Page 23 of Knot Convenient

“We need to get him a car seat. We all have cars, and we need to keep him safe. Plus, it’s sort of illegal to travel without one.”

“They’re expensive, and you’re already doing so much,” Summer whispered.

“We can afford it.” I shrugged. “We want to ensure he’s safe. There’s also a bakery that has the best handmade donuts super close, so…”

It was obvious Summer was going to struggle with the fact that she was now financially comfortable. The moment she and Emmett bit each other, making her a part of Pack Winters, ensured that she was also entitled to our income.

Summer got into the back seat with me, Milo clutched in her arms. Her sweet, black tea scent was so strong that my mind buzzed with need. Clenching my hands, I kept the smile plastered on my face. The little boy was sleepily snuggling into his mother. A part of me wanted to offer to take Milo off her. He probably wasn't the lightest, but I highly doubted that Summer would feel comfortable letting her baby go at the moment, which I completely understood.

As we drove through town, I took the time to point out where everything was. “I work over there, at the high school, and Emmett’s office is actually just down the road that way.”

“It must be nice to work so close together,” Summer mused.

“Yeah, it really can be. We can get lunch sometime when Emmett isn’t buried in a case.” We pulled into the parking lot of the store, and Emmett chose a spot near the front. “And here we are. Let’s get this little dude a car seat.”

Marshall and Tobias were already inside, having a heated debate over which car seat was the best one.

“But the base on this one seems steadier,” Marshall said, holding up one box.

Tobias had his choice by his feet, his phone in his hand. “True, but this one has the best ratings.”

“Are we really going with ratings on this? I mean, I’m holding it right now. I can tell that this one is stable.”

“To you, maybe.” Tobias shot him a look. “But these are other parents. They know this shit.”

The two of them were in a standoff, and Summer was staring at them like she was worried something might explode. I walked up to them both, putting my hands on their shoulders. “I vote we just go for the one with the highest safety rating. That’s the best of both worlds, right? Safe according to the people who know.”

“You’ve got a point,” Marshall agreed, looking a little peeved about it.

Summer stood to the side, Milo in her arms, chewing her lip. Moving toward her, I rested a hand on her back. “I know. We’re a lot.” I grimaced.

“Oh no! It’s not that. It’s just… you don’t need to do all this. I feel terrible asking you guys for all these things. I feel like I should’ve been better prepared.”

“We care about your and Milo’s safety.” I looked Summer in the eye, trying to offer a look of genuine concern and care. “Let us, please.”

She still looked on edge. “You could just get the cheapest one.”

I snorted lightly. “Get that idea out of your head right now, because none of us will be okay with that. And, frankly, it doesn’t seem like the best move for Milo, right?”

A sales associate walked by at just that moment, and seeing how stuck we were, gladly offered to help us make a decision. We talked it out for a solid twenty minutes before we came to a decision, choosing the seat with not only a great safety rating but also the ability to turn in its base so that getting Milo in and out of the car would be even easier.

Marshall nodded. “We’re in agreement. Good. In that case, we will take four.”

“Four?!” Summer spluttered. She looked wildly between us with wide, panicked eyes.

Marshall nodded. “We all have cars. Even though we tend to use the same two for pack outings, I think it’s best that we get one for each car. That way, no matter which one we’re in, we have the car seat. No need to fuss over moving it from car to car.”

“That’s so expensive!” Summer was pale, her eyes widening to dinner-plate levels. “I can’t ask you to spend that!”

Marshall cocked his head, walking over to Summer and resting a hand on her elbow as he said, “Hey, we’re all good. The price doesn’t matter. It’s safety.”

Summer’s worried expression melted ever so slightly, and I had to smile. She wasn’t used to getting taken care of, and I really looked forward to showing her what it was going to be like.

She nodded after a moment, gazing down at Milo in her arms. “Okay. Sounds good.”

We checked out with the clerk, who looked thrilled to have sold so many seats that I almost wondered if she’d get a commission. Probably not, but her boss would be thrilled. Once that was done, we loaded up the cars, got two of the new seats installed, and took off to the bakery.

Going inside, we sat down at a little table, all five of us, plus Milo, and ordered some treats. Summer got the donuts, like I did, and we settled into easier conversation, all of us trying to get to know each other better.