Third Time’s A Charm Bonus Chapter 3

Kyle sprawls a blanket out on the grassy sidelines as I hold both of our sons in my arms. Liam twists his neck, sticks his fingers in his mouth to watch his father. Taylor’s head is tucked in the crook of my neck while he’s asleep, drool dripping down my shoulder.

“Stop checking out my butt,” Kyle quips as he bends over to pull one of the four corners straight.

“Can’t help it,” I shamelessly sink my teeth in my lower lip. “You’re a sight for sore eyes.”

“Get a room,” we both hear behind us.

I turn, see my brother-in-law with an ice chest.

“Still jealous after all this time,” I tease him.

“He better not be,” Fallon nudges her husband with her hip.

“Yeah,” I wink at Matt, “especially after Fallon fulfilled #7 on your sex wish list.”

Matt’s face whips in the direction of Fallon, who’s taking Liam from me. “You told her?”

Fallon coos down at Liam. “Of course I told her. I might have even showed it to her.”

Matt’s face drains of all color. “You wouldn’t.”

“We all enjoyed you in your birthday suit,” Kyle chimes in as he walks up behind me and kisses the side of my head.

“I hate you all,” he grumbles as he disappears down the field to drop off the snacks for Izzy’s soccer game.

“For the record,” Kyle whispers, “I would never watch my brother’s porn video.”

“I might be tempted,” I flash my eyebrows at Fallon.

“What?” Kyle asks, his voice high-pitched.

“I’m just kidding,” I let out a laugh. “The only Thompson brother I want to see naked is you.”

“We’ve already seen Matt naked anyway,” Kyle mutters as he crosses his arms over his chest.

Fallon shakes her head. “You sound a little salty.”

“I’m fine,” he lies.

I maneuver Taylor in my arms and carefully sit down on the plaid blanket to watch Izzy’s soccer game. Fallon sits down beside me and cradles Liam in her arms.

“So, when can we expect baby #3?” she smiles down at the baby in her lap.

“I’m on birth control,” I tell her.

“And that’s my cue to leave,” Kyle shoots me a funny look.

“You don’t want to stick around for girl talk?” Fallon calls after him.

We both start laughing when he waves a hand through the air and goes in search of his brother.

Izzy runs past us on the field and gives us a thumbs up before the game starts. She plays forward and scores most of the team’s goals. Kyle and I haven’t missed a game yet. Ava’s missed a few. This weekend, she’s with Audra.

“Why are you on birth control?” Fallon pries. “How are Kyle and you supposed to have 96 kids if you’re preventing it?”

“I know he’s not done,” I scratch the side of my face, “but I’m not ready for more yet. We just moved into the new house and he’s already talking about expanding.”

“The house or your family?”

“The house,” I roll my eyes. “He wants to add a den so the kids have a big play area on snowy days.”

“He sounds like Matt,” Fallon laughs.

I glance down the field, see the Thompson brothers standing side-by-side, their arms crossed over their chests. The game has finally started and they’re watching Izzy.

Best friends.

They’ve kind of become best friends.

It’s about freaking time.

“He wants a girl.”

Fallon sighs. “Can you blame him?”

“I think his exact words were I want a little Jenny running around,” I tell her.

“You sure he doesn’t want more than one little Jenny running around?” she jokes.

I groan. “Please, don’t give him any ideas. Or you’ll be babysitting for a month.”

“Did Kyle tell you Randy called?” Fallon changes the subject.

I swallow hard. Randy. Our father-in-law. The man who willingly left his family in a burning house to make sure he got out safe.

Even left his granddaughter behind.

“Kyle told me,” I reply. “He said he ignored his call, but Matt answered.”

“It didn’t go over well,” she sighs. “He wants all of us to fly out and visit him.”

My eyes search for the Thompson brothers. They’re still standing next to each other, lost in the game. They’ve been through so much. Too much. The last thing they need is their father trying to insert himself back into their lives when it’s convenient for him.

“I think Matt’s done trying,” Fallon divulges. “He said he used to take him to brunch every Sunday when he and Audra moved back. He did a lot for that man. And now, Randy ignores him. For whatever reason, he wants us all to travel to Florida to see him when he didn’t even show up for our wedding.”

“I don’t know what to think,” I chew on my lip. “But I can tell you one thing: Kyle won’t be going.”

“I’ll go if Matt goes,” Fallon blows out a breath of hot air. “But only for moral support.”

“Randy Thompson has always been a strange man,” I shake my head. “Thank goodness his children didn’t turn out like him.”

“Or like Diane,” Fallon adds.

We don’t say much after that. We cheer for Izzy’s team and Taylor wakes up halfway through. He’s always grumpy after his naps and wants to cuddle. So, I hold him in my arms as he peers out at the game, a frown on his face. Eventually, Matt and Kyle find their way back over to Fal and me. Kyle sits behind me, wraps his arms around my waist as Taylor stays frozen in place, refusing to do anything other than be held.

Matt sits beside Fallon and takes Liam from her. She lays her head on Matt’s shoulder and I like how effortless it all feels. After years of messy, sloppy, complicated relationships and hurts and heartaches, we’re still sitting beside each other, a family.

Izzy scores a goal and we all cheer. Taylor’s face scrunches as he gazes up at me, his ocean blue eyes staring into mine. I rub his chin with my finger and smile down at him. “We’re almost done baby.”

He seems to understand and lays back in my arms. Kyle shifts behind me, moving his body closer to mine. There’s no space between us.

My husband’s lips find the shell of my ear. “You’re still my sun, Jenny. No matter where I look, all I see is you. Your light. Your warmth. Your goodness. You’re my sun. To this day, nothing compares.”

“Just wait,” I lay my head back on his shoulder and grin up at him. “I know you’ll change your mind when you have another little Jenny running around.”

“Don’t tease me, Jenny,” his face contorts.

“I’m being serious,” I smile. “I just want to wait a little while longer. Make sure we’re settled. Let you add a den and more room for all the babies you’re determined to make with me.”

“I can’t wait.”

I find his lips. They still taste the same, like coffee and mint. “Me either.”