“Really?” she exclaims, standing abruptly. “I have to go get my pencil.”
“Sit down,” I tell her. “Wait until after dinner.”
“But Dad—”
“You know the rules.”
“Fine,” she says with a pout, sitting back in her chair, but I can tell she’s lost in her head, already planning this supposed tattoo design.
Will looks up at Emmett then, now that Addie isn’t paying attention anymore. “You’ve been around since you guys were what, five?”
“Something like that.” Emmett nods.
“You look different.”
“Yeah,” he agrees, holding his gaze, daring him to say something.
But instead, he gives him a reassuring smile. “Loosen up, kid. I don’t got a problem with you. How’s your family? They cool with it?”
“Mom is,” Emmett opens up, to everyone’s surprise. “Dad, not so much.”
“That’s usually how it goes,” Will says, picking up his pizza.
Emmett looks back down at his plate, and Addie bumps him with her shoulder, checking in even though she wasn’t paying attention a second ago.
“Are you two together?” Will asks, his eyes darting between the two of them.
“No,” Addie says, at the exact same moment Emmett says, “of course not.” They talk over each other, explaining why that willneverhappen and it’s insane to suggest, all while their cheeks turn a bright red.
Will looks at me across the table, raising his eyebrows.
It’s the first time he’s looked directly at me since we sat down, I can’t help but notice. He’s been present for everyone, talking, laughing, asking questions. Being perfectly friendly to everyone except me. Ignoring my contributions like I’m not even here.
I don’t know why that bothers me, but his eyes on mine now ease whatever I’m feeling about it momentarily.
It’s nothing, a shared acknowledgment that yes, I realize my daughter and her best friend are full of shit and have been in love with each other for years. “My mistake,” he says, but he doesn’t sound the least bit sorry.
Ollie has been working on the same slice of pizza for twenty minutes.
Mostly because he’s using it as a spoon for his ranch. I’vegiven up on trying to make that kid eat normally.
When he inevitably runs out of ranch, he grabs the bottle on the table, struggling to pour it. But Will reaches over and steadies the bottle for him, helping him pour a generous amount on his plate. Ollie beams up at him. “Thank you, Uncle Will!”
“Anytime, bud.”
He’s good at this uncle thing. He was even back then, no matter how he felt about Jess and me, he was always good to Addie.
I’m glad the kids get to have him back, even if it’s hard for the rest of us.
At the door, Addie hugs him for a long time, until Ollie tugs on his shirt and Will lets her go to crouch down to his level. “Will you be back?” Ollie asks.
“Of course.”
“You could stay,” he says. “You can sleep in Daddy’s room. His bed ishuge.” I avoid Will’s gaze this time as my own cheeks heat up. He’s just a kid. He doesn’t know why that would be weird.
Is that even weird?
He reaches out and ruffles his hair, not making it any more awkward than it already is. “Maybe another time.”
