Page 31 of The Road to Forever (Beaumont: Next Generation #7)
TWENTY-TWO
A s a musician, I’ve slept in some strange positions.
Up against an amp, on a bus, on a couch that was too small for my frame.
One time, I snoozed against the wall, after taking a break.
That’s the life of a rocker. For the last handful of hours, I slept in a rocking chair, holding the cutest little girl I’ve ever had the chance to lay my eyes on.
My niece screams before the sun comes up, startling the crap out of me. Out of pure fear, I carry her down the hall to her parents and hand my future metal singing niece to her mother and immediately close my eyes when my sister lifts her shirt and starts feeding her baby.
“My eyes, my eyes,” I say as I scramble from the bedroom. Noah laughs and Peyton says something incoherently, but it sounds like, “grow up.”
Downstairs, I make a pot of coffee, put some kibble in Stevie Nicks’ bowl, and check my phone, hoping for a text from Justine.
While it would be nice to have one, I sent the photo late while she was sleeping, and we are rarely up this early.
I don’t have to wonder if she’s going to text me back, it’s just a matter of when.
Noah comes into the kitchen, in flannel pants and a T-shirt, and grumbles.
“Dad duties?”
He nods. “I’m on diaper duty.”
“Gross.”
“You’ll have to do it soon.”
I shake my head. “Ain’t no way. I’m a cuddler, not a cleaner.”
Noah rolls his eyes. “Is the coffee almost ready?”
I look at the pot with my magic eyes and then flip Noah off. “Does it look ready?”
“Pound sand, I’m tried.”
“Me, too, and sore.” I lean side-to-side to crack my back.
“That’s your fault. You could’ve left Juniper in her crib and gone to the guest room.”
“Wasn’t even an option, my man.” The coffee machine beeps, letting us know we can finally get some caffeine into our veins. Because I’m a nice brother-in-law, I pour Noah a cup first and then mine. In kind, he brings me the creamer.
“Sorry, this is all we have. Peyton drinks decaf and loads it down with this vanilla crap.”
“I don’t care right now,” I tell him as I stir it in. I need the jolt.
We stand there, drinking coffee and looking out his kitchen window. “Are you going to put a swing set in the backyard?”
Noah nods. “And a pool.”
“Really? Isn’t that dangerous?”
“We’ll put a locked fence around it and the babies will start swim lessons in the spring. My mom, Talisa, and Peyton will take the kids.”
“That’s smart.”
“Yeah,” Noah nods. “It’s the only way I’ll consider it. I’ve read too many horror stories about pools and toddlers. I’m not taking any chances.”
“What are you going to do with your house in Malibu?”
“Putting it on the market,” he says, and my heart sinks a bit.
“Well shit. I’m going to miss having you guys there.”
Noah looks at me. “You know you’re welcome here any time, and we’ll be back. Obviously, since your parents live there.”
I frown and take another sip. “I don’t think they’ll be there much longer. Elle spends more and more time here, now that she has that arrangement going on with your dad. Ben really likes the slower pace of life too, especially since the cancer shit.”
“Maybe you should move,” Noah suggests. “Do you really want to go back to the house you bought with someone you’re not with anymore?”
Ugh, it’s too early to think about life. I’m not sure I do. The house is fine, the design is odd, but it’s close to the beach which was a massive bonus for me. I don’t know if I could live in Beaumont. At least not full time. I wouldn’t want to give up surfing.
“Where’s her ring?”
“Somewhere in the middle of the park or at a pawn shop.” I take another sip and let the warm liquid settle.
“I kept it with me in the beginning, because I thought we’d see each other, and everything would be right in the world.
By the time the tour made it to Charleston, and I went to see her, I had it in my pocket and was going to give it to her because it was a gift.
Only . . . Well, you know what happened there so I threw it into the park, figuring someone would pick it up. I hope they got a lot of money for it.”
“Dude, that’s diabolical and some shit Elle would do.”
“You’re not wrong.”
Noah fills his cup and then motions to fill mine. “Wanna buy my house?”
“Nope,” I say after adding more cream. “I don’t know if I want to stay in mine either but being away from the warmth doesn’t appeal to me. Hell, maybe I’ll move to the Keys or something.”
“Noah?” Peyton calls from upstairs.
He sets his mug down and all but runs to the stairs. “Yeah, what can I do to help?”
“Coffee, please, and I want to give the babies a bath.”
“I’ll be right up.”
As soon as I heard my sister ask for coffee, I started brewing her a pot of decaf. Whatever she doesn’t drink now, we can put in the refrigerator for later and she can make an iced drink later.
“Thanks,” Noah says when he comes back in. “I should’ve made it while we were talking. I forgot.”
