“Should I know who that is?” Austin frowns.
“Don’t you have a little girl?” Dove tilts her head to the side, and my shoulders tense.
Austin, of course, takes her question like a pro. “She lives with her grandparents in Dallas for now.”
Dove’s blue eyes are round, and she reaches across to grasp his arm. “I’m sorry. You must miss her so much.”
Austin’s lips press together, and he nods slowly. “I really do… but I’m so busy during football season, and she’s so little.”
Dove blinks down thoughtfully before blinking up at him again. “I hope I’m not overstepping… My dad wasn’t in my life until I was seven, and I thought about him all the time. I bet she thinks about you, too.”
Austin’s expression warms. “Thanks, Dove. Now tell me about this ice-skating incident.”
“Well,” She slaps her hands on her thighs. “I slipped away from the house, and I ran all the way down to the reservoir, because I’d heard it froze in the winter?—”
“Oh, fuck,” Knox groans, sitting back in his chair. “Don’t tell me…”
I’ve never liked this story either, mostly because the thought of my beautiful Dove fighting for her life in freezing-cold ice water is almost more than I can take.
She looks from Knox to Austin to Edward, and finally to me, then she exhales a little laugh and says, “Long story short, Akela never left my side, and here I am today!” Then she takes a big bite of buttery mashed potatoes. “These are really delicious, Mav. They might be my favorite now, too.”
“Thanks.” I huff a laugh, rubbing away the sudden tension in the back of my neck. Then I walk over to lean against the porch railing near her chair. “Did you ever learn to ice skate?”
She shakes her pretty blonde head, looking up at me. “I think my parents were too traumatized to think about it.”
“I could teach you if you still want to learn.”
“Like Rocky?”
“Sure.” I nod, remembering our text. “It’s really safe.”
“I don’t know with you around.” She gives me a wink I feel right in my stomach. “That feels dangerous to me.”
Clearing my throat, I know she’s teasing. Still, Knox makes a noise through a cough like,Do it.
“Ignore him,” I tell her quietly, bending my knees so I’m squatting beside her chair. “I’d be glad to teach you how to ice skate. It’ll be fun.”
“Okay.” She smiles at me, and for a moment, it’s just the two of us.
Unfortunately, the moment ends too soon.
“Uncle Mav, Uncle Mav!” Maddie runs through the gate yelling all the way to the porch. “Where’s Kee-Kee? Does she miss her best friend Maddie?”
As if on cue, Kelani hops up, doing a little bouncy run to greet the arriving mob. Maddie drops to her knees to scoop her up in a swinging hug. Her cooing turns to squealing as Kelani happily licks her all over the face.
“Knoxey!” Haddy cries, running straight to greet the guys. “You didn’t tell me you were bringing Austin andEdward! Oh my gosh, it’s been so long since I’ve seen you two!”
“We can’t help it if you never come home anymore.” Austin stands, leaning down to hug her.
“That’s not true!” she fusses, turning to hug Edward. “We just keep missing each other.”
“Let me see this newest family member.” Austin steps forward to greet Gavin, who of course, has Lucy sitting on his arm. “The stories are true. She looks just like baby Haddy. Is she also a super pooper?”
“Oh my god,” Haddy cries, slapping his arm. “Austin Sinclair!”
Gina lets out a strangled squeal, and Gavin chuckles as he passes his daughter over to Austin. “Your uncle Hendrix might disagree, but she seems pretty average, poop-wise.”
“I’m sure that’s where the average part ends.” Austin gives Lucy a bounce, and she lifts her hands squealing before patting his cheeks and leaning forward to put her mouth on his chin. “Hey, little lady.”
