“Now if you’ll excuse me, Bo is waking up.”
By the time I lift my eyes, she’s already whizzed away.
Slowly I walk around the living room, and my eyes pause when I see the basket of baby toys in the corner. I’ve seen Bo once now, at my brother’s funeral. What a shitty uncle I’ve been. I know that I need to rectify that.
The patter of steps down the stairs draws my gaze up tosee Summer walking into the room holding Bo who looks wide awake, holding the monkey.
“Oh, look at that, someone enjoys his freaky monkey.” I smile confidently and raise my brows at Summer.
She rolls her eyes and bounces him on her hip, choosing to ignore me. “This is your uncle.” She sighs. “He’s moving in.” Her tone is impassive, and she picks up his little hand to wave. “I know, what a surprise.” Tone still unchanged.
I step forward to touch my nephew gently, and the corner of my mouth hitches up. Bo makes a sound that is promising for me.
“Hey, buddy, you probably don’t remember me, but I’m your uncle.” I grab his loose shirt delicately. He’s wiggly in Summer’s arms, so he acts as a barrier between her and me.
But still, my eyes flick up and catch Summer soaking in the scene, as if she’s been waiting for this. Maybe so, I’m blood-related to this little guy who is smiling at me, and that lightens the feeling in my chest too.
Summer clears her throat. “Uhm… he probably needs a snack, so we should go do that.”
I step back. “Of course.”
A few minutes later, my nephew is staring at me with marvel in his eyes. He smiles a lot, especially when he’s sitting in his highchair squishing banana between his fingers. Bo is going to be the spitting image of my brother, I can tell.
“So, buddy, looks like you and I are going to be hanging out more.” I hold my clenched fist up. “No? No fist bump?” I joke as I sit next to him at the kitchen table.
“You two will get along well. He doesn’t respond with words, so you’ll be in your element, spewing out sentences with nobody to debate you.” Summer brings the rim of her tea mug to her lips, but I can see the smug grin that she’s trying to hide.
“Cute.” A contrite smile is pasted on my mouth. She’s angry at me for staying away for so long, and I don’t blame her.
“Uhm, so…” Awkwardness begins. “I’m going to head back to Chicago for a day or two to gather some things and wrap up some meetings with my agent.”
Lines form on her forehead. “I thought your hockey days are over.”
“They are, but I still have a few sponsor commitments.”
Her head tips slightly to the side. “Right.”
“Just let me know which room I’m moving into.”
An amused look greets me. “Subtle.”
Shaking my head, I’m now completely drained by her attitude. “I’m not trying to figure out which room you decided to make a baby in, if that’s what you are wondering.”
Shit.That came out cruel and envious.
Her mouth gapes open, yet she contains her composure. “Unbelievable. You really are a piece of work.”
“Not sure I’m the only one.”
Summer’s cheeks puff out. “I don’t have time for this. I have laundry to do and a bottle of white to drown in when Bo goes to sleep tonight. But for your information, you can take the guest room across from Bo’s room. It’s never been used.”
I’m not sure if that brings ease or is more oil thrown on the fire as I puzzle together the history of sleeping arrangements in this house, even though Summer has only been living here since around the time my brother passed. But it’s the mere thought of them that…
Summer marches to Bo, ignoring the fact that she’s pushing me out of the way, practically on top of me as I sit, and she reaches to unbuckle Bo from his highchair. Her body stretching too close to me drives my body haywire in epic proportions.
“Come on, cutie. Let’s go play in the living room.” She throws a glare over her shoulder. “My son is the cutie, in case you need every detail to be explained.”
“Spirited as always.” My tone is flat.
