Free Conklin's Corruption (#3) (Conklin's Trilogy) by Brooke Page Page A

own luggage.
    Heather took Emmett from me one last time, cradling him in her arms.  “Mommy loves you.  Auntie B and Uncle Tyler will take good care of you.  So will Grandma and Grandpa.”
    She sniffled once more and handed Emmett back to me then picked up Josie to walk outside to our cars.
    “Becs, this isn’t going to fit in the car,” Tyler grumbled attempting to cram the bags into the trunk.
    “Oh!  You have to take the Bentley!  The car seats can’t be moved!” Heather shrieked.  “Ray we talked about this!”
    Ray looked up from the trunk of the Bentley with wide eyes.  “Baby, I can move the car seats.”
    Heather gave Ray a stern look.  “No, they fit perfectly where they are.  It will be easier for them to take the Bentley.”
    Ray glanced at Tyler then put his head down.  “Of course sweetie.  Here Tyler let me help you with those.”
    Heather turned and smiled at me.  I returned her grin.  Ray obviously didn’t want to piss her off at all.  He wanted this week away as much as Heather.
    Tyler and Ray swapped luggage while Heather and I loaded the kids in their car seats.  Of course Heather had to give me an in depth tutorial on the correct way to buckle each of them into their seat.
    Both Heather and Ray gave their kids final goodbye kisses and headed to their car.  I smiled when I saw Ray open her door.  Heather had him wrapped around her finger since she was 16 years old.
    Tyler hopped in the car and swore when his knees hit the steering wheel.
    “OOOOO Uncle Tyler said a bad word!” Josie giggled.
    Tyler rolled his eyes and crouched so he could move the seat back.  I let out a giggle at his expression.  This was going to be an interesting weekend.

    Chapter 4
     
    Tyler
     
     
     
    Kids made me nervous as hell.  Yeah, they could be cute, say funny things, and speak their mind, but watching them over night was a brand new adventure I wasn’t sure I was up for.  Lunch was hard enough.  Josie didn’t stop talking.  It was cute at first, but her words started to run together, and I got lost in what she was trying to tell me.  Becca just smiled and nodded at her the entire time.  Emmett was a pretty cool little guy.  He just sat in his seat wiggling his toes.  Every now and then he would spit the thing in his mouth out and fuss, but I would simply stick it back in and he’d be fine.  Too bad there wasn’t something like that for Josie.
    “Do you want to get the kids out or the stroller and diaper bag?” Becca asked.
    “Um, stroller?” I answered as I parked the car at John Ball Zoo. 
    “Okay, here we go!” Becca said enthusiastically to Josie as she unbuckled her seat belt.  Josie threw her hands in the air and yelled in excitement.
    The hatch popped, and I stood and stared at all the crap in the back of Heather’s white Bentley.  Of course, I didn’t think to put the stroller in last and had to dig it out while nearly dropping three bags on the ground.  Josie was on my side like lightning as I finally pulled out the stroller.
    How the hell does this thing open?
    “You have to turn that top part,” Josie said in her tiny voice.  I looked at her as though I was waiting for further explanation to come from the three year old.  As Josie and I were having our stare down, Becca came over holding Emmett and reached for the stroller handle, quickly spinning it and popping it open, almost knocking me backward.
    “Sorry, I should have told you how to work this thing,” she apologized as she strapped Emmett in the front part of the stroller.  Josie plopped herself in the back.  Turns out she could either sit or stand.  Good thing because I was predicting Josie wanting me to carry her the entire time.
    Becca grabbed the diaper bag as I threw the luggage that fell out back into the Bentley.
    “Ready?” she asked after handing both kids water bottles.
    I nodded silently, straightening my Chicago Cubs hat.
    “Uncle Tyler, will you push us?” Josie asked