Tangled Hearts.

~Chapter 21~

~Raelyn~

~March 19th, 2022~

We woke up on a perfect March morning, Blake bouncing around like he'd had five cups of coffee, excited for the big day. We spent the morning playing with his Hot Wheels and watching Star Wars—or more accurately, I watched it while Blake ran around the room pretending to be every character except for the ones that actually talked.

Blake was dressed in his best Mandalorian shirt (because, obviously, he's on a mission) while I rifled through my wardrobe, stressing over what to wear. I wanted to look good but also like I wasn't trying too hard—so like, not please love me but also not I just rolled out of bed. You know, effortlessly chic.

I was meeting Colby's guy roommates today. I'd met the girls already—Katrina, Devyn, and Tara, who were absolute gems from the start. I had already been christened as "the British lady" after Colby wouldn't stop talking about me. Katrina had babysat Blake when Colby and I went on our first date, and she couldn't stop gushing about how sweet he was. "He just wanted to snuggle on the couch and watch Star Wars!" she had told everyone. Blake grinned proudly every time she told the story, like it was his personal claim to fame.

But the guys? Yeah, I hadn't met them yet. And if I'm honest, I was nervous. Colby's descriptions hadn't really put my mind at ease. "They're a bunch of goofballs," he'd said. Sam's the philosopher (which just sounded like a fancy way of saying "knows a lot of random facts"). Jake's the prankster. Colby's the broody one (obviously). And Corey's the hype man. Basically, every sitcom ever made, all rolled into one.

Colby showed up to pick us up, and I had to admit, I felt a bit like I was preparing for battle. This was it—the trap house, as I'd jokingly named it. I had given it the title after Colby stayed over for the first time, and we both agreed that "frat house" didn't quite have the same ring to it. So, "trap house" it was. The roommates thought it was "badass," so I figured that was a good sign, right? Either way, it wasn't like they could take it back now.

"Are you sure you're good with this?" Colby asked, peeking around the corner of the door, clearly concerned I might chicken out.

I straightened my floral top, trying to look more ready to meet new people and less please don't judge me.

"I'm excited!" I said, even though my stomach was doing somersaults. "Let's do this."

Blake, who had been in his own world pretending to fight imaginary stormtroopers, looked up and gave me a thumbs-up. "I'm ready, Mama! I look like a Jedi!"

Colby scooped him up and put him on his shoulders. "Alright, little Jedi, let's go meet the squad."

And that's when Blake, the tiny dictator of our universe, raised his hand dramatically and announced, "I am ready to conquer the galaxy. And also... snacks. Lots of snacks."

"Of course, buddy. We'll get snacks," I promised. Star Wars energy: check.

We piled into the car, the air thick with anticipation—mostly from me, but Blake was certainly adding to the vibe with his endless questions about "who was going to be there?" and "do you think they'll like my stories?" I had no idea, but I was pretty sure they'd like the Blake show.

Colby glanced at me and then at Blake in the rearview mirror. "They're gonna love you, Rae. And they're gonna love Blake too. Just wait."

We pulled up to the trap house, which honestly, was a cute little bungalow. I had expected it to look like a mix between a frat house and a crime scene, but it was just... normal. Like, normal for guys in their twenties who probably didn't wash their dishes enough. Colby killed the engine and turned to us.

"Alright, team. Ready to meet the crew?" he asked, clearly expecting an enthusiastic "yes!" but getting a nervous maybe from me.

Blake, on the other hand, was vibrating with excitement, ready to meet his new "space friends."

"I'm ready! Let's do this!" he shouted.

I took a deep breath. "Okay, let's go."

We walked into the backyard, where the smell of barbecue and the sounds of laughter filled the air. I saw the girls first, of course, and they waved enthusiastically. Katrina yelled, "Look who's here!"

And that's when the guys stood up from their makeshift seats by the firepit, their faces lighting up with warm smiles.

"Rae, hey!" Sam called out. He had this chill, dad-like vibe. I couldn't quite explain it, but I felt like he could probably solve a problem if anyone needed advice. Maybe it was his glasses? He gave me a hug. "Nice to finally meet you."

"Hey, Sam," I smiled, slightly relieved that he didn't immediately launch into some philosophical monologue about life. This was off to a good start.

Next, Corey came over, throwing his arm around my shoulder like we were old pals. "Yo, it's so good to meet you! Colby talks about you nonstop."

I grinned. "Yeah, I've heard."

"Uh-oh. I'm sorry in advance," he laughed.

Then there was Jake, the wild card, who strode over with a smirk. "So this is the British lady who's apparently stealing Colby away, huh?" He pulled me into a bear hug without even waiting for permission.

"Stealing his heart," I corrected, and everyone laughed.

"And this is Blake, huh?" Jake crouched down to meet him. "I'm Jake, the prank king. Got any funny stories for me, buddy?"

Blake, who was practically glowing from excitement, looked Jake dead in the eyes and, without missing a beat, launched into his best Star Wars tale. "So, once upon a time in a galaxy far, far away..."

And just like that, everyone gathered around, hanging on every word Blake said, because apparently, his Jedi stories were the thing to hear that night.

As the evening wore on, I couldn't help but watch how quickly Blake settled in with the group. Sam was the one who kept the peace, Corey kept the energy up, and Jake was... well, Jake. They had that perfect balance of fun and chaos, but in a way that made it all feel effortless.

The night ended with Blake falling asleep in Devyn's lap as she rubbed his back, and I couldn't stop smiling. Colby leaned over to kiss my forehead and whispered, "Told you they'd love you."

"I guess you were right," I said, my heart full as I watched Blake sleep soundly. "They're awesome."

"Yep," Colby agreed, holding me close. "And you're officially part of the trap house crew now."

I laughed. "Please don't ever call it that again."

We said our goodbyes, and as we walked out to the car, Sam popped his head out the window to wave. "Hey, thanks for coming. We had a blast. See you soon."

I rolled my window down and gave him a thumbs-up. "Thanks for having us. We'll definitely be back."

Blake was asleep before we even hit the road. I drove back with a grin, feeling like we'd found a new home—well, almost as good as the one with Colby. As I tucked Blake into bed and kissed his forehead, I thought about how much easier it was to fit in with this new family than I'd ever imagined.