“Stacy, here are the photos we took last week of Sophie,” Natalie hands me a thumb drive. “I think you’ll like them.”
“Oh, I know I’ll love them! Thanks again for doing it. I’ll order Christmas cards next week.” I grin at her as she takes a seat across from me with Jules.
Jules and Nat have their heads together, as usual, cooing over a sleeping Sophie. I smile at the three of them. Three beautiful girls. I pull my phone out of my pocket and snap a photo of them.
Sam sits next to them and kisses Sophie’s head, and I snap another photo.
All of our parents are settled around the dining room table with coffee, chatting about grandkids and Christmas plans.
Will and Isaac ramble on about football, with Matt, their other brother, and Luke chiming in here and there. Mark saunters in from the kitchen, passes Luke another beer and joins them. The only one missing is Caleb, who is off on some SEAL mission.
I hope he’ll be home for Christmas.
“You okay?” Isaac whispers.
“Mmm.”
He grins down at me and kisses my hair. My eyes are heavy. I let my eyelids fall and listen to the conversations around me.
“I’ll be back in a minute.” Isaac catches my chin in his fingers and kisses me softly. I never get tired of his lips. My man can kiss. He moves away from me and lowers me onto the couch so my head is on the armrest and I feel him walk away from me.
Will, Luke and Mark are enthralled in football talk, passionately arguing about the offensive line.
Suddenly, my eyes blink open and I wonder how long I’ve slept. I didn’t mean to drift off.
Our moms have left their husbands at the table and joined the rest of us girls in the living room. My mom cradles Sophie in her arms, earning a frown from Jules.
“I never get to hold her. Between Natalie and you guys, I never get her.”
“Don’t whine,” Natalie mutters.
“Shut up,” Jules responds, and I giggle. They are so funny, even when they bicker.
“Stace, I’m glad the blog is going well,” Luke’s mom Lucy says with a smile.
“Thanks, me too. I just need something to do while I’m home with Sophie. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not bored, but I just…” How do I explain that I need something, just for me, without sounding selfish?
“I get it,” Lucy responds.
“So, let’s talk strategy, girls.” Jules rubs her hands together and perches at the edge of the couch with a large stack of newspaper ads. “Black Friday.” She grins excitedly and bounces on the cushion, her pretty blonde hair bouncing with her, licks her finger and grabs the ad on top, flipping through it.
“I’m not going at 4:00 am this time,” Natalie informs her while she rubs her tiny baby bump. “This little one won’t let me out of bed that early.”
“I can’t do that early either,” I chime in.
“I’m doing my shopping online.” Sam waves us off and rolls her eyes. “I refuse to get into a fist fight over a scarf.”
“You’re no fun,” Jules pouts.
“I’m in, if we leave around seven. I can have Sophie fed and be ready myself.”
“Okay, Nat and I will pick you up then.”
“Gonna spend all my money, baby?” Luke murmurs into Nat’s ear as she climbs into his lap. He wraps his arms around her and holds her close and I can’t help but grin at them. They are so in love.
“Yep. All of it. We’ll be homeless when I’m done.”
“It’s okay, we’ll go live with Jules.”
“Oh hell no.” Jules shakes her head and laughs. “We’ll save enough money for you to cover the mortgage.”
“Oh good,” he replies dryly.
“Well, some of us are on a budget,” I inform them with a chuckle. “So go easy on me.”
“It’s gonna be so fun!” Jules claps her hands as Sophie begins to fuss in my mom’s arms.
“We should probably head home,” I murmur and stand, stretching my arms up over my head. “Will, where are Isaac and Matt?”
“I think they’re on the deck.” Will responds, and then returns to his football conversation with the boys.
What is it with men and football?
I walk over to the patio door and open it quietly. I hear my husband’s deep voice say, “I just don’t know what to do about her.”
“Well, bro..” Matt begins but stops when he sees me in the doorway. He offers me a smile. “Hey, Stace.”
“Hey.” I step out on the deck and smile at Isaac, but my stomach is in knots as I remember the mysterious phone call at dinner, and now this. “What’s going on?”
Isaac shakes his head and shrugs nonchalantly. “Nothing.”
“Uh, huh.” I eye him, knowing he’s keeping something from me, but then I hear Sophie cry inside. “We should go. Soph is ready for bed.”
“Okay, let’s go.”
Chapter Two
“Are you sure you don’t want me to take Soph to my mom’s?” I ask Isaac as I bustle around the kitchen, putting breakfast supplies away.
“Nah, we’ll be fine.” He cradles her against his chest, bouncing her slightly and smiles at me. “Have fun today. Don’t worry about us.”
“I intend to have fun. And shop my ass off. I am bringing a change of socks to refresh my feet half way through.”