Page 14 of The Paternity Puzzle
“Why not just leave the cheese platter next to the veggies?” Holly asked. “That way, people can choose their own.”
Royce looked at his childhood friend in disbelief. “It’s like you’ve never eaten here before, Holl. Your method won’t produce perfectly melted cheese. I’ll ask who’s eating a burger and what kind of cheese they want so they get a customized experience.” Royce pointed in Sawyer’s direction. “It’s his fancy-ass-foodie influence.”
“Guilty as charged.” Sawyer would take the blame for this all day, every day. When he’d met Royce, his idea of quality cheese came in a spray can. Sawyer had yet to fully break him of that bad habit, but Royce reached for bougie cheese more often thesedays. With any luck, the spray imitation cheese would be a thing of the past long before their baby was old enough to enjoy solid foods. Sawyer had to bite back a smile when he thought of the dustups they’d have over nutrition in the years to come.
Once Jace and Royce left, Holly turned to him with a gorgeous smile on her face. “Are we the luckiest people on Earth or what?”
“Yes, we are.”
Through the window, he heard Royce calling out to their guests to get their burger orders, which meant it was almost showtime. He and Holly finished putting the toppings platter together before arranging the food, condiments, plates, and cutlery. Their kitchen island made a perfect buffet, and Sawyer stood back with pride once they finished. Holly snagged a piece of pineapple before following Sawyer outside. Those who’d been in the water were toweling off or dripping onto those who’d been lounging poolside.
“Parents with small children get to go first,” Royce said.
Jude nudged Felix and said, “That’s us.”
Royce snorted rudely. “Men with childish husbands don’t count.”
“Damn it,” Jude said. “Maybe we should expand our family with children instead of adding to your flock of peacocks.”
“First, we only have one peacock,” Felix said. “We have two females, and they’re called peahens. We have amusterof peafowl.”
“Thanks for the lesson, David Attenborough,” Royce said. “You still don’t get to eat first.”
“And,” Felix said, holding up a hand, “I don’t seek the peafowl; they find me.”
“Penelope didn’t just show up at our house one day after hearing Pete’s and Pearl’s squawking,” Jude countered. “You’llnever convince me that’s true no matter how many times you tell the story.”
Felix shook his head. “They don’t squawk, and I am telling you that Penelope was just there one day after work.”
“When I happened to be out of town,” Jude teased.
Sawyer leaned toward Royce. “Are they fighting?”
“Foreplay,” Royce replied with a wink. The couple was notorious for using witty banter as foreplay. “For fuck’s sake, you can get in line with the kids if it will shut you both up.”
Jude and Felix smugly fist-bumped one another and joined the line. Sawyer and Royce waited until everyone else cycled through before making their plates. They’d set up folding tables and chairs in long rows on the patio so everyone could gather in one place. Conversation and compliments flowed freely as the large group enjoyed the perfect weather and one another’s company. The pool party turned into yard games while they waited for their food to digest so they could return to the water. Sawyer was content to cradle a sleeping Harper against his chest and watch everyone else while Royce turned the carefree games into feisty tournaments.
Felix’s phone rang just as Royce launched a cornhole bag at the board. His throw arced right, and the bag landed beside the board instead of on it or through it. Royce cried foul and demanded a do-over as Felix frowned down at his phone.
“No way,” Jude told Royce.
“Oh, let the crybaby have it,” Felix said as he stepped away to answer his phone.
“I don’t need your charity to win,” Royce called out.
“Great,” Jude said. “It’s my turn, then.”
The trash talking grew more robust, but something about Felix’s posture during the conversation grabbed Sawyer’s attention. He stiffened and looked around the party to locate his podcast partners. Rocky and Jonah started moving toward Felixbefore he’d even disconnected the call, and the trio moved off to the side to have a private chat once he did.
“What do you think that’s about?” Holly asked from the chair beside Sawyer.
“Nothing good,” he replied. The words were barely out of his mouth when Royce’s phone rang. “Told you.”
When the Explorer’s academic year ended, Chief Mendoza put Royce wherever he needed him most, which usually involved high-profile cases. Felix split his attention between his partners and Royce, whose tense posture said his party had ended. Royce searched the gathering as he spoke until his gaze landed on Diego, who was too busy playing badminton to realize his party was about to end too.
“I’ll take back my little man so you can go see what’s up,” Holly said.
Sawyer carefully transferred the sleeping baby back to his mother before standing up. Royce disconnected his call and looked at him with so much regret in his eyes. It was part of their jobs, and they both knew it. Sawyer darted a glance in Felix’s direction and noted that all three podcasters were watching Royce. He tilted his head in their direction and said, “Might want to check with Felix before you take off. I think he got a similar call to yours.”