Chapter 26
Kate
“Ohman,didI tell you I was on the phone with Kyler earlier?” Lauren leans over the counter, laughing. When she lifts her gaze again, she has to wipe away the tears. “Poor Levi had explosive shits. Thank God there’s no such thing as smell-a-vision. Based on Ky’s expression alone, it did not smell good.”
I grimace. “Oh shit.” I realize my choice of words, and that only makes us laugh harder.
“Literally.”
My brother and sister-in-law definitely have their hands full with Levi and Charli. Watching them juggle life with twins totally makes me want to go hug my mama and say thank you for not dropping Lauren and me off at the fire station. No wonder my parents waited six years to have Kyler.
Once we have ourselves semi-composed, I lift the tray of snacks.
“Hey, can you grab those?” I nod toward the box of graham crackers sitting on the counter.
Lauren grabs it and places it on top of the pile of items in her arms.
I use my elbow to open the sliding door open that leads to Jaxon’s backyard.
After a few days of rain, everything has finally dried out, and Jaxon suggested having everyone over for a bonfire. Kyler, Dani, Zach, and Haylee all passed, being home with newborns, but Lauren, Finn, and Kelsey didn’t have to think twice about it.
“Who’s ready for s’mores?” I shout as we approach where the guys have set up the fire pit. Adirondack chairs and a few camping chairs surround the circle of stones that have bright orange flames already roaring.
“What’s a ’more?” Andy asks as he takes in all the ingredients Lauren and I set down on the picnic table.
“What’s a s’more?” I repeat, but with my voice an octave higher. Did I just transform into The Sandlot? I wonder if Andy is old enough to watch that. A smile graces my lips at the memory of Kyler quoting this movie for-eeevvvveeerrrrr after he first saw it and continued to quote it in his wedding vows.
“S’mores are life, kiddo.” I ruffle his hair and walk over to one of the Adirondack chairs and pull it closer to the fire.
“But I thought you said cheese is life,” Andy says as I take a seat.
I giggle and adjust in my seat. I pat my thigh for Andy to hop up on my lap. “You know, you’re a very observant little dude.”
“What’s uhserbent?”
“Observant,” I correct him. “It means you notice a lot of things and remember things that people say. It’s a good habit to have. Now, let me show you how to make a s’more.”
I hold my hand out to my sister, who is unpackaging the s’more sticks. Of course my sister has official “s’more sticks.”Sticks off the ground would have worked just fine. “Stick me.”
She passes me a stick and the open bag of marshmallows.
“Okay, Andy, the first thing about making a s’more is that we need to have the marshmallow be the perfect amount of doneness. Now, if you are like Auntie Lo here—” I tilt my head toward my sister but see that she has now moved beside where Finn and Jax stand. “—then she will tell you the perfect marshmallow is only lightly toasted.” I adjust us in my seat, leaning forward so that the speared marshmallow is just inside the fire.
“It is,” she shrieks.
“It’s okay, babe.” Finn wraps his arm around her shoulders and pulls her close to him to kiss her temple. “Nobody’s perfect.”
She mocks him before ducking out of his grasp and moving to stand next to where Kelsey sits with Liam on her lap.
“But to me—” I’m cut off when Andy flails in my arms, rocking side to side. I have to tighten my grip on the stick so that I don’t drop it.
“Miss Kate! Miss Kate!” Andy shouts. “It’s on fire! It’s ruined.”
He sticks his lip out in a pout, and I worry that he’s about to get upset. I give his side a reassuring squeeze. “Oh, Andy, that’s not ruined. That’s utter perfection.” I blow a chef’s kiss in the air. I bring the stick up to my face, careful not to let any of the flame near Andy, and blow on the marshmallow to put the fire out, revealing the perfectly burned piece of sugar.
Andy looks thoroughly confused and tilts his head to examine it. “What do you do with it now?”
“Can you hand me one of each of those?” I point to the plate with the graham crackers and chocolate chunks. He hops off my lap and retrieves one of each before settling back on my lap.
“Thank you, sir. Now we assemble.”
“Like the Avengers do?”
I laugh. “Umm, sure.” Okay, if he knows the Avengers, he’s probably old enough to meet the Beast and the gang. “Can you hold this for a second?”
He takes the stick and continues to inspect it, looking very unsure if this makes any sense. “Look, Daddy, I’m like the Statue of Liberty,” he giggles as he holds the stick up and brings his arm to his chest.
“Yeah, buddy. Looking good.”
I quickly glance over at Jaxon as he watches us with a smile on his face. Then I take the two crackers and place them on each side of the marshmallow and carefully drag it off the stick. Lifting one of the crackers, I place the chocolate on it and smash them together.
“Now what do we do?”
“Now we eat it. You want the first bite?” He nods enthusiastically, but I pause halfway to bringing it to his mouth. “Well, maybe we should ask your dad first.”
“Please, Daddy? Pretty please? Can I has a ’more?” We both pout just to add some dramatics.
Jaxon is just about to take a sip from his beer when he pauses and nods. “Yeah, sure, but not too much sugar. Otherwise, you’re going to be wired.” Our gazes lock as he brings the bottle to his lips and takes a long pull. I’ve never been jealous of an inanimate object before.
Andy takes a big bite out of the snack, and the crunch of the cracker under his little teeth breaks our staring contest.
“What do you think? Does it have the Andy stamp of approval?
“Dat’s so good,” he says with a mouthful, spraying crumbs everywhere.
I take a bite and let a soft moan slip as the sugary treat hits my taste buds.
“Can we make more?”
I nod. “But let’s finish this one first.”