Finally, my eyes connect with them. Rora and Elizabeth notice me at the same time, and identical smiles form, making them both drop the mallets of the croquet game they’re playing and make their way to me.
Rora makes it to me first, and I bend down, scooping her up in my arms and holding her tight. “Derek! You made it!”
“Of course I did. I’m not missing spending a holiday with my girls,” I say, breathing her in. Her presence brings a sense of peace to me that I’m not expecting to feel, but I hold her tight and only loosen my grip when Birdie gets close enough to slip under my other arm.
She snuggles in close, wrapping an arm around me and another around Rora, and we hug for a moment before Rora gets bored and slips down, running back to her game.
That’s okay, because it gives me a chance to tilt Birdie’s smiling face up to mine and press my lips to hers. I’m positive that her family must be watching from the windows, but I don’t fucking care. I haven’t had her in my arms in four days, and the last time I saw her was right after she gave me the best night of my life.
We’ve chatted every day, making plans for today and just generally checking in. But it’s nice to know that she has been missing me this week just as much as I have her.
“You know my family is watching us, right?” Birdie says, pulling just far enough away to speak, but not too far so I have to complain about the distance.
“I got that feeling,” I reply, smiling at her. There was something more charged between us, even more so now, and that is making me feel closer to her.
“Did you get bombarded in the kitchen?” Birdie asks, looking back at Rora, who is playing the game again with some other people. “I meant to stay closer so I was there when you arrived, but Rora wanted to play.”
Shaking my head, I slightly loosen my grip on her so we can watch Rora together.
People start coming up to us, and I’m thrown in to meet nearly every single member of Birdie’s family. She had uncles and aunts and cousins and second cousins, there were even some great-aunts and great-uncles.
Hattie catches us outside and takes a deep breath. “You know, I forget how much work holidays can be.”
I chuckle, and Birdie nods. “Not as relaxing once we’re the adults handling it.”
“No—”
“Hattie! Your guest has arrived.”
Hattie frowns and turns toward where her grandmother is standing at the door, smiling broadly. “He’s handsome too.”
“What the fuck,” Hattie whispers under her breath, making me chuckle and follow her line of sight.
Where Dean freaking Maddox stands.
I calm myself, trying not to seem overeager.
Leaning toward Birdie, I whisper, “Is your sister dating Dean Maddox?” As if I needed another reason to join this family.
Birdie frowns and looks to where her sister marches toward him executioner-style. “I don’t think that is what’s happening.”
Hattie grabs his arm, and he smiles tightly, wrapping them around her before she can do much and pulling her into a hug. Standing behind Dean is another man I recognize as Wesley Black, the catcher for the Colorado Cobras.
“Oh man,” I groan, turning to Birdie and using the excuse to wrap my arms around her. Man, I could get used to using her for comfort.
“What’s wrong?” Her concerned tone has me calming down, not wanting to truly alert her.
“There are two very famous baseball players in your house right now. Ones that I’ve watched play for several years now.”
“Oh,” Birdie says, smiling slightly. “Are you fan-girling right now?”
“A little bit.”
“Well, they’re just people, Derek. Just try to remember that.”
“Right,” I say, rolling my shoulders and taking a breath. “Just people.”
“Derek!” A little voice pops me out of the pep talk I was needing, and my focus zeros in on the little girl running full speed at me. I bend and scoop her up in my arms. The skulking ten-year-old who called me a kidnapper is right behind her, looking at me with distrust.
