“PopPop says a lot of things.”
Davie grinned. “Throw it back!”
Danny tossed the ball toward the tree. Davie sprinted after it, laughing when it bounced wild across the grass.
For a moment, Danny just stood there.
Through the kitchen window, he could see his mother smiling at the scene, one hand still resting on the counter.
The kid had no idea how lucky he was.
Danny leaned his forearms against the roof of the cruiser and watched him run.
Damn shame Davie was growing up on photographs and stories instead of a mother.
He didn’t even remember Caroline now. Not really.
To him, MiMi was the one who packed his lunches, kissed his scraped knees, and made him pancakes on Saturday mornings.
David had dated here and there over the years—women who came around for a while, then drifted away again—but none of them had ever gotten close to Davie.
Still...
His nephew had grown up right here.
In the same house where Danny, David, and their sister had grown up.
On the same land their father had worked half his life to buy.
Danny glanced back toward the house.
Their dad had poured everything into this place when Mercer Construction finally started making real money.
Davie chased the ball again, this time digging it out from beneath a lawn chair.
Danny let himself stand there another second.
One thing about it...
They had all loved that child.
Every last one of them.
A pickup truck turned into the drive.
Davie saw it immediately.
“Dad!”
He took off running before the truck had fully stopped.
David Mercer climbed out just in time to catch him.
“Easy there,” David said with a laugh.
“You coming to my game Saturday?”
“Wouldn’t miss it.”
