Page 89 of Wilde Hearts

My brows shot up in question, and before I could ask, she replied, “I have no idea what it is, I just heard Mom mention it. Last night, she made us practice football flick because it’s going to be my family against yours, even though you’re totally outnumbered—which, by the way, I did try to point out.”

“Football flick?”

“You have to take a little plastic football and try to flick as many as you can into a cup.”

I smiled. “That actually sounds kind of fun.”

She shot me a warning look before she said, “It isn’t. Then, this morning, Mom informed me we’d be adding,” she closed her eyes, drew in a slow breath, and let it out in a rush, “the yam roll.”

“Yam roll…” I slowly repeated.

She waved me off but still answered. “You have to roll a raw yam across the floor with your nose.”

My mouth fell open.

“That’s not the worst of it. My grandfather brought one of those cornucopia things and brought corn on the cob, still in the husks, and said we can play hike the corn into the cornucopia—blindfolded!”

I shrugged. “If I’m being honest, that sounds kind of fun, too.”

She chuckled. “I guess it does.”

“A little bit of fun competition is good for the soul.”

Tilting her head, she asked, “Do you really want to get on your hands and knees and attempt to roll a yam across the floor with your nose? I promise you, Emeline’s chocolate lab, Moose, will most certainly try to hump you.”

My attempt to keep my laughter in failed.

“You think it’s funny now, but don’t say I didn’t try to warn you. Moose is nearly ninety pounds.” She turned on her heel and started away from me.

I followed her with a smile on my face.

Damn, it was good to be home.

“Colt,” Vivianne called out as she crossed the living room. She pulled me in for a hug, kissed my cheek, then said, “Go help the boys set the table, will you?”

It felt like old times as I made my way to the kitchen and clapped my hands. “I’ve been directed to help set the table.”

Caden glanced over and said, “Just like old times,” reading my mind.

Gatlin handed me the plates. “Here you go.” I started to turn, when he said, “Wait, there’s more.”

Caden walked over and put bowls on top of the plates.

“Don’t leave,” Gatlin warned, grabbing napkins and placing them in the top bowl. “Hold on.”

“If you put anything else on here, it’s all gonna fall. And what point are you both trying to make, anyway?”

“Just making up for all the missing years,” Caden said with a wink.

“Ahh, okay. We’ve got jokes. You know, I never did think either of you were very funny.”

“Is that why we never hung out in school?” Caden asked, looking thoughtful as he folded his arms over his chest.

I smirked. “If that’s what you want to tell yourself, sure.”

Gatlin snickered. “I thought it was because you didn’t like each other.”

Caden and I both frowned at him. “That’s not true,” we said at the same time.