of you.”
Abby bounced up and down, excitedly. Nan followed closely behind them. Journey went to follow, but he halted her with a hand on her arm.
“Thank you for this. My mom has been excited to meet you guys since I told her about you and Joey.”
“ She seems very sweet. I have to be honest, I was really nervous about today. I hate to say it, but I was worried about what they would think of us.” She reached into the diaper bag that was slung over her shoulder, pulling out a photo album. “Here, I forgot to give this to you on Friday. There are pictures from the moment he was born up until now.”
“I appreciate this. Thank you.” He wrapped his hand around her neck and pulled her close. It was a quick kiss and his body screamed for more, but he knew that someone would come looking for them if they didn’t go inside soon. He grabbed her hand, lacing their fingers together, and led her into the house.
***
The rest of the introductions went well. He still wanted to laugh when he had been holding Joey and Dustin had come up to meet him. He looked at Dustin and then back to Dylan with a confused look on his face. Dylan knew in time he would know who was who. It had everyone cracking up.
He would 've liked to have said that Joey and Violet hit it off because they were the same age, but at first Joey was getting the attention and the princess would come over and try to push him out of the way. Violet was a total tomboy and she showed it several times. Carrington and Abby were blowing bubbles in the yard while the adults talked for a bit before dinner.
Journey seemed to be relaxing quite a bit. She was hitting it off with Stacy and he knew Bellamy liked her. The only one he had been worried about was his dad, but he was taken with her immediately. When he brought Journey a drink, she and his dad were talking college football. He learned that Journey had gone to The University of Alabama, which was his dad’s favorite team. She had been a cheerleader up until she quit school. Dylan sat down next to her and listened as she animatedly told his dad how she was one of the girls that did the tricks.
Joey toddled over right to Journey . “Mama, up.” She lifted him onto her lap and absently kissed his head. He noticed his dad watching them with a soft expression on his face.
“So , darlin’, how did Abby end up living with you? Don’t take this the wrong way, but you’re awfully young.” He gave his dad a “don’t go there” look, but he ignored him.
“No, that’s okay. I am young—well, I don’t feel young most days anymore. My babies wear me out,” she laughed softly. “Abby is my older brother’s little girl. He’s had some problems and wasn’t a very good parent. He and Abby’s mom left her home alone one night while they went out and did who knows what and she must’ve gotten up and saw that they weren’t there. She wandered outside and a neighbor saw her, so they called the police.” Her chest rose and fell as she took a deep breath. “DCS contacted me, so I drove all night to meet a niece I didn’t even know I had. We had a bit of a rough start, but I love her like she was my own child.”
“Where’s your brother now, sweetheart?” his dad asked.
“Honestly , I don’t know. I haven’t heard from him since he and Abby’s mom signed over custody to me.”
The rest of his family had gathered around as Journey told her story, but she didn’t realize it until afterwards. Her cheeks turned pink and she put all of her attention on Joey. He didn’t know why she would be nervous or embarrassed. It wasn’t her fault her brother was a piece of shit loser.
“Hey, why don’t we take Joey for a little walk before dinner?” Dylan stood, pulling her to her feet. “Mom, we’ll be back in a few, okay?”
“Al l right, y’all have a fun. Your daddy is throwing the meat on the grill in about ten minutes, so we still have at least a half hour until it’s time to eat.” He
Abby bounced up and down, excitedly. Nan followed closely behind them. Journey went to follow, but he halted her with a hand on her arm.
“Thank you for this. My mom has been excited to meet you guys since I told her about you and Joey.”
“ She seems very sweet. I have to be honest, I was really nervous about today. I hate to say it, but I was worried about what they would think of us.” She reached into the diaper bag that was slung over her shoulder, pulling out a photo album. “Here, I forgot to give this to you on Friday. There are pictures from the moment he was born up until now.”
“I appreciate this. Thank you.” He wrapped his hand around her neck and pulled her close. It was a quick kiss and his body screamed for more, but he knew that someone would come looking for them if they didn’t go inside soon. He grabbed her hand, lacing their fingers together, and led her into the house.
***
The rest of the introductions went well. He still wanted to laugh when he had been holding Joey and Dustin had come up to meet him. He looked at Dustin and then back to Dylan with a confused look on his face. Dylan knew in time he would know who was who. It had everyone cracking up.
He would 've liked to have said that Joey and Violet hit it off because they were the same age, but at first Joey was getting the attention and the princess would come over and try to push him out of the way. Violet was a total tomboy and she showed it several times. Carrington and Abby were blowing bubbles in the yard while the adults talked for a bit before dinner.
Journey seemed to be relaxing quite a bit. She was hitting it off with Stacy and he knew Bellamy liked her. The only one he had been worried about was his dad, but he was taken with her immediately. When he brought Journey a drink, she and his dad were talking college football. He learned that Journey had gone to The University of Alabama, which was his dad’s favorite team. She had been a cheerleader up until she quit school. Dylan sat down next to her and listened as she animatedly told his dad how she was one of the girls that did the tricks.
Joey toddled over right to Journey . “Mama, up.” She lifted him onto her lap and absently kissed his head. He noticed his dad watching them with a soft expression on his face.
“So , darlin’, how did Abby end up living with you? Don’t take this the wrong way, but you’re awfully young.” He gave his dad a “don’t go there” look, but he ignored him.
“No, that’s okay. I am young—well, I don’t feel young most days anymore. My babies wear me out,” she laughed softly. “Abby is my older brother’s little girl. He’s had some problems and wasn’t a very good parent. He and Abby’s mom left her home alone one night while they went out and did who knows what and she must’ve gotten up and saw that they weren’t there. She wandered outside and a neighbor saw her, so they called the police.” Her chest rose and fell as she took a deep breath. “DCS contacted me, so I drove all night to meet a niece I didn’t even know I had. We had a bit of a rough start, but I love her like she was my own child.”
“Where’s your brother now, sweetheart?” his dad asked.
“Honestly , I don’t know. I haven’t heard from him since he and Abby’s mom signed over custody to me.”
The rest of his family had gathered around as Journey told her story, but she didn’t realize it until afterwards. Her cheeks turned pink and she put all of her attention on Joey. He didn’t know why she would be nervous or embarrassed. It wasn’t her fault her brother was a piece of shit loser.
“Hey, why don’t we take Joey for a little walk before dinner?” Dylan stood, pulling her to her feet. “Mom, we’ll be back in a few, okay?”
“Al l right, y’all have a fun. Your daddy is throwing the meat on the grill in about ten minutes, so we still have at least a half hour until it’s time to eat.” He
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