I made my way out of our tent and headed to the table. Josh refused to make eye contact with me, which was probably a good thing.
“How’s your eye, Ari?” Ellie asked.
Stopping directly in front of Josh, I smiled. “Good. You know what strikes me as funny?”
Josh glanced up at me and smiled. “What’s that?”
I tilted my head and lifted my eyes up as if I was in deep thought before turning my attention back on him. “That you screamed like a scared little girl because you had a … butterfly … on your leg. And I get a crutch hurled at me and it strikes my eye, causing it to swell up and turn black, yet I didn’t utter a peep.”
Gunner lifted his hand and stated, “Um, I’d like to correct you on that, Ari. You did let out a rather scary sounding growl.”
Josh’s smile faded. “You know I’d have never have hit you with that crutch if your husband hadn’t ducked like a pussy.”
Jeff stood. “Hey, there is no need to bring that fact up!”
I shook my head. “You are both to blame and I know how you’ll repay me.”
Josh swallowed hard. “I don’t like the sound of that.”
With a sweet smile, I sat down next to Josh. “Don’t get your panties into a twist, Hayes. I simply want furniture for the new baby’s room.”
“That’s it?”
I lifted my brow. “I wouldn’t think you’re off the hook so easy. You haven’t heard what I wanted yet.”
“I am going to step in and say I have top priority in the making of baby furniture department,” Heather stated with a chuckle.
“Totally agree with that,” I replied.
Josh let out a fake laugh. “Okay, so I’m supposed to make the twins their furniture and now you want furniture?”
“Yep.”
“You do know I have other jobs I have to do first … ones that pay me to make their furniture.”
I nodded. “Of course, I don’t want you to put anything on the back burner.”
His brows pinched together. “Then how in the hell do you suggest I squeeze in your furniture?”
With a shrug, I replied, “That’s not my problem, but I will say, Jeff here will be helping you.”
“What?” Jeff asked as he glanced between Josh and me. “I can’t make furniture.”
With a wink, I stated, “Sure you can. Josh here just has to show you. Y’all will have to work together as a team.”
Josh practically fell out of his chair. “I’m not teaching him how to make furniture! Have you ever tried to teach Jeff anything? He acts like he knows how to do it and doesn’t even bother to listen.”
“Hello, I’m sitting right here, and how hard could it possibly be to make furniture?”
Josh’s mouth dropped open. “How hard could it be? Are you serious right now? You can’t even mend a fence without bitching!”
I leaned back in my chair and folded my arms. A huge smile spread across my face.
Ellie giggled. “I totally see what you did there.”
Gunner let out a roar of laughter. “Damn woman. Remind me never to get on your wrong side.”
The canoes were all lined up along the shore while Jeff finished up paying.
“I love canoe rides!” Ellie stated with a huge smile.
I nudged her on the arm. “Wonder why?”
Her face lit up. It didn’t seem like it was that long ago Gunner had whisked her away from her mother’s house and took her out on the lake in a canoe. The memory of her telling me about their first kiss made me smile. We sure had all come a long way in a few short years.
“I don’t think I’ll ever forget that day,” Ellie said as her cheeks heated.
Heather smiled. “It was the day Gunner kissed you for the first time, right?”
With a nod, Ellie replied, “Yep, sure was.”
Gunner walked up and wrapped his arms around Ellie and kissed her on the cheek. “What are you girls all talking about with those smiles on your face?”
“The first time you ever kissed me down at Zilker Park.”
Gunner’s face lit up as he flashed that dimple of his. “Best day of my life.”
Ellie turned and looked up at him. “Really?”
“Well, one of the best days of my life.”
He leaned down and gently kissed her while Gus started barking. Gunner laughed and gave Gus a quick pat on the side and told him to get into the canoe, which he did. He gave Ellie one more kiss and gently ran his finger down her cheek.
A warmth spread over my body as I took in their love. Peeking over to Jeff, I watched as he and Josh argued about which way to go on the lake. I shook my head. What is it with those two lately?
I focused back on the kissing love birds. “All right, all right. Stop sucking face, you two. You’re going to make me gag any second and we all know how weak my stomach is right now.”
Heather pushed my arm as I turned to her and winked.
Jeff picked me up as I let out a small yelp. “Let me help you into the boat, babe.”
With a quick kiss on the lips, I thanked him as he gently placed me in the canoe. Jeff turned to Josh and asked, “You need help getting in, Josh?”
Of course he ignored Jeff.
“Watch out there. I see a butterfly heading your way,” Jeff called out. Josh simply lifted his hand and shot Jeff the finger.
“Stop teasing him about that,” Ellie said as she lightly punched her brother on the arm. “It’s bad enough he sprained his ankle.”
Jeff tossed his head back. “He’ll live. He’s already walking around on it fine.”
Ellie’s hands went to her hips. “Why are the two of you going after each other so hard?”
With a shrug, Jeff replied, “I don’t know. It’s fun?”
Rolling her eyes, Ellie walked over to Gunner. He helped her into the canoe then pushed it into the lake and jumped in.
“Ready?” Jeff asked.
With a smile and nod, I replied, “Yep.”
Pushing the canoe into the water, Jeff quickly jumped in. He glanced back and frowned. “Shit, I should have helped Josh.”
My heart melted. No matter how much the two of them bickered and fought, they really were like brothers. I watched as Josh pushed the canoe into the water and barely threw himself into the canoe. Heather laughed as she helped him into the boat.
“I can’t believe they are having twins,” I said.
Jeff started rowing us further out as he peeked over his shoulder. “I think Josh is finally over the initial shock of it all. Now he’s just nervous about the wedding. Then I think the whole twins thing will hit him again.”
I chewed on my lip. “I can’t imagine. I’m worried with having another one along with Luke! What would two the same age be like?”
With a light-hearted chuckle, Jeff shook his head. “Lots of sleepless nights that’s for sure.”
My eyes burned with the threat of tears.
Jeff reached out and took my hand. “Hey, what’s wrong?”
“I’m not sure. What if things change?” I asked while I wiped a tear away.
His brows narrowed in. “What do you mean?”
“I don’t know,” I replied with a shrug. “Heather and Josh are going to be so busy with twins, we’ll have another baby, before you know it Ellie and Gunner will be popping out another one. What if we all get so busy in our own worlds, we lose this?” I lifted my arms and motioned around me. “Time together as friends.”
With a huge grin, he kissed the back of my hand. “Ari, we’re still going to have that. It will just be with little ones running around.”
Another tear slipped from my eye. “I don’t want us to drift apart. I want our kids to grow up together and be the best of friends. I want to hear them argue like you and Josh do.”
“They will, baby.”
Chewing on my lip, I sighed. “Damn pregnancy emotions.”
He laughed and started rowing again. “Jeff, promise me some day we’ll be back here again. All of us, but this time it will be with our kids.”
With a wink, he replied, “I’ll do you one better. How about if we’re here with our kids, and their kids.”
My stomach fluttered. “I like that promise.”
I watched as my husband’s eyes filled with water. “So do I.”