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“Yep, we’re almost there, Evie. It’s that house right there.” She pointed to the left at a single-story house. A ton of cars were parked in the driveway and overflowed onto each side of the road.
I found a spot on the opposite side from the house and killed the engine. Paisley immediately popped open the door.
A fresh round of nerves prickled through my system.
I scrubbed a palm over my face as I looked at the house painted white and trimmed in blue. Balloons were tied to the wood railing of the porch, and there was a giant sign on the lawn in the shape of a two.
Was I really doing this?
“Second thoughts?” At her voice, I looked back to my right where Paisley had climbed out. She had her head poked back inside, wearing one of those flirty grins that claimed she knew me better than I wanted her to.
“There were always second thoughts,” I grumbled.
She laughed and waved her hand. “Come on, Mr. Grumpy Pants, it’s going to be a blast.”
“A blast, huh?” I asked.
“Um, have you ever even been to a two-year-old’s birthday party before?”
“No.” Who exactly did she think I was?
“Time of your life, I tell you.” A giggle that was nothing more than a razz rolled up her throat.
“I’m sure.” I let the sarcasm bleed into the response, though I clicked open the door and stepped out. I opened the rear driver’s side door and unbuckled Evelyn while Paisley grabbed the stack of presents bound together by a big blue ribbon from the backseat.
Evelyn slipped off her booster and stood at the side of the door, and I hoisted her up from under the arms to help her down.
Only when I set her on the ground, she didn’t step back or withdraw the way she always had in the past.
She took my hand.
I gulped around the knot in my throat when I looked down at her, as she turned her little face up to me, beaming this smile that pierced me in the chest.
“Don’t worry, I don’t know anybody, either, and we can stick together and take care of each other if we get nervous, but I think it’s going to be really a lot of fun because I haven’t never been to a two-year-old’s birthday, just like you, but I think it’s going to be really good.”
My heart fisted.
A feeling swept through me that I wasn’t supposed to possess.
“I know you’re going to have a wonderful time, Evelyn.” My voice croaked when I forced it out.
That storm was suddenly at our sides, chaos that spun and the light that shone.
An angel who’d appeared at the edge of our dejected world.
“Are you two ready or what? I was never about the whole fashionably late thing. Why miss out on a second of the fun?”
“I’m ready!” Evelyn swung our hands between us.
Paisley started across the street, and we followed behind her. I probably should have gotten in front so I didn’t have to watch her ripe, lush ass swaying back and forth in that dress or the defined cut of her calves accentuated by her wedge heels.
Hindsight and all.
Because lust twisted in my guts, hungry for another taste.
Paisley moved up the sidewalk and onto the porch. Without knocking, she pulled open the screen door and walked in. She kept moving through the living room that was cluttered and a bit of a mess, the furniture worn and well-lived in.
Voices echoed, loud and uncontained, laughter and shouts that were coming from the backyard.
Paisley breezed into the kitchen at the back of the house.
“Paisley, hey!” A young woman I’d never seen before was grabbing a tray of vegetables and dip from the countertop that was completely covered in food. Bowls, trays, and half used packages covered every surface.
“Hi, Kayla! How are you?” Paisley asked.
“Great. It’s so good to see you.”
Paisley dipped in and pecked a kiss to her cheek. “I know, it’s been way too long. What can I do to help?”
“We’re just setting the food up outside. Gift table is out on the back porch. You can set those presents down, and then grab any of these dishes. I swear, Dakota overdid it this time.”
Instead of taking the presents outside, Paisley turned around and shoved them into my free arm. “Hold this.”
“Uh…sure.” I shifted on my feet, so out of my element I had no fucking clue where to stand.
It only got worse when Paisley waved a casual hand my way. “Kayla, this is Caleb Greyson, and this is our sweet Evelyn.”
Another arrow staked me through.
Ours.
Except neither of them could ever truly be mine. I needed to fucking remember it.
I gave the most pleasant smile I could find but probably looked half deranged when Paisley gestured at the woman. “Caleb and Evelyn, this is Kayla, Dakota’s baby sister.”
“Nice to meet you both. Come on out back.”
