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The other four had cleared out pretty fast to claim their slices, but I felt too immersed in my project of going through my closet to want to finish just yet. So Chloe had told me she’d save me a couple of slices as she patted my shoulder and passed by.
After another ten minutes, I found a stopping point that satisfied me, and I dusted my hands off onto my thighs before pushing my way to my feet. Through the window, I could tell it was getting dark outside. We’d been working at this most of the day, something my muscles could definitely attest to.
I rolled my shoulders and then stretched my arms over my head as I headed into the hall, once again avoiding the gaping open entrance to Duke’s room when I passed it. When a cacophony of women’s voices rose from the front room, however, I slowed just before peering around the corner at them.
Chloe and the blonde whose name I’d forgotten already, plus Beau’s wife and another I couldn’t remember at all were gathered around, oohing and aahing over something Chloe was holding.
“She’s so cute.”
“I just love the bow in her hair. It’s too bad Harper pulls out every single one I try to put on her.”
“These cheeks are seriously going to be the death of me. I just want to smoosh them constantly.”
When I realized t
hey were talking about a baby, I stepped into the room and blinked at the little girl.
The headband on her hosted a bow that was just about as big as her noggin was. I’d never seen her wear it before. She’d also put on a good ten pounds in the last month—five of them being to her adorable cheeks. But I recognized that widow’s peak and those dark eyes immediately.
Still, I had to blink in shock and point. “Is that Ava?”
In the next breath, I glanced around, looking for her mother. But Lucy was not among the throng. I returned my attention to my niece and immediately neared her. The women parted, letting me walk right up to her.
“My God,” I murmured, shaking my head slowly. “She’s gotten so big.” Reaching out, I tugged at one of her bare toes. “You got so big, little girl.”
In response, she looked up at me and immediately flashed a big, gummy grin.
I melted on the spot, my jaw dropping low. “She’s smiling,” I said, stupefied in my awe. “When did she start smiling?”
“Lucy said it started a week or so ago,” one of the ladies answered as Chloe held her out to me before asking, “Do you want to hold her”
“Yes,” I answered, already reaching out, only to gasp once Ava was in my arms. “Oh my goodness. The last time I held you, you were like cradling a bag full of marshmallows. Who said you could grow so much on me? Who said that?”
I pulled her in close for a hug and kissed her head, closing my eyes briefly because I was so glad she at least smelled the same. And Ava immediately grabbed on to the front of my shirt and pulled it to her mouth, slobbering all over it.
“Hey!” I laughed as I carried her to the couch so I could sit down and perch her on my lap to get the full view. “You’ve gotten better at latching on to things too, haven’t you? What else are you doing now?”
Drool fell from her mouth as she gazed up at me and grabbed her toes, pulling them most of the way up her chest.
“Aah, yes,” I said. “That’s a good one. I certainly can’t do that.”
Grinning, I tickled the bottom of her foot, making her curl it away from me.
“Still don’t like that, though, huh?” I guessed. I stopped the tickle game and grabbed her big toe between two fingers, giving it a slight shake before I started playing This Little Piggy.
When I got to the pinkie toe and tickled her all over the belly as that piggy went wee, wee, wee all the way home, she jumped in surprise, blinked at me quite solemnly, and then she giggled.
It was honestly the most adorable sound in the world, meaning we had to do the game again and again, and she just kept screaming with glee, until the fourth time through when an amazed voice from behind me said in surprise, “She’s laughing.”
I jumped and looked up, realizing all the women who’d handed me Ava had left me alone in the living room with her, and they had seemingly traded places with Lucy.
But as soon as I focused on Lucy, I lost my breath.
It’d only been a few weeks since I’d last seen her, but she looked so different. She was wearing regular clothes now, not obvious, around-the-house lounging apparel. She had makeup on, plus jewelry—especially a pair of long, dangling silver earrings—and her hair had been brushed.
She was still as breathtaking as ever, but a healthier, happier version from the last Lucy I’d seen.
And kissed.
