I stand and pull her up by the hand.
The air has cooled, and the grass is heavy with dew against my shoes as we walk hand-in-hand past the putting green my dad put in for Emma and the kids and then past the barns. The stars down here don’t even compete with the city lights. They dominate the dark with millions of white diamonds scattered across the velvet sky, which feels so close you can reach up and touch them.
“We just wandering, or are we going somewhere in particular?” Eva asks, her fingers tightening with mine as we approach a small cabin. We have mostly used it as a party house, but over the years, after Archie and Emma got married, it’s now mostly used as a guesthouse.
“The Shack,” I say, pushing open the heavy wooden door. The interior is rustic, but simple. There’s a small stone fireplace, a leather sofa, and a king-sized bed in the bedroom in the back of the cabin. “We threw parties out here, growing up. Pretty sure Austin and Jesse bring their friends here too. But we use it as a guesthouse more than anything now with the family growing.”
Eva walks around, her hand tracing the rough mantle of the fireplace, and a sigh leaves her lips. “It’s adorable. I love it. So homey and quaint. Like a nice little escape from reality.”
“It is.” A deep, identical voice comes from the open doorway behind us.
We both turn and see Ace leaving against the doorframe, his hands tucked into his shorts, looking tired but completely relaxed.
“Acer,” I say, stepping forward and wrapping him in a hug. “You finally made it.”
When we part, he looks at Eva, a soft smile touching his lipsas he comes into the cabin. “Hey, Eva. You surviving the Griffith family?”
“They’re … a lot,” Eva jokes and steps into my side as my arm automatically comes around her waist. “But very nice and welcoming.”
Ace’s eyes drop to where my hand is, and a peaceful look settles over his face. He nods slowly, a grin stretching across his face.
“I’m happy for you two,” Ace says. “Truly. You look … right together. Like it was always supposed to be this way.”
“Ace,” I start. He hasn’t made it up to Jersey to visit yet, so this is the first time he’s seen us together in person, but he did cash in on my making it up to him with that scam of an interview he roped Eva into a few months ago.
“All good, brother,” Ace interrupts, a familiar wink flashing in his eyes as he looks directly at Eva. “The truth is, Eva … you picked the better brother.”
I stiffen. “What’s?—”
“You picked the better brother,” Ace repeats, his smile widening, and he points a finger straight at her. “... foryou.”
He laughs then, and any tension is gone. Eva leans into my chest, her shoulders shaking against my ribs as she looks at my twin.
“I agree, Ace,” she says softly. “But thank you.”
“You know, I thought it might be weirder than this turned out to be. Might be the fact you finally admitted who the better athlete is between the two of us, though,” Ace says, laughing loudly, stepping toward the door. “Now, let’s go. The boys just dragged some cedar down to the bottom pasture. We’re lighting a bonfire, and Mama said if I don’t bring the two of you, she’ll come get you herself, and you know she hates coming out here at night.”
“Alright, brother,” I laugh, shaking my head as Ace steps out into the dark, his boots crunching on the path toward the bonfire.
We follow, and soon, the three of us walk together, talking about the wicked storm he got stuck in and the upcoming season.
By the time we reach everyone, the bonfire is a massive tower of flames. My whole family is gathered around in a circle of Adirondack chairs and upturned log rounds. Emma is sitting in Archie’s lap, my dad is listening to Austin explain his college registration with a patient, prideful look on his face.
My dad didn’t get the chance to go to college because he took over the ranch, which has been in my family for generations, pretty much right out of high school.
Duke must’ve had trouble getting to bed tonight, so it looks like they brought him down. He’s sitting with my mama, and her fingers are running through his blond hair as he drifts off to sleep on her shoulder.
Eva and I take a seat next to each other, but her seat isn’t close enough, so I grab the armrest and pull her chair closer to mine. She laughs as I do it, then holds her hand out when our chairs touch. I slip my hand in hers, and a peace settles over me.
The noise of my family hums around us—the laughter, stories, and clinking of beer bottles. It’s a reminder of how much I love being home. The fierce love and loyalty that doesn’t require anything in return. It’s just there.
Eva leans over, her head resting on my arm as she looks up at me. Her eyes reflect the glow of the fire, making her look more beautiful than ever.
“Aston?” she whispers, her breath warm against my shirt.
“Yeah, Honeybee?”
She looks out over the circle, her gaze lingering on my mother’s soft smile and the way Ace and Aiden are playfully arguing over which sport is superior—football or hockey. And how Jesse tries to chime in on their discussion about who the best athlete in the family is.
