Ari. He never was. He just likes fucking with you. ”