The Art of Us

Chapter Twenty-Eight

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Chapter Twenty-Eight

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Camila's POV

I walked out to the yard where Lauren was sitting on the grass, running her hand through Stitch's fur.

"Hey baby, whatcha doing?" I asked, sitting down beside her, the kids were playing on the two playsets we had set up for them.

Everyone was coming over for another cookout and Dinah was inside with Normani and Emma, cooking some of the food that wouldn't be on the grill.

Lauren shrugged. "Nothing really." She said.

"Stitch!" Oliver called from the top of the slide.

Stitch jumped up and ran over to him as Lauren's hand fell to her knee. She sighed.

Pulling her into my arms, I rub her hip. "Are you upset about Emma and I?"

"What? No." She shook her head.

Kissing her shoulder, I pull her closer. "Then what's bothering you?"

"Nothing." She said. She watched Venus chase Belle across the yard.

Beast was curled up by the sandbox with Morgan laying against him.

"I love you." I said softly, kissing her cheek.

"I love you too." She smiled softly, turning to face me.

Caressing her cheek, I pulled her down into a slow and passionate kiss.

She kissed me back softly, a small smile on her face.

After a few minutes, I pull back and look into her eyes. "We have a beautiful family."

Just then the rest of the girls walk outside and joined us on the ground.

"So who is coming to the barbecue?" Dinah asked.

"Not Zayn." Lauren immediately said. "Mom says he's going to jail." She shrugged.

I frowned, "Why?" I asked, not really caring.

"He was drunk and killed someone." Lauren muttered. Maybe that's what was bothering her?

Pulling her closer, I kissed her neck gently and rubbed her back. "I love you."

She hummed. "I love you too."

There was a knock on the front door and Normani got up. She went into the house and came back a few minutes later with Quinn, Rachel, and Beth following behind her.

Quinn and Rachel's three young daughters, Raleigh, Trinity, and Rory, ran past us and towards the playset.

It wasn't long before everyone showed up and I was standing behind the grill.

I jumped slightly when a pair of arms wrapped around my waist.

"Hi." Quinn giggled. "You jumped. Why?"

Laughed, I leaned back against her and sighed. "You scared me, I thought you were over with the kids."

Quinn let out a laugh. "I am a kid. A kid at heart."

"That's so true!" Rachel called, overhearing what Quinn said.

Shaking my head, I flip the burgers before letting my eyes travel toward Emma.

It's been three weeks since we had sex and she had been distant with me.

Quinn followed my eyes to Emma, who was playing with Oliver and Stitch. "Don't tell me you fucked her?" She whispered in my ear.

Closing my eyes, I took a deep breath and looked away quickly. "And if I did?"

"I'm not judging you." Quinn said, she shrugged.

"We had sex three weeks ago and now she's being distant with me." I mumbled, my chest hurting from the thought.