Witnessing Gwen and my daughter bonding opened my eyes to the truth; I’d lost control of keeping work, Gwen, and Sawyer separate in my head.I knew I was looking at her too much, but it couldn’t be helped.
The flash of jealousy that surged through me when Grant had joined us, his eyes targeting Gwen, only served to remind me how deep I’d fallen. I’d wanted to drag her to my side, make it known that she was mine.
But before I could do that, I needed to have a conversation with both Cheryl and Sawyer.
“Who’s up for a round of horseshoes?” Grant asked.
“We’ll play,” Renly volunteered, squeezing Brian’s hand and winking at him.
Grant turned to Gwen, gently touching the point of her elbow. “What about you?”
“Trust me, everybody here has learned not to give Gwen a horseshoe,” Ren deadpanned.
“It’s true,” she confirmed, nodding solemnly, her eyes landing on me.
“Alaric?” Grant challenged, watching me deliberately.
“Daddy! I’m hungry!” my daughter’s little voice proclaimed as her small body pushed between Grant and Gwen, who took the opportunity to step further away from him and a little closer to me.
Her perfume caught the breeze and dragged in the layers of lilies and magnolias with my next breath.
“I can get her a plate,” Gwen offered, her eyes flashing to mine, holding my gaze a little too long.
“All right.” I nodded, exhaling.
“It’s settled then. Game on,” Renly said, strolling toward the horseshoe pit.
I looked down at my daughter, giving her a stern look. “You listen, okay? Mind your manners.”
“Yes, Daddy!” Sawyer said, slipping her hand through Gwen’s and peering up at her. “Where’s the food?”
Gwen’s dimples flashed as she grinned down at her. “I’ll show you,” she laughed lightly, and the two of them started toward the patio. I watched them go for a moment before turning, unsurprised to see Grant was still there.
He offered me an amicable smile. “Cute kid. How old is she?”
“Five,” I replied curtly, heading toward the pit with Grant keeping up pace beside me.
“Alaric, you’ll be on my team,” Ren said when we approached.
“We decided we each got a beefcake, to even the odds,” Brian supplied, winking at Grant. I snorted and shook my head a little, moving to join Renly on the other side of the pit.
My gaze drifted to the patio, where Gwen was helping Sawyer fill up a plate. Her sister approached, smiling warmly at Sawyer while Gwen gestured to her, introducing her.
* * *
Sawyer had fallenasleep with her head on my shoulder, nestled in the crook of my arm. Her soft snores were muffled by my shoulder, her arms dangling limply over my back.
“That doesn’t look very comfortable,” Gwen remarked softly, her amusement evident. She paused beside me, turning her head to glance at us. “They’ll be setting off the fireworks soon.”
“She’ll wake for them,” I replied, knowing she would. Sawyer loved fireworks, and as soon as the first one took to the sky, she’d open her eyes. Which meant we didn’t have long to talk. “Thanks for hanging out with her.”
“You don’t have to thank me for that,” she told me, her eyes pinning me. She smiled, glancing at my sleeping daughter. “She’s a great kid. Better company than most adults in attendance.”
“I have to agree with you there.” I cocked a brow, lifting my chin, scanning the guests for Grant.
All night, he’d competed for Gwen’s attention, and I’d resented how he’d sauntered around, making his interest in her perfectly clear. But she brushed off his advances, slipping away discretely the first chance she got, her eyes always finding mine—even if she had to flutter about to draw her mother’s keen eye away.
“Are you jealous?” she asked, her lips twitching.
