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“Ew,” Brighton says only to have Eli whisper something in her ear. “Still. It’s my brother. Ewww.”
“I tried,” Eli says to Brax, throwing up a hand like he’s done all he could in the situation.
“How much sugar has he had?” Pop asks.
“Besides the two pieces of cake?” Emberleigh asks, and Pop visibly cringes.
The table erupts in laughter.
“Kimp has backup,” Livy pipes in.
I roll my eyes to the ceiling. “He’s Braxton’s mini-me. Don’t volunteer. Do not volunteer.” I overexaggerate for effect.
She turns to me. “How bad could he be?”
“Things you never ask, Pix. Those are things you never ask,” I say as my nephew feeds cake to the dogs who lick his fingers with abandon. He giggles. Their tails wag furiously.
“You’re the one I’m volunteering for this, Unca Lay.” She mimics Colt’s name for me. “I have ear plugs.”
I look at her and wonder where she came from. She hasn’t been this playful since the beach house adventures.
“You’re asking for it, you know that?”
About that time, I realize everything around the table has gone quiet. I look up to see stares. The men look incredulous. The women are beaming.
“Oh, he’s met his match, all right.” That comes from Braxton.
“Yes, I have,” I say to the table, but my eyes never leave Livy’s. And in front of my entire family, I dip my head and kiss her lips, my hand never leaving her neck.
FORTY-ONE
YOGA RODEO
LIVY
“Thank you, Dr. Silverberg.”
“If you change your mind, Livy, let me know. You’ll always be welcome to come back to the team.”
“I appreciate that. On a personal note, I want you to know how much I appreciate you and your kindness during my tenure there. On and off the field. Please pass my thanks to Georgia too.”
“No thanks needed. We really like you.”
“I can hear the office filling up. I’m wearing team colors and ready to cheer. Get the W, okay?”
“Will do. See you soon.”
We disconnect, both knowing that last part isn’t true.
Hands slide around my waist as I stand looking over the back lawn of my new home and watch Kyle roll in the grass. “How did it go?”
I let one tear fall and wait until my voice won’t break to add, “Fine. He was just as kind as he always is. So gracious. I’m welcome back if I ever want my job.”
Layton stiffens behind me. “I love that you’re here. I feel like an ass for asking you to leave your job for me. If I didn’t know you were it for me, I wouldn’t have asked. You know that, right?”
How does he do it? Every time he balances what I need and what I want.
I turn in the circle of his arms. “You know I’m it for you?”
