Pete makes a blowing noise with his mouth that sounds a lot like the noise we heard a goat make once at a petting zoo. Paul shoots him a look, and he bites back whatever he was going to say next.

“Why would he go to that?” Reagan asks Pete, and she looks at him like he’s grown two horns.

“To prove that he’s ov—” Pete grunts and shuts up when Reagan elbows him in the stomach. I would have gone for his nuts, honestly. “The invitation was for all of us,” Pete grumbles. “We should at least go and eat all their food and drink all their drinks. Just saying.”

“Did you want to go?” Sky asks me.

I shake my head. “Not really.”

“You said it’s an old friend, right?” she asks.

I nod my head. “Sort of.”

“I think you should go.”

“You could take Sky with you,” Pete says. “Rub that shit—” He grunts again when Reagan hits him on the back of the head.

“Go for his nuts next time,” I tell Reagan.

“Good idea,” she says as she shoots daggers at him with her eyes. “Your nuts are mine the next time you open your mouth,” she warns, pointing a finger toward his crotch.

“My nuts have been yours since the day I met you, princess,” he says.

Sam makes a gagging noise, pretending like he’s going to throw up.

“So, did you want to go?” Sky asks. I wish she’d leave it alone. But I’d have to tell her what’s up in order for her to do that, and I’m honestly having so much fun that I don’t even want to think about April and Ken. I don’t want to let them steal one minute of my happiness.

Emily elbows Logan. “We could go with them,” she says. “For moral support.”

Logan shrugs his shoulders. He couldn’t care less, apparently.

“Well, then it looks like we’re going,” I say on a heavy breath. “Yay,” I deadpan. “Can you be ready by two?” I look up at Sky.

“Oh, you want me to go with you?” she asks, her eyes opening wide with shock.

I tug her hand until she has no choice but to lean toward my face so I can kiss her. “I wouldn’t go without you,” I say. “Come with me.”

“What about the kids?” she asks.

Friday raises her hand. “I’ll babysit. I got nothing better to do.”

But Seth steps up. “I’ll watch them. No big deal.”

“You don’t have any plans?” Sky asks.

He shakes his head. “Nope.” He avoids her gaze. “Nothing at all.” Something is up with that, but I have no idea what. I’ll find out later.

“Then it’s settled,” Pete says. He leans back, a satisfied look on his face.

It’s far from settled. The farthest of the far from settled. But at least I’ll have Sky with me, which might make it bearable.

Skylar

Matt helps me and Seth as we unload the car and get the girls upstairs. I swear, there’s a lot more to being a parent than I ever imagined. There are toys and bags and clothes, and then the kids themselves. Matt has Joey over his shoulder, and Seth carries Mellie.

The girls fell asleep at Matt’s apartment, and we decided to scoop them up and bring them home instead of letting them wake up in a strange place. Between that and finding a place for Seth and Matt and me to all sleep, it was just too difficult. I kind of want to wake up in my own bed with Matt tomorrow morning—if he wants to stay over, that is. I haven’t asked him yet. But it’s what I want.

I know he feels funny about setting a bad example for Seth, but Seth is almost an adult. I think he’ll be fine with it.

We go inside, and Matt and Seth put the girls to bed and tuck them in tightly. I give them both a kiss because it’s becoming part of our nightly routine. Sometimes I still sneak into their room to watch them sleep, but I get to take part in the bedtime ritual, too. I like putting them to bed and hearing them talk to their mother when they think I’ve left the room. It’s heartbreaking and uplifting at the same time.

Matt and I walk out into the kitchen, and he gets a bottle of water from the fridge.

“I had a really good time tonight,” I tell him as I load the few dishes that are left from dinner.

“I did, too,” he says. “My family likes you.”

“Did you already know about Emily and Logan? You seemed surprised.”

He snorts. “I wouldn’t have thrown her over my shoulder if I had known.” He winces a little. “Didn’t mean to do that.”

“You’re happy for them, right?” I ask. I watch him closely because Matt usually wears his feelings on his face.

“Oh yeah,” he breathes. “Emily is pretty worried, though.”

“About what?”

“She has dyslexia,” he says. “Reading is hard for her.”

“I know what dyslexia is.”

“She’s afraid the baby will have it, too, if it gets her genes.” He shrugs his shoulders. “She’s just worried, like any new mom would be.”

“How do you think Logan will do with a baby?” I ask. I have always wondered how deaf people raise hearing children.

“He’s been taking care of Hayley her whole life,” he says. “He can do a lot more than people give him credit for.”

“Oh, that’s not what I meant,” I start.

But he cuts me off with a smile. “I know. I get it.”