Peter laughed. “He said the same thing.”

“I didn’t realize you liked babies so much.”

He looked up at me with a smile. “Maybe you don’t know me as well as you thought.”

“I doubt that,” I said, returning to the kitchen to help Caroline.

Martinez and Sloan came too. Caroline loaded us up with serving dishes, and we carried them outside. When Caroline came out with her famous southwest potato casserole, everyone clapped.

“Thank you, thank you,” she said, setting the glass dish on the wooden picnic table. “Boys?” she called.

Henry and Miles came running, watching their mom load their plates with their favorites. Harbinger made them a cheeseburger and a hotdog each, then set down two huge plates of hamburgers, cheeseburgers, and hotdogs onto the table. The team patiently waited for Caroline to make her plate, and then they dove in like rabid dogs.

“Want me to take her?” Trex asked Peter, already chewing.

“Nope,” Peter said. “Enjoy your food. I’ll give her back when you’re finished.”

“You know, you could put her on a blanket,” Caroline teased.

“Yeah, but as fast as she’s growing, she’s going to be eighteen like tomorrow,” Trex said.

Caroline’s sweet laugh rang throughout the yard. “Oh, Trex. It’s good to see you so happy and settled.”

I looked back at Peter, hoping he would let them stay that way, even once he realized I wasn’t going to give in. Something was different about him, though. Peter was more confident but seemed less pressured, as if he had all the time in the world for me to change my mind.

Once Trex finished, Peter made a plate, and Sloan and I started collecting dirty dishes, taking them into the kitchen. We scrubbed, and Sloan slung suds in my direction, but that reminded me of Zeke, sucking the fun out of it like a spaceship hatch had been opened.

“Hey,” Sloan said, elbowing me. “You okay?”

I used my wrist to wipe my nose. “I just miss him.”

“Do you think he’ll come back?”

“I don’t know.”

Martinez strolled in with a smile on his face.

“Where’s your girlfriend?” I asked.

“Mia? She’s at work.”

“Why do you ask who we’re talking about? Do you have more than one girlfriend?” Sloan asked.

“Fuck off. Over there,” Martinez said, pointing.

“Can’t. Dishes,” Sloan said.

Peter came in just as we were finishing up, bringing his dirty plate. “No worries, I’ll take care of it,” he said.

“You sure are chipper today,” Martinez said. “Which is weird since you’ve been avoiding Naomi for weeks.”

Peter raised an eyebrow. “I was giving her space. I assumed I was the last person she’d want to see after…”

“You were right,” I said.

“What about now?” Peter asked.

Sloan popped the top off another beer and took a big gulp. “Damn, it’s getting hot.”