When We Go Back Again (Mason Brothers Book #1)

Chapter 32

FLETCHER

“Hey kid, go long and I’ll throw you the ball.” Joey runs as fast as his little legs can go as Parker stands with the NERF football in his hands waiting for him to turn around. Of course, he doesn’t get close to catching it, but we play by Mason rules and you can totally pick up the ball to get a touchdown. 

“You all need to stop running in our new place!” I holler from the entrance to the back hallway.

“Why not?” Parker retorts, “It is never going to be this wide open again. Don’t be a party pooper, Fletch.”

“Yeah Fletch, don’t be a party pooper,” Joey copies Parker.

I laugh and point my finger at him, “Young man, I will tell your mom you’re talking to me like that.” There is no actual threat in my voice, Joey knows that we come from a big family of jokesters and he has started to fit right in.

“She would never believe you!”

“That’s it, you’re going to get it now.” I run after Joey and pick him up, tossing him over my shoulder. He screams in delight as I run him around the open building until I can’t anymore. Finally, I place him down on the old countertops that will be torn out soon. “Okay, I’m too old to do that.”

Joey giggles, a little out of breath himself, “What are we doing here anyway, Fletch?”

“Your mom is going to be here soon, she was meeting with Mel and Cade and bringing them here so we all could see it.”

“So what’s this place going to be again?”

“This, Joey, is going to be what we call a reception hall. People have huge parties and events in places like these and your mom is going to plan all the events.”

“Mommy is?” His eyes light up.

“That’s what she promised me.”

It is Christmas Eve and I picked up Joey from Alice and Carl’s place while Eden was coming from the other direction after doing some last-minute shopping for our Christmas dinner tomorrow. She’s stopping my Cade’s to pick up him and Mel who just arrived yesterday from Denver.

We put in a bid on the building and it was accepted in less than twenty-four hours. Damon’s real estate agent was right, they were ready to get this place sold. We still have two weeks until we officially close, but the owner gave us permission to come in and take a look and take some pictures and measurements so we can get started planning our construction.

“Did you bring any snacks, Fletch? I’m hungry.”

“Didn’t your grandma feed you today?”

“Mommy says I’m a growing boy.”

Parker tosses the football at me and nods towards Joey, “I’ll go grab something from next door. Want to come with me, Joey?”

“Can I Fletch?” He asks with those big eyes of his.

“Yeah, of course. Be good for him.” I help him off the countertop and he takes Parker’s hand and the two of them disappear. As they leave, the front door opens again and Damon walks in, followed shortly by Cade, Mel, and Eden.

“Hey, look who I found out there!” Daon announces.

“Awesome, you’re all here.” I hug Mel and then Eden comes up and I kiss her on the cheek and pull her in next to me. “What do you think?”

“It looks huge! A lot bigger than from the outside,” Eden says with awe in her voice.

“That’s what she said,” I tickle her side.