Eliot draped his arm around his wife. “I was supposed to be the gorilla, but the costume was too short.” He opened the top of a pizza box and spun it around to face us. “Help yourself. Jasper didn’t make the trip. He wanted to finish working cattle, then it’s time to sell off our herd.”
Alder moved around Clover and grabbed a slice of pizza. “Then he’s moving here. All the Dukes in one spot.” He leaned against the counter before he took a bite. “Unless you’re going to move to Williston.”
A chill slipped and slid through my veins. Clover was moving out of town?
Wasn’t I doing the same? I hadn’t thought about my living situation beyond arranging all my meetings. I hadn’t even looked at the rental information.
Clover shook her head. “I need to stay where you all are. After the baby’s born, maybe it’ll be easier to work remotely from there so I don’t have to juggle the times I have to travel with finding childcare.”
Fuck that. She shouldn’t have to move away from her family. Not when I was around.
Only I wouldn’t be. Would I? And why was I so bothered by where she chose to live? I could go anywhere.
My stomach cramped. I must need food in it. I took two paper plates and handed one to her.
Alder pushed off the island. “You don’t need to move. Jasper will be here then. Who knows, maybe Uncle Jasper will open a day care just for all of our kids.”
Clover laughed, and while I loved the sound and appreciated Alder putting her at ease, a part of me stayed disgruntled. What the hell for? Why wouldn’t I want Clover’s family to rally around her so she could continue living near them? Why wouldn’t I want her family to help her out?
Because it would mean Uncle Jasper was a big part of Bean’s life and Uncle Van wasn’t.
Clover wandered next to me as we followed Auggie, Poppy, and Jensen around the block adjacent to the Perez house.
The wind gusted between the two houses as we walked by. She shivered and put her hood up. “I’ve been meaning to tell you thank you.”
“For what?”
“For messaging Poppy.”
“Oh. That. You missed her.”
“But it was that simple for you. You could’ve been irritated at me for complaining about something I could very much do myself, but you reached out instead.”
Auggie jogged up a walkway to a front door glowing under the porch light and hit the doorbell.
“Would you really think about moving to Williston?” The pizza had sat in my stomach so heavily I’d been tempted to ask Clover what type of mineral weighed more than a brick of lead.
“If I have to.” She stretched her sleeves out to cover her fingertips. Poppy and Jensen were a few feet ahead of us. “It’d be harder in a way. I have so many people around here to help, but sometimes I might have to be gone Monday through Friday.”
“You can call me.”
She blinked up at me. Auggie had gotten his candy and was sprinting back down the sidewalk. “What?”
“Call me. About Bean. I can help.”
“Oh.” We walked a few more steps. “Do you have experience with kids?”
“Uh, none.”
She giggled. “Okay. You get points for honesty though.” She paused for a moment. “Does that mean you’re going to move somewhere in the state?”
Would I move to Williston too? Good damn question. “I feel like I should stay close,” I said honestly. “Bean’s the only member of my family I can stand.”
She laughed loud enough that Poppy turned around. She beamed at us and faced ahead, murmuring something to Jensen.
“Fair.” Clover stopped again while Auggie darted up to another front door. “I would like you to stay a part of Bean’s life, but not just because you’re the only member of the other side of Bean’s family.”
I could’ve soared off the sidewalk. She wanted Uncle Van around her—around the baby. I really did want to be there for Bean. Jasper wouldn’t be the only fun, single uncle. I also didn’t like the thought of Clover scouring her siblings for help. She might be too afraid to ask for what she needs because they all have busy lives.
