As he looked, he saw Travis crawl around the corner of the couch, roll to his diapered ass, pound his fists in his knees, and screech, “Kee lah!”

He wanted in on the boy action.

Joker looked back to Carissa.

She just wanted that. All of it.

Kids and babies all over her couch and living room.

And watching the mix of peaceful, happy, and eager on her face, Joker determined not to freak her shit out by moving them forward at the speed he wanted, that being taking her ring shopping next week, hitching her ass to his the week after when they had Travis back, and planting a kid in her belly the second one of his boys conquered an egg.

But he still wasn’t going to delay.

Maybe a month.

If he could hack it, two.

“I got two boys who better cool it or they’re gonna get their booties tanned by Poppa’s hand!” Linus boomed the second after they heard a thud, which meant the wrestling fell off the couch.

Joker looked that way and saw Candy had her head turned to the dining table and she was clearly a five-year-old little girl who worried at the state of boys today.

His eyes went back to Carissa when he felt her kick him under the table.

She was staring at him.

He lifted his brows.

She jerked her head to the foot of the table.

He shook his head.

She kicked him again and jutted her chin to him almost imperceptibly.

He sighed.

She’d found her time in the whirlwind that was throwing together this dinner to take him aside and tell him it was Joker who had to broach the subject with Mrs. Heely. Even though it was Carissa’s idea, she said she didn’t know Mrs. Heely all that well and it might seem weird coming from her, the fact she wanted the woman to move in across the street.

Joker figured Mrs. Heely didn’t give a fuck. She obviously liked Carissa. She’d like the idea that Joker’s woman, like Joker, wanted her close.

Carissa reiterated it would seem strange.

He didn’t agree.

She was called away before they could come to an agreement, but obviously she felt that somewhere between their hurried, whispered conversation in the hall, he’d come around to her way of thinking.

She jerked her head to the foot of the table again and this time it was a lot more perceptible.

“Butterfly, just talk to her,” he said out loud.

Her eyes got huge and then narrowed.

“Talk to who?” Kam asked.

Joker turned his attention to Kam. “Carissa’s got somethin’ she wants to mention to Mrs. Heely.”

“Yes?” Mrs. Heely asked. “What’s that, dear?”

“Actually, Joker has something to mention,” Carissa said.

“Wasn’t my idea, Carrie,” he reminded her.

She kicked him under the table again.

He dropped his head and grinned at his cherry pie–smeared plate.

“Well, someone spit it out,” Linus put in.

Joker turned eyes to his woman and again lifted his brows.

She made an irritated noise that was fucking cute before she cast her eyes down the table.

“There’s a house for rent across the street,” she announced.

Linus looked to Kam.

Mrs. Heely’s brows drew together in confusion. “There is?”

“It’s two bedrooms,” Carissa declared. “Not small, not huge, a lot like this house. I went over and chatted with the current renter. She’s really nice and she loves that house, but she got a job in Boulder so she’s moving there.”

“Is that so?” Mrs. Heely said, still looking confused.

“It has a big yard but that should be okay. There aren’t a lot of plants and shrubs to maintain,” Carissa went on.

Mrs. Heely didn’t look any less confused.

Jesus.

“Carrie wants you to move into it, Mrs. Heely,” Joker stated.

Linus grinned at Kam.

Joker’s attention was diverted by Travis hightailing his ass across the floor toward the dining room table.

“I… um, I… well, I don’t know what to say,” Mrs. Heely said as Joker pushed back his chair and got up to go get Travis.

“The for rent sign has a number. I can call. We can have a look,” Carissa told her.

“I’m in a place, sweetheart,” Mrs. Heely replied.

“I know,” Carissa said and Joker could hear the caution.

He bent and lifted up Travis.

Travis immediately shoved an arm out toward the couch.

Joker took him there.

“But this place is bigger,” Carissa went on. “And it’s closer to Carson. He doesn’t officially live here, but he’s here a lot. And he’d mow your lawn.”

Joker sat on the back of the couch and looked to Linus, and he didn’t try to hide how he felt about how he was now going to mow Mrs. Heely’s lawn, something he didn’t know was part of the deal.

Linus was shaking and doing it hard, trying not to laugh out loud.

“Carissa, you’re being very sweet, but I’m happy where I am,” Mrs. Heely told her.

Joker took in the look on his girl’s face, knowing she didn’t believe that.

“I have company,” Mrs. Heely said gently. “Anytime I want, there are folks around. We have things to do. They plan activities away and we all get on buses and go. It’s fun. And I still have my car, so it isn’t like I don’t have my freedom. I just have to let someone know I’m going.”

“Okay,” Carissa mumbled.

“And I’m halfway between you, Carson and Travis and Linus, Kam and the kids. Perfect spot,” Mrs. Heely kept at her.

“Right,” Carissa said, adjusting her plate in front of her.

“I love you want me close,” Mrs. Heely said on a loud whisper, and Joker looked at the back of her head. “That’s very sweet. But I’ve got friends where I am, and I like that I can still take care of my own place. Anything bigger, even a little bit bigger, that would be a lot on me.”

“I could help,” Carissa offered immediately.

“You want Carson to have his family,” Mrs. Heely replied quietly and Joker’s back shot straight.

He didn’t know that was it. He just thought it was Carrie being Carrie, taking care of people, taking care of a woman who meant something to him like her father took care of the woman who raised him.

Carissa didn’t answer, but it wasn’t lost on Joker that she avoided looking at him.

And there it was, that was it.

“I’m not far away,” Mrs. Heely said.

“You’re right. It was a stupid idea. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have brought it up,” Carissa returned and Joker could see the pink in her cheeks. She made a move to get up and start collecting dishes.