Total pages in book: 104
Estimated words: 97882 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 489(@200wpm)___ 392(@250wpm)___ 326(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 97882 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 489(@200wpm)___ 392(@250wpm)___ 326(@300wpm)
“I want you to meet my uncles.”
Julep
“Julep, you tramp!”
I barked out a laugh at the exclamation, even more so when Nathan swatted Kevin for saying it.
“Don’t be a sore loser,” Nathan said, sliding a domino from his hand across the table. He played it where I had just played the one that had elicited the insult from his husband.
“I’ll be whatever kind of loser I want to be, thank you,” Kevin said, glaring at me as he took a domino from the draw pile. He pouted a little more when he had to draw another, but on the third one, he was able to play. “And I’m more salty than sore. It’s not fair that this girl is beating us this badly her first time in our home.”
He winked at me then, and I smiled, looking down at my hand as Holden debated where to play. Soft jazz music crooned from the speaker in the kitchen. We were in the final round of a heated game of chicken foot.
It was safer for me to look at my hand than it was to look across the table at Holden. Every time I did, my ovaries nearly exploded. We’d been at his uncles’ house for almost two hours now, and his baby cousin had been in his arms nearly the entire time. She was the size of maybe two footballs, and he cradled her just the same — casually, effortlessly, as if she belonged there.
Seeing a hot, buff quarterback cuddling a tiny baby girl was the recipe for more than just a few disasters.
“You know, Unc,” Holden said as he played a domino, and then I immediately played the one in my hand. “You should really stay away from any jobs in war strategy.”
Kevin frowned, glaring at his husband as he played a domino and went down to only two left in his hand. I had three, and Kevin had at least six.
“Why, because I let my emotions get the best of me and call out ruthless players?” he asked, playing his domino.
“No,” Holden said, and then he moved where his arm had been holding Joanne, revealing that where we all thought he was hiding his dominoes was actually vacant. He played his final one on his line. “Because you’re too easily distracted by the decoy.”
“Noooo!” Uncle Kevin cried, and then he covered his chest like there had been an arrow shot through it, making a cinematic scene as he fell to the ground. Joanne had been dozing in Holden’s arms, but the commotion startled her, and she started crying.
“Oh, it’s okay, Jojo. That’s just your dad being dramatic. Can you say dramatic?” Holden teased, bouncing Joanne in his lap a little to try to soothe her.
“Can you say hungry, nephew?” Kevin joked as he used the back of the chair to help himself stand. “Because that’s what you’re going to be when I kick you out before dinner is served.”
“Like hell you will,” Nathan interjected. “This smoked pork butt has taken me all damn day, and every single one of you is going to stuff yourselves until you explode.”
“Speaking of exploding,” Holden said, grimacing as he held his cousin toward his uncle. “Doodie calls.”
Kevin lit up, the brightest smile on his face as he took his daughter from Holden’s arms. “Did my princess make a poopy?”
Joanne cried as the rest of us laughed, and then Kevin winked at me and carried her back toward one of the bedrooms.
Nathan stood next. “I’m going to start prepping the sides. Why don’t you two clear this up and set the table?” He paused, looking at me. “We’re so happy to have you here, Julep.”
My cheeks were warm when I replied, “I’m happy to be here, too.”
Nathan turned his smile on Holden then, lingering for a moment before he left us.
When he did, Holden shook his head, grabbing the bag for the dominoes as I worked on collecting them off the table. “Well, I know I warned you it was a riot around here, but hopefully it hasn’t been so much that you block my number when we get back to campus.”
I smiled. “It’s amazing.”
“You have an interesting definition for that word.”
“It’s chaotic, yes,” I agreed. “But… in the best way. It’s warm. It’s family.” Something in my heart ached. “I haven’t felt anything like this. At least, not for a long time.”
Holden paused where he was cleaning up, watching me for a moment before he dropped the bag of dominoes and rounded the table. He swept me into his arms.
“They love you.”
“Who?”
“My uncles.”
I chuckled. “I think Kevin wants to murder me.”
“Nah, it’s me he’s after now. Because in case you didn’t calculate the score after that last round,” he added, peeking over my shoulder at the score sheet. “You took second, sweetheart. No one is threatened by second place.”