“Who helps her during the day or while you’re in Portland?”
“Talisa comes during the day after Amelie has gone to school. Paige after school most days, but the grandmas are here overnight. They alternate nights.”
“And now Elle has twins.”
Noah let out a deep breath. “She at least has Ben. I won’t be here full-time until February at the latest. It’s really bugging me, but this is the best place for Peyton and the babies. In Portland, we’d have to hire people we don’t know and neither of us would like that.”
“No, I can’t imagine you would.”
Noah pulls the pot before it’s done brewing and pours a cup of coffee, replacing the pot under the stream. “Help yourself to whatever. I’m sure the house will be bustling soon.”
As soon as he steps away, my phone chimes. A smile spreads across my face when I see Justine’s name. I open her text, and the smile somehow grows bigger.
Justine Floyd
Oh my, she’s adorable. How’s Elle? We’re all dying to know.
My eyes blanch at her words. I didn’t realize no one told either band. I go to stairs and holler toward my sister, “Hey, Peyton.”
“Yeah?”
“Dumb question, remind me what the other baby’s name is?”
She goes to the top of the stairs, shirt soaked. “What are you talking about?”
“Elle’s boys. I can only remember Sonny’s name.”
Her mouth drops open. “Oh, crap. The older boy is Mason Jett, they’re going to call him Jett. Sonny is eight minutes younger.”
“Jett, that’s a bad ass name. Not as good as Sonny though.”
Peyton shakes her head and heads back to the bathroom. I type out:
I’m so sorry, I didn’t think about texting anyone when I got here. Elle had twin boys, Jett and Sonny, are their names. Sonny Quinn to be exact
Justine Floyd
Twins! Wow, please tell her we all said congratulations. Do you have a picture?
I don’t. It was late so we didn’t stay long. I’ll get one today.
Justine Floyd
Do you have a picture of your other nephews?
I realize after she asks that I don’t. Only me and Juniper.
I’ll take a bunch today and send them. Do you have plans for Christmas?
Justine Floyd
Not much. Keane invited me over for dinner tomorrow.
It takes me a minute to remember she doesn’t have a family or much of one, and once I do, I feel like an ass for asking. Shit.
Do you want to come here? I can pay for your flight. It’s chaotic and wild.
Justine Floyd
No, but thanks for the offer.
I start to type out maybe next year but then delete it. We’re not even dating and I’m already thinking of next year. Thoughts like that are probably what got me in the Nola situation. I put my phone away and head upstairs. Peyton hollers for me and hands me one of the boys.
“Which one is this?”
“Maverick,” she says.
Instantly, I hold him out and make airplane noises.
“Quinn, you’re going to give me a heart attack and make him puke. If he pukes, you’re cleaning it up.”
“Oh, I’m so sorry buddy. Come on, let’s go sit down.
” In the boys’ room, there is double everything.
Maverick has one side of the room, Jace the other.
Their room looks bigger than Juniper’s which I don’t like because I’m going to buy her a princess castle and it’s going to have to go somewhere.
As soon as an image of her room flood my mind, I chide myself for not thinking about the boys.
Four of them now. To me though, it seems like Juniper is left out.
Although I know this won’t be the case. She’ll probably end up bossing all of them around.
Noah comes in with Jace and I assume Peyton has my little princess in the other room. For being a pro football player, Noah’s gentle with his son. Almost delicate.
“Is there anything I need to do with my main man here?”
Noah laughs. “No, I’ll get him dressed next.”
“I should probably check in with my parents and see what’s up for Christmas Eve then stop by the hospital. I don’t want my other two nephews to think I don’t like them.”
“I’m sure they don’t even know you.”
“Rude. One of them is named after me,” I remind him. “None of your boys are named after you.”
Noah turns slowly and looks at me, shaking his head. He takes a diapered and dressed Jace to his crib and sets him down, and then rudely takes Maverick from me.
“Do you know what the holiday plan is?”
“We are having Christmas at my parents,” Noah says. “All of us, including your parents and grandparents, Nick and the kids.”
“Dang, that’s going to be a houseful.”
“Yep, and I’m thankful it’s not here.”
“I meant to tell Peyton the house looks great.”
Maverick fusses. Noah cradles him and sways back and forth. “Elle set us up with People Magazine. They were here yesterday . . .” he pauses. “Or was it the day before? Whatever day Elle had the boys. Anyway, they did an interview and took a shit ton of photos.”
“They pay you well?”
Noah nods. “Peyton’s using the money for a foundation to help other women afford IVF.”
This brings a smile to my face. “Peyton’s good people.”
“Yeah, she is.” Noah beams.