I laughed and spread my arms wide. “Last ball, babe. Come and get it.”
“I’m getting you this time,” she said. She steadied herself, looked hard at the target and then behind me, and threw it.
The ball went wide, but it didn’t matter. Price charged toward the tank, bolting to the arm and slamming his hand into it like he was giving it a high five.
I fell in, all of me instantly freezing and shriveling even though the water only came up to my chest. The line cheered as I glared at my brothers. “You two suck,” I said.
They laughed good-naturedly, both of them backing away. “Come on, Aaron—we’re doing it for the ladies.”
“And you,” I said, pointing to Devon as she neared the tank, “have terrible aim.”
She laughed, her face lit up under the brim of her hat. “Didn’t matter.”
“Stick around for a few minutes?”
“Wouldn’t miss this show for anything,” she said, smiling wide.
I chuckled, then pulled myself onto the seat and up and out of the tank. I nodded at Mike, who’d been waiting to take my turn and who’d smartly donned a wetsuit. “The line will not approve of that get-up.” I took the towel he held out and wiped the water off my chest.
“Yeah,” he said, his eyes twinkling, “but my wife and my balls do.”
I laughed. “Have fun up there.”
Howls of protest came from the line as he climbed in, and I turned to Devon for a kiss. More howls, this time accompanied by whistles and cheers, erupted.
Devon broke the kiss and smiled. “You’re cold.”
“And you are unbelievably sexy in that outfit,” I said, leaning in for another kiss.
“Break it up, you two,” Jodi said, walking up with Ceci and the twins. “Children are present.”
I shook my head as Devon laughed. “First you annoy us about getting together, and now you annoy us about staying away from each other. What’s it gonna be?”
Jodi twisted her lips and shrugged. “We’re complicated women. What do you want from us?”
“Besides, we’re here for more than bare-chested firefighters,” Ceci added.
Jodi snorted. “Speak for yourself. Where’s Zach?” She peered around, looking for one of the probies.
Ceci and Devon snickered and Devon said, “Nice try.”
Jodi’s cheeks pinked, but she kept up the farce and studiously avoided looking in Price’s direction.
Ceci turned to the twins. “We need caramel apples, kettle popcorn, bouncy houses, petting zoos, all of it. Right, kids?”
The twins roared enthusiastically.
“Guess it’s my cue to be the best aunt on the planet and take you to the bounce house,” Devon said. She got a second roar of approval as they each grabbed her hands and tried to run off. She laughed, then turned back to me. “I’ll see you later?”
I leaned for another quick kiss, inhaling her vanilla scent and wanting nothing more than to take her into the small tent behind the tank and have my way with her. “Absolutely.” I all but growled it.
I watched them go, then headed to the tent to change. Right as I emerged and was about to go find Devon, Will called me over to where he and Price stood.
“I’m watching the time and I know when you two are up,” I warned as I approached. My smile faded when I saw how serious they looked. “What?”
“Mom texted,” Price said.
“She’s coming next week,” Will said. “Dinner. You’ll be at my house.”
I bristled. “I know you didn’t command me to come to dinner.”
Will’s eyes flashed, then Price jumped in. “Give her a chance,” Price said.
I glared at him, my body heating with anger. “Why? She never comes when she says she’s going to. And in case you’ve forgotten, she was the one who left us in the first place. We were kids. I was ten years old.”
Will held his hands up. “Settle down. Do you need a hug? Maybe a caramel apple?”
“I’m not joking, asshole.”
Price swatted Will. “Quit it.” He turned to me. “She swears she’s coming this time.”
I scoffed. “Sure she is. Same as she swore the last time and the time before that. Can’t wait to hear her excuse for when she doesn’t show up.” I turned to go.
Will grabbed my arm. “Hang on.”
I swung back. “No,” I said, struggling to keep my voice low. I stepped closer. “I’m sick of this shit. Why do you two keep giving her a pass?”
“We’re not,” Price started, but flattened his mouth into a line when Will shot him a warning look.
