“Uncle Maty!”
“Aunty Em!”
Kai ran straight for me, giving me just enough time to drop Emmie’s hand and lift her off the ground. Wrenley went for Emmie, colliding against her legs with a thug. Usually, Jayden was next, but he was currently sitting on the ground with Tucker, the dog licking away at his face.
“Stop growing, you little monster,” I said, muscles straining as I held Kai up. Gone was the cute five-year-old. She was seven going on thirty now. I only saw her a month ago, but I swore she was taller.
“Look at my tooth!” She opened her mouth wide, showing off a missing front tooth. I leaned in, making my eyes wide as she stuck her tongue through the empty space.
“Woahhh.”
“I got a dollar from the tooth fairy!”
Oh man, the good ole days of being a kid and getting money for losing a tooth. If only that happened now.
“That’s amazing. What did you spend it on?”
“I bought two new Barbies.” I held back a chuckle. That dollar sure went a long way.
Kai wriggled in my arms, so I sat her back on her feet as she went over to see Tucker. Tucker gladly took all the attention as he flopped over for belly rubs.
Beside me, Wrenley talked a million miles a minute to Emmie. From the moment she learned Emmie was a figure skater two years ago, she decided that was what she wanted to do when she grew up. Every chance she saw Em, that was all she talked about.
I turned to greet everyone else. Mom stood at the island, putting finishing touches on her famous chocolate cake.Cake that I was going to throw elbows for later. Beside her was Lydia, holding a glass of wine as the two talked.
Through the back door that led to the deck and lawn, I spotted Steven at the grill along with Landon and Wyatt, beer in all of their hands. I’d go see them in a moment, but I had two other cuties I wanted to see first.
I moved to the living room where Trevor sat on the floor beside his two-year-old daughter, Maisie. A bunch of toys littered the big living room, Maisie stumbling around as she picked some up only to turn and drop them in her dad’s lap. Trevor leaned back against the couch, Tasha directly behind him as she rubbed a hand over her belly. It was still hard to wrap my head around the fact that Maisie was two and they were about to have another. It felt like yesterday when Trevor told me she was pregnant.
“Hey,” I said, planting a kiss on Tasha’s head as I looked at my niece. She was the perfect mix of Trevor and Tasha, although she was way prettier than Trevor would ever be.
“Glad you guys made it,” Trevor said, looking over at me. Not wanting him to feel left out, I moved around the couch and bent over, planting a kiss on his head as well. I stepped back just in time to miss a hand coming out to slap me.
“Mateo, I swear to god.” His tone was threatening, but it had no effect on me.
“I missed you, too.” I flashed him a wink, then turned toward my newest nephew on the other couch.
Arlo, Mila and Bryton’s son they adopted under a year ago, was cradled against Bryton’s chest sucking on a bottle.
“Well, doesn't he look dapper.” I grinned, noting the blue-and-white striped buttoned onesie. His little brown legs kicked in the air as he ate. He wasn’t Mila or Bryton’s biological son, but he looked just like Mila to me.
I wanted to reach out and take him myself, but I learnedmy lesson doing that the other day. He cried so loud when he wasn’t near Mila that I instantly handed him back.
I gazed at the three of them, ecstatic that they finally got to start the family they always wanted. They deserved it the most.
Leaving them in the living room, I headed back to the kitchen, squeezing Emmie’s hip when I slid past her. This was our last day in Toronto before we headed back home so I could get ready for training camp. I already missed everyone.
“Hey, Ma,” I greeted, sliding up to her side. Before she could stop me, I swiped a finger through the leftover chocolate frosting in the standing mixer and brought it to my mouth.
“Try that again and you won’t get a piece.” She pointed the spatula at me.
“You wouldn’t deny your favorite son his favorite cake.”
“You’ve been overruled by my grandbabies.”
My mouth fell open. “Excuse me?” I turned to Josie, not believing what I was hearing.
“The kids are really cute. It’s hard to compete with that.” Josie shrugged.
