Anna walked up smiling. “Hey, girl. Glad you could make it.” She slid an arm around my waist, not giving me crap about how I’d turned her invitation down, and yet I was here anyway. That was Anna though. Never judging and never taking my reluctance to open up personally. That’s why we’d become fast friends when I moved to Seddledowne. I let myself lean into her, relaxing.
“What up, Tally?” Blue fist-bumped me as he took in the room. “This place is ridiculous, isn’t it?” Now that he was a famous football star, I often forgot that he grew up in a single-wide trailer. I studied him for a second, wondering if heharbored any ill feelings toward me since breaking his best friend’s heart. He caught me watching him and grinned, dimple appearing.
“Totally,” I agreed. “Is Madden okay?” I asked softly. I’d called him, and texted, a couple of times. He wouldn’t respond and I couldn’t blame him.
Anna, whose hand was resting on Blue’s chest, gave me a sad smile.
Blue’s nose scrunched. “He will be. He’s tough.” He winked, letting me know we were okay but there was a tinge of worry in his expression. So Madden was not doing well.
One by one the women pulled me into hugs, telling me how happy they were that I’d come. Holden and Silas fist-bumped me, which I appreciated. I’d trained them all years ago that I wasn’t a hugger. At least not with men. They never questioned why, which I appreciated. I hated it when I had to lie.
Except for Bo. He gave me a tight squeeze anyway. Which was okay. Hugging him felt like I was hugging my dad. Safe and peaceful. “Hey, darlin’. Got ribs cooking in the smoker. I know how much you like ‘em.”
“Yes, sir.” I could barely breathe, he was squishing me so tight. “I’m starving, so I hope you made enough for everyone else.”
“Sure did.” He chuckled. “Eat all you want.”
When he finally let me go, I looked around. I could see Charlie in the backyard, playing on a school-sized playground with Liam and Griffin. Ford had it installed since the last time I’d been here. Looked like he was trying to steal the title of Fun Uncle from Ashton. But Theo was nowhere. I walked through the house, searching. After five long minutes of my heart in my throat, I was almost certain he’d been kidnapped.
Until I found him and Ash on the floor of what looked to be a library room, building a Death Star Lego set. I only knewit was the Death Star because of the box. From the looks of things, Ashton had been waiting for Theo to arrive before he tore into it.
My heart stuttered at the sight of him, hunched over, kneeling next to Theo, his tongue peeking out of the corner of his mouth in deep concentration. James, Silas and Lemon’s almost nine-year-old, was there too, quietly helping. He was tall and thin, dark-haired and blue-eyed, like Silas.
I hadn’t seen Ashton in anything but professional attire in months. But today he was in a pair of jeans and a long-sleeved Virginia Tech T-shirt, barefoot. He looked good casual. Comfortable. The shirt looked soft and I wanted to touch it and find out. I was pretty sure Ash hadn’t noticed me yet and I wanted to keep it that way.
He gently squeezed Theo’s shoulder. “You got it. Nice job.”
I watched for a few more minutes and finally shifted against the wall. His head came up. Our eyes met and I gave him a soft smile. He didn’t smile back, just watched me, with no emotion. His blue eyes tugged at me and I had to fight the pull to walk over to him.
The longer he looked at me, the faster my pulse raced. But, I reminded myself I was safe here, fifteen feet away. No lips would be touching from this distance.
“Somebody got an expensive Lego for their birthday,” I said, breaking the silence. I knew full well how much the Death Star cost. A kid in Theo’s class had gotten one for Christmas and it was all Theo talked about. But after checking the price on Amazon, I knew it was impossible. We had an old pickle jar we shoved spare change in to save up. Theo had printed a picture of the Death Star off the internet and taped it on the outside with the words Jar Jar Clinks written beneath. Clever kid. So far, there was twenty-seven dollars and thirty cents. At the rate we were going, it would be a post-graduate purchase. Very post. As in, a few years out at the earliest.
Theo glanced up, his eyes dancing. “Can you believe it, Aunt Tally? It’s the Death Star.”
James smiled, happy to help. He was such a kind, thoughtful kid.
“I know,” I said. “Whoever bought that must’ve taken a second mortgage out on their house.” Ford probably bought it as a birthday present for Ashton.
Ashton looked at Theo and picked up another piece.
“Is that right, Funcle Ash?” James asked quietly, showing him a part he’d completed. I smiled at the name. Ashton had trained all his nieces and nephews to call him Funcle. Said Fun Uncle was too long, so he combined the title.
“Yup.” His head bobbed. “Good job.”
Theo bounced on his knees. “Can I help with the next part?”
“’Course you can. It’s your Lego set. You can tell us, ‘hands off,’ right now and build it all yourself if you want.”
“It’s mine?” Theo asked, shocked.
“Yeah.” Ashton chuckled.
My mouth parted slightly. “Uh, nuh, no. You can’t give him that?”
Ashton glanced up wearing a blank expression. “It’s his birthday present.”
“No way.” I shook my head. “I know how much it costs.”
