Iris Dunbar

“They were all well phrased and exact,” Tasha laughed. “He’s a giant and was cowering, I think it was some of my best work.”

“It honestly probably was but considering you always had his help to threaten boys before he should have been prepared for what was coming.”

“I mean, can you blame me? I remember how many times you cries over him in high school, I had to cover my bases.”

“I know you did, and that’s exactly why I never argued with you about talking to him. He deserved whatever threats you were armed with.”

“I think I would sooner shoot myself in the head than ever see you as a sister.” James admitted, shaking his head. “But I am sorry it took me so long. Teenage me was a prick.”

“You know I’m actually extremely happy that’s how you feel. Otherwise our entire marriage would be weird,” Iris teased him as she pressed a kiss to his cheek, “teenage You was just a teenage boy that didn’t know how to handle feelings.”

“I know I’ll get the worst of it since Taylor is his favorite sibling, and we all know it. But I accepted that was my fate a long time ago so it’s pretty inevitable by this point.”

“Honestly I’m pretty proud he didn’t try to ruin your wedding or anything. You’re the only person in this world he approves of enough to be with Taylor, and that says a lot about you.”

“That’s good to know.” Tasha laughed, “I shouldn’t be surprised, though. I figured you’d end up talking to him eventually.”

“I mean you did talk to James which I never even questioned. You’re too protective otherwise,” She teased playing with the ends of her sister’s hair.”

“There was no reason to compare yourself to any of them, you know.” James argued, rolling his eyes as he put an arm around her. “Though I am sorry I didn’t pull my head out of my ass sooner.”

“I know that now, but it wasn’t something that teenage me knew. Teenage me was heartbroken and didn’t understand why you wouldn’t look at me. I felt like a sister to you which really sucked.”

“Yeah, you might be right about that.” Xander nodded with a small laugh. “We’ve got a really good way to take care of them, if nothing else. Plus with James I’m sure someone will always be around to embarrass all of us in front of them.”

“Don’t worry James won’t let you down with embarrassing you. I might get lucky and be saved from the embarrassment he will make sure to put everyone else through. But that’s just because he knows what he has to face at home.”

“They will. Trust me, I’d have given anything for that. And given the way Taylor and her brothers grew up, and you and your sister, none of us take being together for granted.”

“No if anything our children are going to be so sick of how much we smother them all with attention. I’m just glad that we all have the support system we do to raise them.”

“Do I want to know what that means?”

“It’s not something you should even worry about I doubt I have to do any of what I threatened. He’s whipped.”

“You wouldn’t have liked a relationship with me in high school. I wasn’t mature enough for it.” James admitted, shrugging his shoulders. “It worked out for us though, didn’t it?”

“I mean it would have been nice to not compare myself to half the class when it comes to you,” Iris reminded him but she had to admit that it did end up working out.”

“I’m pretty sure he’s too afraid of you to ever step out of line.”

“That’s because we’ve had a discussion about what happens to him if he hurts you.”

“Yeah, it’s scary. I have those moments, but you’re not gonna ruin them. Even when it’s hard not to worry.”

“I just hope that having me and James together they’re going to see a happy home and that nothing happens to us like they did to my parents.”

“I don’t think I’d be happier if I tried. Even with everything that’s happened, somehow I still got everything I wanted.”

“Tasha, you deserve it though. You deserve everything in the entire world, and I’m glad that Parker is living up to the prince charming I demand him to be for you.”

“Well yeah, probably.” Cassie agreed, laughing, “but I think that’s to be expected. He loves you and if anyone could and would be a good dad to as many kids as possible, it would be your husband.”

“I have no doubt that he would be an incredible father to as many children as possible, but I don’t know if my body could handle that. But I am going to give him enough to keep us both busy.”

“They probably got tired of the constant rejection too, since I never paid them any attention.”

“You paid them enough attention that I got jealous a lot,” Iris reminded him with arched eyebrows, “Trust me I remember enough of them and the way they draped themselves over you.”

“I’m not confirming or denying anything.” James grinned, shaking his head, “although yeah, that sounds like something I’d do.”

“Babe, I don’t need you to confirm anything for me. I know that it’s true. Sadly girls aren’t as easy to scare off they just got tired of constantly fightig for your attention.”