Finally (Neighbor from Hell #12) - R.L. Mathewson Page 0,37

fun it had been and would fall asleep with a smile on her face.

She planned on having a large family one day, four, maybe five children, a dog, and a husband that loved them as much as she did. She was in no rush to start her dream family yet, but every now and then, she found herself wondering what it would be like to finally belong to a family of her own. She’d loved growing up with Grandma Bea and Ben, but it was…different. It was hard to explain especially since Grandma Bea had treated them like they’d belonged with her, but she’d always felt like a part of her was missing.

“Five years,” Charlie said, pulling out the chair next to her and helping Dustin, who’d disappeared to play with the baby along with his sister when they got here, climb onto it.

“Five years…” Trevor, Devin’s other cousin who’d showed up to torment him, repeated, letting his words trail off with a curious glance aimed at Devin.

“And how do you know our little Devin?” Kenzie, Devin’s cousin and a woman who looked like she could hold her own with her brothers and cousins, asked as she reached over and-

“Please don’t make me hurt you,” Trevor said with a glare when she helped herself to the buttered biscuit on his plate. Without a word, Kenzie gestured towards the end of the table. Frowning, Trevor looked to his right to find Aidan and Lucifer watching his every move and looked like they were seconds away from tearing him apart.

With a resigned sigh, Trevor grabbed the other biscuit off his plate and placed it on Kenzie’s plate with a mumbled, “Brat,” before focusing his attention back on Charlie.

“You were saying,” Kenzie said around a mouthful of biscuit and a hopeful look.

“How long have I known Devin?” Charlie said as a small tan hand reached over and placed a biscuit slathered in butter and jelly on her plate.

“Mmmhmmm, and don’t leave out any details,” Jason said, gesturing for her to get on with it.

“We need details,” Rebecca said, nodding solemnly.

“We really do,” Melanie said, matching her best friend’s nod.

“She works for Daddy,” Abbi said from where she sat on the other side of Devin.

“This is true,” Charlie said, nodding solemnly as she picked up the biscuit that Dustin prepared for her and took a small bite.

“She’s my lady,” Dustin said around a mouthful of meatloaf.

“This is also true.” Charlie admitted.

“She’s a pain in the ass,” Devin added, which had her sighing even as she murmured with a reluctant nod, “This is also true.”

“What else can you tell us?” Melanie asked, looking hopeful.

“She lives with us,” Dustin said, nodding as he reached for the bowl of homemade macaroni and cheese.

“Technically, we’re neighbors,” Charlie said, bringing the bowl closer for him.

“I see…” Jason said, looking thoughtful as he looked from her to Devin and back again as his lips slowly pulled up into a pleased smile.

*-*-*-*

“We need to talk,” Abbi announced as she walked into the bathroom and climbed into the tub with her brother.

“I see and what do we need to talk about?” Devin asked, biting back a sigh as he finished getting his son’s hair wet.

“Everything,” Abbi said with a firm nod while her brother handed her a rubber ducky.

“And what does this ‘everything’ entail?” Devin asked with a mocking glare at his beautiful baby girl.

“Fluffiness, Daddy,” Abbi said, matching his glare with one of her own as she crossed her arms over her chest and waited for him to cave.

Narrowing his eyes on her, Devin leaned over and kissed her forehead with a mumbled, “No,” and a chuckle that had her slowly nodding as he pulled away.

“I will have my fluffiness, Daddy.”

“I’m sure you will,” Devin murmured absently as he squeezed shampoo in his hand and began washing her hair, wondering if she had any idea just how adorable she really was.

Probably, Devin thought, feeling his lips twitch as she continued glaring at him. Knowing that this could go on for a while, he turned his attention to Dustin to find his son staring down at the rubber ducky in his hands.

“What’s wrong, buddy?” Devin asked, squeezing more shampoo in his hands.

“I don’t like her,” Dustin said quietly.

“Like who?” he asked, gently working the shampoo through his son’s hair.

“That lady that hurt Charlie,” he said, shrugging.

“It was an accident,” Devin said with a reassuring smile that had his son worrying his bottom lip.

“She did it on purpose,” Abbi said, reaching for the