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Thirty
Nick wasn't exactly a church kind of guy, although some of his brothers were. Phil's family were all dutifully lined up on the pew in front of his brother and Glenna like good little sons and daughters and sons-in-law and grandchildren.
It was a small church.
Tylers took up a good half of it.
No wonder—it was the Tyler Township Hope Life Church, after all.
Even if Ethan Masterson was the minister now, and not the Tyler who had founded it years ago. His oldest brother had started the church more than thirty-five years ago, several years before his own sons had been born. None of the Tyler boys had taken over for him after he'd died from a sudden heart attack six years ago.
Ethan Masterson had.
Auggie greeted them when they walked in, handing out the church bulletins. Her sister Em was on the piano.They both wore bright, happy floral sundresses much like the one he’d found in Nova’s closet for her to wear today.
Such pretty girls, his brothers' daughters, every last one of them.
So was his little girl. She clutched his hand, tightly. She'd never been to a church before, she'd said.Selena's funeral had been held at a local community center in their neighborhood.
Nick had patiently explained what a church was, and how she was supposed to behave. Not that he had ever had a problem with Nova and behaving. Not at all. He almost wished he would—Jude said that would be an indication she felt safe enough to act out and get into trouble. They just weren't there yet.
Not yet.
Noah had a sullen look on his face. But he was there and clean. That was all Nick could ask at this point.
Now they had to find their seats.
"Robin!" Nova darted down the aisle—toward the two women and three children who had just entered.
There she was. The woman he wanted to see. Robin wore a simple blue dress that had denim on the top and the bottom was gauzy white with big blue flowers that made her eyes even bluer. Her hair was down around her shoulders. There was a pretty little girl in a yellow dress riding on her hip, and her boys were tall and sturdy in front of her in matching polos and dress pants, their curly hair slicked and combed.
She looked beautiful. Perfect.
As she hugged his daughter, he felt like his insides had been zapped by a bolt of the strongest lightning. She smiled at him. The feeling just deepened. He wanted her to be coming to him.
Someone clapped a hand on his shoulder. "You have it bad, little brother. When a Tyler falls, he falls hard. And fast. No denying that.”
He looked into identical dark blue eyes. Phil was laughing at him—while holding his own woman's drowsy toddler on his shoulder. "I think maybe I do."
"Good. What are you going to do about it?"
"Whatever I can."
He stepped away from his brother and toward the woman he wanted.
