“I do.” Dad nods. There’s a small smile playing on his lips.
“I’d like for my kids, both boys and girls, to experience this,” Orrin says.
“Wait.” Ryder holds his hand up. “Is Jade having twins?” he asks.
Orrin laughs. “No, but we want more kids.”
“Boys.” He shakes his head. Yes, he still calls us boys, and to him, that’s what we will always be, his rowdy boys. “I’ve been doing this trip with you all for going on thirty years. Orrin was five, Declan was three, and we left Brooks home with your mamma that year.” He smiles fondly as if he can still remember, and he probably can. “Anyway, I’ve left the love of my life and, at times, my younger children at home for almost thirty years to make this trip with you.”
“We don’t want to stop this one,” Brooks is quick to explain.
“We just want to add another one,” Orrin chimes in. “Bring them along. Mom would love it.” He’s speaking to Dad’s softer side. He’d do anything for our mother. Not that he’s not going to agree to this. He has no reason not to. We’re not changing our tradition. We’re adding another one.
“Can we make that happen?” Declan asks. “I know that Blakely would love it, and when he’s older, my son too.”
“You keep saying my son. Does he have a name yet?” Merrick asks.
“The suspense is killing us,” Maverick adds.
“What about you?” Rushton asks Orrin. “Have you named my other nephew yet?”
“Not yet. We have a list. We’re going to wait until we meet him to decide,” Orrin tells us.
“We have a list too,” Declan admits. “We’re still trying to narrow it down.”
“We already know Archer Kincaid has a good ring to it,” Archer jokes.
“Your mother and I went through the same thing with each of you. In fact, Maverick and Merrick were the two we struggled with the most. We wanted the names to start with the same letter but not rhyme. It was important to us that we let you boys have your own individual identities,” Dad explains.
“And here they are twinning regardless.” Rushton laughs. “The two of them have always been thick as thieves and copied one another, and their personalities are as identical as their DNA.”
“We’re overachievers like that,” Maverick quips, making us all laugh.
“Can we get back to bringing our wives and kids with us?” Orrin asks.
“What are we thinking?” Dad asks.
“I think there should be rules,” Brooks speaks up. “We don’t get to bring just anyone with us. They need to be a wife, fiancée, or serious girlfriend. Our kids will be here, and I, for one, don’t want to explain to my daughter when she’s older why one of her uncles has so many girlfriends.”
“I can get behind that,” Archer speaks up. “Family time is important. I know for me, she would have to be special to even think about inviting her to something like that.”
“Me too,” Rushton adds.
I make eye contact with Ryder, and he nods. I nod back. That simple gesture is his way of saying that Jordyn would most definitely make the cut. He and I talked for a long time last night. He’s been in contact with her family, and her best friend is texting him updates. They all know he loves her, and he’s willing to wait. He’s not sure if they believe him, but Ryder is like the rest of us. Stubborn as hell. When we make up our minds about something or someone, it’s hard to change it.
I want to be pissed at Jordyn for walking away without talking to him like she promised, but I know the fear of loving someone and being worried that if and when things change, you’ll lose them. I’ve been living it for the past couple of months, but that’s all about to end.
I’ve been working on something for her. A grand gesture of sorts. Something that shows her that I listen when she talks and I want to make her dreams come true. My phone vibrates where it’s resting on my thigh. Flipping it over, I smile when I see her name on my screen.
Alyssa:I’m getting all the baby snuggles while you’re away.
The text is followed by a picture of my girl holding a sleeping Remi. My niece sleeps soundly and looks cute as hell, and Alyssa? Her hair is down, and her face is void of any makeup. She’s smiling, her brown eyes sparkling with happiness. My thumb traces the screen wishing with everything inside me that she was here with me right now.
I snap a picture of the fire and send it to her with a text.
Me:Wish you were here.
Alyssa:How’s the last night been?