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“We did not,” Hank says. His blush intensifies.
“Hank, the neighbors could hear you,” Milly replies. “Anyway, Stevie’s cleaning herself up. She’ll be out in a minute. You’re going to love her. C’mon, I’ll pour you one of her beers. You drink beer, right?”
Beau appears and puts a hand on Milly’s shoulder. “Of course Amelia drinks beer. I used to buy it for her and Rhett back in the day. Natty Light, remember?”
“As delicious as we were smart,” I deadpan, and Beau lets out a bark of laughter.
“Get in here, girl.” He curls an arm around my neck and presses a kiss to the top of my head, just like Rhett did to Milly the day Liam arrived. My chest contracts. When is this going to stop feeling so great? “Thank you for helping out my brother.”
“We were worried about him,” Hank says, lowering his voice.
“Very worried,” Milly says. “But here he is, laughing and horsing around and smiling.”
“You know he hasn’t smiled this much in ages,” Beau says seriously.
“Ages,” Hank emphasizes. “Y’all aren’t having quickies too, are you?”
Milly elbows him. “Hank! I thought we agreed to get her tipsy, then ask about the quickies.”
“Sorry, sorry.” He winks at me. “We’re just kidding about getting you tipsy so you’ll answer our inappropriate questions. Kind of.”
There’s nothing to tell. But that’s a lie, so I don’t say anything.
Milly loops her arm through mine and leads me inside. Hank’s house is more compact than Rhett’s, but the view outside the open doors out back is just as breathtaking. The sun is still high enough to coat everything in a late afternoon glow, all amber-washed greens and clouds the color of cotton candy. Mountains undulate in tree-covered waves as far as the eye can see.
But the man casually chatting with his sister-in-law Annabel nearby, bottle of water in hand and baby on his hip, is what catches my eye.
He looks up and smiles. Eyes and everything. He raises a hand, the one holding the water, and lifts what fingers he can in greeting. “Hey!”
Liam sticks out his head to get a better look. “We-wa!” he yells, squirming in Rhett’s arms.
I see that they’re dressed in matching white tees and dark jeans. Even their hair is styled the same way: a deep part to the left that’s hipsterish and hot on Rhett, cute and clean on Liam.
My knees wobble, a sensation that’s quickly becoming familiar. I know if I don’t do something with myself, I’m going to either maul Rhett or start crying again.
“Hi, guys,” I manage, my voice wobbling too. I reach for Liam. “Here, I’ll take him.”
Rhett and I lock gazes, and for a second, neither of us knows what to do. Hug? Kiss? Shake hands in a horrifically awkward show of faux-professionalism?
“Amelia, you’re off the clock tonight. I’ve got him.” Rhett leans in and presses a scruffy kiss to my cheek. A shiver darts up my spine, and for half a heartbeat, I close my eyes to revel in the sensation. “You look beautiful.”
“So do you,” I say, and then quickly add: “You do too, Liam.” He’s leaning up for a cuddle, so I squeeze him tight. I love this little man’s hugs.
Rhett arches a teasing brow. “We’re beautiful?”
“Men can be beautiful, yes,” Annabel adds. I turn to see her eyes moving between Rhett and me, a small smile on her lips. “And the Beauregard boys are definitely beautiful.”
“The women too,” Junie chimes in from a nearby sofa, where she’s camped out with Maisie on her lap. “My kids get it from their mama, clearly.”
“Mama’s the most beautiful of all,” I say.
Junie smiles, waving me over. “We didn’t get to have a proper catch-up last time. Tell me how you’ve been.”
I glance at Rhett. Before I can ask if he’s sure he doesn’t need help, he says, “Go sit, A.”
Junie and Annabel exchange a glance at the nickname. Now I’m the one blushing.
But it doesn’t feel weird, knowing they know. Maybe because they treat me like they always have: as one of their own.
Junie asks me about my grandma and my work. I ask her how much she loves being a grandmother and how happy she must be seeing her kids pairing off with such excellent people. Milly wanders over and makes us laugh with tales of her most recent scumbag client (her words, not mine). I chat with Stevie and immediately form a girl crush on her when she tells me about her newest creation, an amber ale called Tennessee Brunette.
Emma joins in too, and I don’t miss the way Samuel hovers behind the sofa, giving Emma’s shoulder a squeeze, ducking down to ask if she needs a wine refill.
Maisie wedges herself between Junie and me, and together we count her toes and make several unsuccessful attempts at “Miss Mary Mack.” Liam gets bored with his daddy and joins in, happily slapping his hands on my bare knees in time to our singing. Maisie starts to fuss, and Beau appears, hiking her onto his shoulders and disappearing into the house with the promise of a snack.
