Stone smiled. “I’d like that.”
“Good,” Curtis grumbled. “Go put on another pot, boy, and you can tell us all about it.”
Lorrie laughed, shaking her head. That wasn’t what she meant, but who was she to intervene?
Curtis somehow knew exactly how to keep the kids from shattering into pieces, even when it was clear they were on the verge.
He was a good man, her husband.
Epilogue
Friday, March 15, 2024
“You can’t tell me that wasn’t awkward.”
Stone glanced in the rearview. “What are we talkin’ about again?”
They’d been on the road for almost three hours, during which Stevie had spent the entire time sleeping. Only now, she was awake and apparently starting a conversation he was supposed to be a part of. Only he had no idea what she was talking about.
“Are we already home?”
“Two minutes out,” Nico told her. “I need to stop by the office before we go home. Tara’s meetin’ us there with Jäger.”
“I miss him,” Stevie said, yawning.
Stone did, too.
“I still can’t believe your sister interrogated you about your intentions,” Stevie said.
Ah. So they were back on that.
Stone had invited Stevie and Nico to go with him to Dallas after Chelsea gave birth to a healthy baby boy. While Stone’s parents had been up there for a week, arriving in time for the birth and intending to stay for at least another week, Stone had planned to slip in and out, making an appearance, greeting the newest Jameson, and then getting out of the way. Donovan, Tate, Reilly, and Brady all had the same plan. CJ had gone up before they did, but he’d left as soon as they arrived, not wanting to overcrowd, or so he claimed.
The visit qualified as good for the most part. Stevie, Reilly, and Deborah had spent all their time cooing over the baby. The men had sat around, congratulating Paul and giving him shit about all the sleep he was about to miss out on.
It had been quite entertaining right up until Chelsea started interrogating him about his intentions with Stevie and Nico. Mostly Nico. She was rather protective of her ex-boyfriend despite the fact they’d all reminded her that things hadn’t been quite rainbows and unicorns back when they broke up. Chelsea was trying to see the good in everything, so they hadn’t argued too much about it.
“And she wasn’t mad,” Stevie noted. “What was up with that?”
“Why would she be?” he asked.
“You’re her brother. Nico’s her ex-boyfriend.” She didn’t add theduh,but Stone could tell it was implied.
“And she’s married with a kid,” he retorted.
“Plus, it’s been fifteen years,” Nico tacked on.
“And that,” Stone agreed.
“I wouldn’t’ve been okay with it.”
“Really?”
“Probably not,” she said. “Could you maybe speed it up a little? I’ve gotta pee.”
Stone chuckled as he pulled down the driveway leading to D & S Landscaping Solutions.
“Brace yourself,” Nico warned.
