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“What the fuck is wrong with you?” Knox grunts.

“I can’t do it, Grumpy Bear. I might die with all this pent-up frustration.”

“Ah. And stop calling me that.”

“What do I do?” I whine, ignoring his annoyance at my nickname for him. I clench my abs to sit up. I’m afraid she’s going to come over here at any moment and hear me confess how I feel. That’s the last fucking thing she needs to deal with right now.

Knox is looking at me like I’m an errant child. And quite possibly, I am being a bit childish…but how can anyone blame me when the one person I’ve wanted practically my entire life is finally available, within reach, and I can’t do a fucking thing about my feelings?

It’s maddening.

“You’re going to act like an adult and be there for her like you’ve always been there for her.”

I scrunch my face. “I don’t wanna be an adult anymore.”

“You look like Luddy when she’s mad.”

I bark out a laugh. “Fair.”

In the shallow end of the pool, Kylie is keeping a close eye on London while she laughs with Gia and Farrah at something Gwen said. Emmett and Holt are in the deep end, taking turns throwing the kids into the air.

“I’d better go relieve Emmett and Holt before one of them pulls a muscle.” I jump up, stripping my T-shirt off as I go. I let out a battle cry as I dash toward the water. The kids screech, trying to swim away from the splash zone. They’re not even close to fast enough to avoid the wave I make.

When my head breaks the surface, the kids are cracking up as they wipe water out of their eyes.

“New game!” Holt shouts. “Whoever can dunk Grayson first gets the first cookie from Pop.”

“Do I get the first cookie if none of them can dunk me?”

Holt’s dad’s baked goods are legendary. The man can bake anything you ask him to, and I will not let these hoodlums steal all the cookies if I can help it.

Holt rolls his eyes, but his amusement is clear. “Sure.”

“Let the games begin!” I throw my hands out, making a come-get-me gesture to the kids. As they descend on me, I have a moment of panic that I bit off more than I can chew. Emmett’s kids on their own are ridiculously strong. Add in the four others currently preparing to attack me, and I might be in over my head.

I chuck one in the air, far enough away to give me time to deal with the others. By the time my muscles are quivering and I’m about to tap out, London climbs onto my back and whispers in my ear, “I’ll share my cookie if you let me dunk you.”

“Deal,” I sigh out in relief.

She squeals, pushing down on my shoulders to make me go under, and I make sure she stays above the surface the entire time.

“Looks like London is our winner,” Holt says to a chorus of groans from the rest of the kids. They’re all smiling though because they’ll get a cookie regardless of who won the game.

“Who’s ready for cake?” Gia asks.

“Me!” the kids shout. We follow their lead, drying ourselves off before converging on the small room attached to the pool where a table is filled with an array of snacks and baked goods.

I get London settled in a chair to await her prize. She’ll need the sugar boost if she has any hope of staying awake for the rest of the afternoon.

Kylie stands by my side, a warm smile on her face as she watches Holt throw Leah in the air, much to her delight.

I hip-check her. “What are you thinking about?”

Her warm whiskey-brown eyes sparkle up at me. “I’m happy, Gray. It’s only just now becoming obvious that I haven’t been in a long time.”

I wrap my arm around her shoulders, reveling in the way she cuddles into my side. We stay like that as we watch madness descend around the table. Seven kids hopped up on sugar and demanding more make for a loud and boisterous group.

Holt’s dad’s laugh booms through the room as each kid picks out the slice of cake they want. He somehow manages to keep them from arguing about who might have a bigger piece than someone else. I can’t exactly blame them. That chocolate cake is worth fighting over.