Page 64 of Loving Wild

“You better get your arse down there then,” I tell her. “Grandpop was diving into the sausage rolls when I left him earlier,” I tell her.

“He better not eat them all, I just got my first period, I get priority tonight. Soph, we’re going back downstairs,” my daughter shouts down the landing. Sophie dutifully appears from the bedroom Ava did earlier. “Let’s go eat,” she says as Sophie runs to keep up.

I turn to look at Lauren, who’s leaning against the doorframe.

“I need a drink,” she says, reading my thoughts exactly.

“Mine needs to be a double, and neat, maybe some ice,” I reply, taking her hand and leading her down the stairs after my noisy daughter.

* * *

I watchLauren’s arse move as her and my sister dance around my dad, showing him how to ‘shake it like a polaroid picture,’ as Outkast blare over the sound system.

We moved the party inside when it started to rain earlier and are all now seated either on the sectional sofa or on the floor, watching my dad and the girls dance in the middle.

This is the most I’ve seen Lauren enjoy herself since the night we met. She’s had my entire family dancing, singing, and laughing. I’ve loved every fucking moment of watching her keep them entertained. My family are not slow in coming forward, and insults are used as terms of endearments between us; that’s how I know they’re falling in love with her much the same way I have. They’ve given her shit about her accent, and she’s served them right back, only quicker and funnier.

Zac gives my shoulder a nudge with his as we sit side by side on the sofa.

“You are so far gone, mate, you have not a single hope of ever coming back. You can’t keep your eyes off her.”

“I can’t keep my hands off her either, and I don’t wanna come back, not ever.”

“I’m happy you’re happy, little brother.”

I turn my head to find Zac staring at me, he nods. “I really mean it, Gabe, it’s been a long time coming, and she’s a great fucking girl.”

Worried that I’ll choke on the ball of emotion that’s once again lodged itself in my throat, I can only nod in response.

“You two having a moment?” Coop pushes his head between ours from where he’s now standing behind the sofa.

“We were, till your fat head interrupted us,” Zac complains.

“My big head matches my little head. What can I say? Big, fat . . .

Using the palm of my hand against his forehead, I push my brother away.

“Fuck off,” Zac tells him. “I’ve seen more fat on a chip than on your dick.”

Cooper lands on his arse on the floor.

“They picking on you, baby?” Jess moves around to the back of the sofa and holds out her hand to help Cooper up. “Leave your brother alone and play nice,” she points between me and Zac. “And also, how do you even know how big his dick is these days? Please tell me you’re not still comparing.”

“What?” Dani shrieks before any of us answer Jess. Looking towards where she was dancing earlier, I see she’s now standing next to Lauren holding my dad’s acoustic guitar, and I let out a groan.

“You haven’t heard him play and sing?” Dani’s hand shoots out, shoving the guitar into my chest. “Time to rectify that,” she adds without even looking at me. Lauren does. Brows drawn together in a frown, but still wearing a smile, she folds her arms across her chest and tilts her head to the side.

“I know he can hold a tune, and I’ve seen the guitar he has at home, but I’ve never heard him play.” She raises her brows. “Like your sister said, time to rectify that, Wild.”

Shaking my head, I take the guitar from Dani.

“Cheers, Dan,” I tell her sarcastically. I’ve had far too much to drink to be able to remember the words to anything right now.

“For you, baby, anything,” I tell Lauren with a wink.

She clasps her hands to her chest and swings her torso from side to side.

“If you sing me a Carnage song, I’ll scream and cry and pretend you’re Marley Layton,” she tells me with a sloppy smile on her face.