Overtime(93)

“He hasn’t invited me to AA groups or even therapy, but he takes Karson. My feelings shouldn’t be hurt, should they?”

“Do you want to go?” Lacey asked, looking up from her phone, smiling. “They are crazy,” she said, pointing down to it and Kacey rolled her eyes.

“Focus, Lacey,” she snapped and Lacey laid her phone down.

“Right. Now, do you want to go?”

“Yes.”

“Tell him that,” she said simply. “Jordie isn’t shy when it comes to that kind of stuff, plus I’m sure he wants you to go.”

“Yeah,” she agreed, leaning to the side to stretch her back as Lacey picked her phone back up and then laughed.

“Jordie just said that they’re all just mad ’cause he’s hung like a horse and they traded their dicks for strollers,” she snorted and slapped her hand against the counter. “Such dorks.”

“Right? I’m dying,” Karson said as he entered the kitchen, Mena tucked in his arms. Lately, you didn’t see Karson without Mena. It was adorable, but when Lacey told Kacey he was sad he was going to have to leave Mena when they went on road trips, it kind of broke her heart. He was such a good daddy.

Leaning against each other, Karson and Lacey looked on their phones, both of them laughing and looking like the poster couple for Better Homes and Gardens magazine. She was tempted to look too, but glancing at the clock, she saw that Jordie would be home soon and he’d want an answer. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to live with him—she pretty much already did—she just felt like it was too soon. But then, looking up, she saw the pillar of the love she wanted. They seriously got married like two or three days after seeing each other in however many years. They did rush into it, and Lacey even left him at one point, but Karson would be damned if she was going to leave him without a fight. He went up and got his woman, and Kacey knew in her heart that Jordie would do the same thing. So what was holding her back?

“Jordie asked me to move in with him.”

They looked up at her, both with quizzical expressions on their faces. Shrugging, Karson said, “Okay?”

“What did you say?” Lacey asked.

“I told him I didn’t know. It just seems fast.”

“Fast?” Karson scoffed. “We got married right away, and when I came back here, I was living with Jordie. Kind of forgot to tell you that, too,” he laughed, but Lacey shot him a dark look.

“Those damn tissues,” she said, shaking her head. “But yeah, and we’re good, Kacey.”

“You know people do this every day. They meet, they know, and, boom! Married.”

“I just thought it would take longer than this,” she said with a shrug. “It all seems like it’s happening and it’s great, but then it will all disappear and I’ll be heartbroken again.”

Lacey made a face as Karson shrugged. “And if it does, at least you tried.”

“Kacey, have you talked to Jordie about this? I mean, you don’t sound very sure about you two. Maybe you need him to, I don’t know, reassure you?”

She shrugged, leaning against her hand. “No, he has. It’s me. I’m just scared.”

“Stop being a *,” Karson barked at her. “It’s not cute and also not you. You wanted to be with him, right?”

“Right,” she agreed.

“Then stop worrying or you’re gonna be the one to mess it up, not him and his issues. You, with your worrying,” he explained. “The thing is, I know Jordie. I know what he wants, and that’s you. If you don’t feel the same, then you need to let him know.”

“I do want him,” she snapped back. “God, shut up!”

“Then you shut up,” he yelled and she glared.

“Asshole.”

“Crybaby,” he shot back, kissing Mena’s head. “Stop being a baby and go for what you want. You two have been sleeping in the same room all week, so why not get a place of your own so us normal-sex folks can enjoy some peace.”

Kacey scoffed. “Please, I know you two are freaks,” she accused, and Karson shrugged as Lacey feigned shock.

“We are not,” she said, and Kacey laughed.

“Whatever, and please spare me the details,” she said, holding up her hand and letting her shoulders drop. “But I think here is a safety net. If it goes bad, I have you two.”

“Well, sweetheart, there comes a time in everyone’s life when they grow up and leave Mom and Dad. We love you, and we’ve—”

“Fuck off, Karson!” she yelled, throwing the cap to her water bottle. “I’m just nervous is all.”

“Like I said, it’s called growing up. You know, that thing you wanted to do? And, oh shit, it’s with someone you actually like, so put your big-girl panties on and be happy. I don’t see why you are bitching, it makes no sense. You’ve always wanted this.”

Biting her lip, she shrugged. “I just never thought I’d get it with him,” she said, looking up at them.

“But you are, so live, Kacey. ’Cause some people don’t get this, and Jordie has worked hard to be the guy you want, so don’t hold back on him, y’know?” Karson asked. “’Cause I’ll kick your ass if you hurt him.”