“Well…” I lean toward her.
Riley places a hand on my chest. “Nathan Campbell, I’m going to warn you. There will be no kissing, teasing ornibblinguntil you are one hundred percent recovered. Even if it wasn’t an invasive surgery, your doctors said not to…”
I swipe the remote from behind Riley and watch her face turn pure white and then a bright shade of red. “Relax, shrimp. I’m not going to pounce on you. I only wanted the remote.”
“Oh,” she stammers. “W-well, why didn’t you just say so?”
I grin, my heart exploding with happiness.
It’s a miracle that I get to play hockey again, but I’m even more grateful that I get to call Riley Carter mine.
“What are we watching?” Riley squeaks, staring a hole into the television.
“Betty suggested a new show. Her favorite Korean singer is starring in it. She said it’s good.”
“Hm.”
The show starts and Riley is sitting stiffly in embarrassment. Slipping an arm around her, I drag her across the couch and against me.
Her jaw drops.
“Cuddling wasn’t included in your no-go list,” I defend myself. “That’s all we’ll do. Scouts honor.”
She scrunches her nose but eventually relaxes against me.
And the day passes along in a quiet, ordinary fashion, but it somehow feels extraordinary, all because I have Riley with me.
“Congratulations, Gordie. That was afantasticspeech.” I hand the seven-year-old the flowers that Riley and I bought on our way to the ‘Children In S.T.E.M.’ conference.
“Thank you!” Gordie says politely.
“You were so inspiring,” Riley says, beaming down at the little girl as she shoves a bouquet of her own into Gordie’s hands.
“I totally agree,” April says, trying to foist her bouquet on Gordie too.
The little girl’s face is soon hidden behind beautiful, freshly-cut flowers.
“Gordie, why don’t I help you?” Cordelia offers, extending a hand to take some of the flowers from the little girl.
Finally, Gordie’s cheerful face is revealed again.
“Thank you for coming everybody.” Gordie grins at all of us.
“Did you like our signs?” Max asks, lifting up the placard he passed out that read ‘GIRL GENIUS’ and ‘GORDIE IS THE BEST’.
“I did.” Gordie giggles. “But you’re not supposed to cheer like that, Uncle Max. You’re supposed to be quiet.”
“In my defense, your dad was shouting louder than I was,” Max says, pointing at Renthrow.
Renthrow raises both hands. “Guilty.”
Kinsey rolls his eyes.
McLanely hefts Gordie into his arms. “Gordie, tell me the truth. Who do you love best out of all your uncles?”
“Um…” Gordie taps her chin. And then her eyes land on someone in the distance. “Miss May!”
“Miss May isn’t an uncle,” Max says, his eyebrows tightening in confusion.
