Page 20 of Crewe (Nelson’s Honkytonk Saloon & Bar #3)
Chapter Twenty
C rewe laughed so hard he was leaning against the wall. Whiskey was beside him, laughing and slapping his thigh. He had to laugh, or he’d cry because he was going to have to show Ry the state the kids were in, and it was not good.
It had all been going great with the kids at the chocolate-making class.
Vivi, Ry, and Ellie, along with the other moms, had decided they’d leave early to go start getting ready for the wedding, which wasn’t a bad decision.
All the kids were good kids, but even though the Nelsons and Bluff Creek had a boatload of kids, the class was large and included about fifteen other kids.
Crewe wasn’t sure what was said, but Elijah and Morgan had turned around toward two boys who looked to be in their teens. He’d seen Elijah shake his head and point for the boys to move away. Then Morgan had Blake and Phoebe, children of some of the Bluff Creek families, move behind them.
Before the kids’ dads could walk over and see what was going on, the bigger of the boys grabbed his pan of chocolate he’d been dipping pretzels in and tossed the chocolate all over Phoebe’s shirt.
Morgan had grabbed the kid by his shirt, lifting him up and carrying him over to the instructor.
A couple of the boy’s friends decided they didn’t like it and started pelting all the kids with chocolate, as well as the coconut and sprinkles being used for decorations.
From that point on, Crewe just wanted to make sure his kids didn’t cry, and it was close there for a minute.
Phoebe, Blake, and Freya had washed their hair last night and braided it for the wedding today.
They even had ribbons twined through the braids.
By the time he’d made it to the girls to make sure Freya wasn’t crying, Phoebe had rallied them with a war cry of they will pay, and I will make them cry while running back to their mothers .
Bear had rubbed the bridge of his nose, shrugged, and said the boys deserved what they got. Roam had checked on his kids and then gone to tell the instructor their group would be happy to pay a fee to have the room cleaned.
The laughter had come when the moms of the boys who had started it showed up and began to yell at Phoebe, Blake, and Freya, saying they caused the problem.
Crewe had thought he was hearing the Franks girls talk with the way Phoebe turned toward her and told the women that if they’d taught their sons friggin’ manners, maybe she and her friends wouldn’t have to be rewashing their hair for a wedding.
Morgan and Elijah had walked over to back up the girls, but honestly, the girls had it handled. Crewe was a tad scared about what would happen when these girls were older. Look out, world, because they weren’t letting any man treat them badly.
He stopped laughing and walked over to get the kids.
“Guess we’re all walking back since I’m sure the hotel’s van won’t want us in it,” he said, guiding the kids out of the store. A large school bus was waiting, and their resort host was driving it.
“I heard you all needed a ride that could be hosed down afterward. Come on in,” she said.
Crewe wasn’t sure if this was something that was a help or not. Now, he’d have to face Ry even sooner than he planned. He hoped she was still in a good mood.
Ry was waiting with all the women. Her hair and makeup were done because the wedding was in an hour and fifteen minutes.
Vivi had the idea to have all of them downstairs so directions could be given.
Ry and the ladies were all going to enjoy a relaxing snack while the guys cleaned the kids up from the chocolate fiasco they’d been sent pictures of.
Beth had been running behind when she’d gotten a text from Phoebe about what was happening. Beth had snuck in, taken pictures, and left before any of the guys could try to get her to help clean the kids up.
The school bus pulled up in front of the resort.
“How are we playing this?” Ellie asked.
“Yeah, I mean I’m not mad my kid stood up for herself and others,” Sprite, Roam’s wife, said.
“I say we have the men get the kids clean. Why should any of our kids feel bad for being the heroes and standing up against bullies,” Winnie said. “Plus, these pictures will be gold when they bring that first boyfriend or girlfriend home from college.”
Ry smiled as Crewe walked in with Freya and Wyatt. She held her hand up so they stayed far away from her clean dress. It wasn’t getting covered in chocolate.
“Are we in trouble?” Wyatt asked.
Ry shook her head. “Of course not. I’m always proud when my kids stand up to bullies. Now you go upstairs and get clean. The Papas are helping with showers too. Then get dressed in your outfits and come down here. We’ll have a snack before the wedding, and I’ll braid your hair again, Freya.”
“Okay, Mommy,” the kids said.
“I’ll just go up and shower,” Crewe said.
Ry wasn’t going to let him get away scot-free though. She waited until the kids turned away.
“Too bad I can’t lick off the chocolate,” she said softly.
His eyes blazed with heat, and he bit his lip. “I guess I deserve that.”
He shepherded the kids to the elevator. Ry watched until they went upstairs.
She turned to walk into the room with the other women, but a yell had her turning back.
“You should be ashamed of yourselves. I saw you not getting after your kids,” a woman yelled while her boys, covered in chocolate, stood beside her. Several other chocolate-covered boys stood next to their upset mothers, but this woman seemed to be directing her anger toward Ry’s children.
“From what I heard, your children started it by bullying. Of course, we’re not going to get after our kids for standing up for their friends.
Why don’t you go talk with your children and ask them why they thought they needed to start something instead of just enjoying an activity?
” Ry said. She didn’t worry about anything happening because she could feel the wall of women behind her.
The woman glared daggers at Ry but stomped toward the elevator.
Ry turned to the grinning women behind her and dusted her hands together. “Trash taken out. Let’s relax with some snacks, and then it will be time for a wedding,” she said, following Vivi and Ellie to a table. Remi walked by and handed her Amelia.
“I thought you might like some baby snuggles to get your blood pressure down. Nice smackdown, though,” Remi said, grabbing a chair and sitting down.
Ry snuggled Amelia, looking at her sweet face and wondering what her and Crewe’s baby would look like.
“Oh, look at that face. Ry’s getting baby fever,” Ellie said.
Ry grinned at Amelia but didn’t comment.
“Well, you know that Peck, Burt, and Bill said he’d pay for my next vacation if we passed Amelia around to you three,” Remi said.
“He did?” Ry asked.
“Nah, but it’s a good idea, right?” Remi asked.
Ry chuckled because she didn’t need anything to get baby fever.
She’d been thinking about Crewe and a baby that looked like him since he’d started taking a little piece of her heart every time he did something sweet.
Always before, she’d tamped down those thoughts because he was just a friend.
Now she could pull those thoughts out and consider them.
“I’m thinking this may need to be an annual trip,” Ellie said .
Remi smirked. “I’m pretty sure we’ll be opening some type of office here. It will be the perfect excuse for family vacations.”
“Well, if you come back, you need to schedule the manicure and massage. It was divine this morning,” Vivi said.
“Good to know,” Remi said, then smiled as her husband joined her. “I bet right about now you’re glad our daughter is too young to have been to chocolate making today.”
War shuddered. “Oh yeah, I was walking by when the guys were setting up for the kids. The hotel gave my mom a roll of plastic they use on the floor for weddings that want to drop petals. Mom had it on the floor from the time the kids left the elevator to the door of the room. Then in the room, she had stations set up for the kids. Yep, I am tremendously glad my girl still poops her pants. The chocolate had hardened as it cooled in Phoebe and Blake’s hair.
Mom was saying she was hoping a hot shower would loosen it enough to wash out,” War said .
Before, Ry would have worried and run upstairs because she would have thought she had to do it all herself. Now she could snuggle Amelia, knowing Crewe and the family were taking care of Freya and Wyatt. She relaxed back against the chair, gazing at the sleeping baby.