Austin shakes his head.“How about you give out the gifts?”
Holly jolts.“Yes, of course!”
While his mom is busy getting something from a bag next to her, Easton’s hand squeezes my shoulder, and I turn to him.He leans forward and presses his lips to mine.
It catches me off guard for half a second, just long enough to feel it before I give in.
It’s short, but when he pulls back, his mouth lingers close and he murmurs, “Thank you.”
That felt like a mistake I don’t want to take back.
ChapterThirty-Two
Easton
Did I really just kiss her?
Did she really not pull away until I did?
That straight line between us is fading, and I’m the one responsible for messing it up.
I shouldn’t have kissed her, but no one has ever said anything like that about me before.All my life I’ve been the one who jumps into everything with both feet, the one who takes nothing seriously.Sure, people love to be around me.Half the time, I’m the life of the party.Which sounds cocky, but I’ve purposely made myself that way.It’s easier.But Hadley sees past that side of me, and I couldn’t let the moment pass without letting her know how much I love that she sees me.
“So, this is for our newest little one.”My mom pulls a stuffed puffin from the bag, placing it in front of Tanner.“It’s a puffin.”
“It’s an Alaskan thing,” I whisper to Hadley, who is tucked into my side.I’m not even sure if we’re trying to sell this marriage or if we both just want to be close to one another.I know my answer, but I’m not sure of hers.
“And Hadley, you’ll love this.”She pulls out a book.“This is all about Alaska.”She places the board book in front of Tanner.“Hopefully in November, you can come up and see us.”She kisses Tanner’s temple just like my dad did.
“Of course we’ll be there.”The idea of introducing Tanner, and Hadley, if I’m honest, to my entire family sounds like I won a Gold Glove.
My mom meets my eyes.I know it’s hard for her.Me playing ball down in the lower forty-eight.I used to spend the entire offseason in Alaska, but now I don’t because I’ve formed a life here too.
Most of my cousins have stayed up north, so those of us who didn’t are always asked when we’re returning home for good.Now with Tanner, I’m sure I’ll get that question more often, but they don’t have a professional baseball team there, so I don’t have a lot of choice in the matter.
“Hadley, you’ll love it.I can’t wait to show you Lake Starlight, but until you get there, I was sent here with a few things from the family.”She pulls out a giant basket filled with goodies.
“Mom, how did you manage to get that on the plane?”I ask.
“I almost got in a fight with someone over the overhead compartment.”My dad peeks his head closer to Tanner.“Grandpa was coming even with a broken nose.”
Tanner touches his face, and my dad stares at his grandson with stars in his eyes.
“Austin comes from a big family, and each of his siblings wanted to welcome you into the family with their own little thing…” She pushes the basket toward Hadley, then stands and comes over to sit on the chair on her other side.
Hadley shifts away from me, sitting straighter.
Thanks, Mom.I was enjoying having Hadley in my arms.
“Easton’s Aunt Brooklyn has an essential oil line in a lot of hotels.She gave you jasmine for enticing the libido.”
I make a sound, and Hadley looks at me over her shoulder, laughing.
“His Uncle Rome gave you a bottle of olive oil that he uses in his restaurant.Apparently, he says you shouldn’t use anything else.His aunt Savannah gave you a coffee mug…” My mom goes through the basket, pointing out every item that my aunts and uncles included as a welcome to the Bailey family for Hadley.
Hadley’s eyes widen in awe with each item my mom pulls out.“I really need to thank them.This is so sweet.”
My mom puts her arm around Hadley’s shoulders.I can tell that Hadley’s still trying to get comfortable with the kind of physical touch that is so common in my family, but not so much in hers.
