“I’ll have Poppy asleep before you guys get home.” I gestured towards Kyla, who stood next to Abi and Quinn, leaning in and listening to whatever Quinn was telling them.
Most likely, that she had to shoot me down—again.
“You okay?” Rhett tilted his head, coming into my vision, blocking Quinn out.
I nodded, smiled, and looked at my niece. “I’m perfect. Come on, Poppy Girl, let’s get you to bed.”
Poppy responded by shoving her entire fist in her mouth.
“She’s teething. You can give her some Motrin, the bottle is in the fridge.” Rhett’s voice faded as I began to walk away, waving my hand in the air.
I gave the woman of my dreams one last look, happy to see the smile had returned to her face. Tickling Poppy, I made my way over to Quinn, noticing how her smile only slightly faded when I approached them. Kyla reached out for her daughter, but I turned my hip.
“Nope, I got her. I offered to put her to bed, just”—I turned to Quinn—“wanted to say good night. Thanks for the dance.” I gave her a wink and a grin, then turned my back.
“Wyatt, wait.” I felt her hand on my elbow, and I spun around, staring into her emerald eyes. “Please tell me we’re okay.”
“Quinn,” I sighed, stepping close to her so only she could hear me. “We’re more than okay. I promise. We have Reno to plan. Yeah?” I asked, raising my brow.
I could see her shoulders relax. She nodded. “Yeah, it’s in a week.”
“I’ll come by tomorrow to double-check everything. Sound good?”
Her smile grew, but only by a smidge. The fear that we weren’t okay still lingered in her gaze. She inhaled, her shoulders rising as she took a breath.
“I promise, Quinn.” I leaned in and kissed her cheek once more, feeling the zing that traveled through my lips the second they touched her skin. “We’re good. We’ll meet up tomorrow.”
Her cheeks tinted a slight shade of pink as she rolled her lips. “Okay.” She smiled and turned to Poppy. “Good night, sweet girl. Be nice to your uncle.”
“She will be. I’m the Poppy Whisperer,” I sang, trying and failing to make my voice sound like a psychic.
But Quinn laughed, so it must have worked.
A bottle, a dose of Motrin, and forty-five minutes later, Poppy was asleep in my arms as I swayed back and forth in front of her crib. My vest was hanging over her crib, and her tiny fingers had wrapped their way around my purple tie with a slight smile on her lips. Such a peace to her—not even realizing what was bursting through my chest. I lay her down gently, brushing the hair from her forehead, stood and loosened my tie, still watching my niece take soft breaths.
“Ah, to be a baby,” I whispered, leaning my elbows on the edge of her crib. “You got it made, you know. Just—when you get older, don’t fall for a guy who doesn’t love you back. It makes life harder to love someone so much, knowing they don’t want you the same way you want them. Maybe it’s for the better? Maybe I’m justfriendmaterial? But with her—fuck Poppy Girl, I love her. She’s worth it. She really is. You’ll find someone like your mom and dad, Cash and Abi…you, Poppy, will be loved always. Just don’t screw up like I did and fall for the wrong girl.”
Rubbing my knuckle against her cheek, I pushed myself off the crib and left her room, my heart a little heavier than normal. I kept loosening my tie, hoping that if I relieved the tension there, it would relieve it in other places. I even went as far as to start unbuttoning my shirt, pulling it away from my neck.
I wasn’t sure if I liked this feeling or hated it.
I wasn’t used to it.
Kyla was leaning against the hallway arch once I made it a few steps out of Poppy’s room, a soft smile upon her lips, and before I could react to the possibility of me saying fuck in front of her sleeping daughter—she held out her arms and pulled me into her.
“You didn’t screw up,” she whispered, and I heaved a sigh and held my sister-in-law a little tighter.
Friends. I could do friends.
Checking her Reno schedule was something we had planned, and it would be weird if I came without food and beer—right? So, I ordered her favorite pineapple pizza with cauliflower crust from June’s, grabbed the beer I watched her drink three of that first night, and opened her door.
The day I came over and she yelled, “It’s open!” gave me a new hope for our relationship, and ever since then, her front door had been open for me. And tonight, I walked in to not only boots everywhere, but hats and blouses and Wranglers strewn about all over the living room.
“Where are we supposed to sit?” I chuckled, tilting my torso to set the beer and pizza down on the coffee table.
Quinn rounded the corner from the kitchen. Myfriendbasically hopped in, her laptop outstretched in front of her.
“I’m packing. You check, I pack.”
