AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I laugh, happiness filling my entire body to the brim. I had no idea that having a family would feel like this. It’s going to take some getting used to, but for the first time in a long time, I’m looking forward to the unknown.
“No, he didn’t!” I gasp in surprise.
“I swear he did. Ask Matthew.” Tilly raises her eyebrows and nods.
“How did you ever forgive him?” I ask. I hadn’t known that Tilly’s brother didn’t know she and Matthew were dating. Hearing how shitty he was when he caught them together before they could tell him sounds horrible.
“Des and I had a come to Jesus moment, and Matthew also forced him to talk through it. Everything’s fine now, but he was a real bastard about it for a while.”
“It’s hard to picture, isn’t it?” Ellie says as she blows up balloons with the tiny pink air compressor she bought.
“Definitely doesn’t fit the guy I met on New Year’s.” I adjust the balloons in my arch to fit exactly how I want. The girls and I have been decorating the main floor of Matthew and Tilly’s house for Cody’s birthday party while the boys have been in the basement, making a ruckus. They’re supposed to be decorating, but I doubt much has truly been finished. Cindy, Sue, and Steve are putting the finishing touches on the food in the kitchen. They got him a cake in the shape of a trident. It’s the coolest thing, and I cannot wait for Cody to see it.
This party is over the top and more impressive than anything I could have ever put together for him. I’m trying not to let myself feel bad about that. All of Nolan’s siblings brought stuff over to make this party what it is, and there’s no reason to compare myself to them. There are six siblings, if I include Natalie. Not to mention their partners. I’d never be able to match that, even if I had more money.
“That’s looking amazing, Katie,” Natalie says. Baby Carson is strapped to her chest and passed out cold. I give him a little stroke on his head and smile at him.
“God, I miss that age.” I shake my head and laugh. “What am I saying? I miss every age.”
“Tell me about it. I’m both excited to watch him grow and hating it just as much.”
“I hope you know you’re always more than welcome to bring Noah over to hang out with Cody and me if you guys need a night to yourselves.”
“Thank you. Noah hasn’t stopped talking about Cody since they went to the science museum. Most kids don’t have a clue about what Noah is interested in, but it sounds like the two of them never stopped talking.”
“That’s what Cody said, too. He loved spending the day with Noah.”
“Mom!” Cody comes running toward me in his bright orange T-shirt. “Come check out what we did in the backyard.” He grabs my arm and pulls me out of the living room and to the back door.
“I thought you guys were decorating the basement.”
“We did that, too.”
I follow him down the deck stairs where a huge blowup obstacle course has been set up.
“Isn’t it awesome? It’ll be like we’re in training at Camp Half-Blood.”
Nolan and Matthew come over to us with huge grins on their faces. They look just as excited as Cody. Nolan leans in to kiss me. “What do you think?”
“I think it’s a lot. Where did this come from?”
“I found a place that rents them.” Matthew runs a hand through his hair.
The blue-and-red monstrosity has a climbing wall, slides, and even columns to run through. It’s… elaborate. The boys are going to have a blast.
“You kind of want to run through it, don’t you?” Nolan teases.
“Definitely.” I tilt my head back to see him better. “Thank you for this. All of it.”
“He deserves it. And so do you.”
CHAPTER 30
Nolan
“Come on, little dove. Race me.”
Katie narrows her eyes at me. “Have you not had enough competition with your siblings that you need me to join in, too?”
