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“Well, that’s not defeatist thinking at all—”
Bryce stopped talking, and he heard a phone vibrate. She pulled up her watermelon-red shirt, revealing that she’d stashed her cell phone like a gunslinger into the waistband of those sexy purple panties at the hip, as if the device were a weapon holstered by the elastic there. Her brows drew together as she read a text. Then she groaned, slapping her forehead with her palm in a gesture so cliché it would be funny if not for the stark horror on her face.
“What’s wrong?” he asked, immediately alert.
“We’re going to have to table this talk. I’ve—damn it, I’ve got to go.” Bryce pivoted, heading toward the apartment.
“Did something happen to the girls?” He leaped up, following as she picked up her clothes and began to dress.
“I forgot today was Easter,” she said, yanking on yesterday’s pants. “I mean, I remembered Adele and Harvey wanted the girls overnight so they could take them to church service and the big luncheon afterward, but I forgot it was a holiday. Adele says she took the girls to the apartment to change into fancier dresses suitable for Easter Sunday, and they’re wondering where I am, and what time they should have the girls back to celebrate Easter with me. I’ve got to get over there…but I don’t have anything planned!”
Ryker pulled out a clean pair of jeans for himself, a plan of attack coming together neatly in his mind. “If you can whip up breakfast using military rations, you can make something from your own kitchen. I can help chop things—I’ll even keep my station spotless.”
Her grin was quickly erased as the phone buzzed again. Bryce’s eyes widened as she read the next text, then gazed at him in something like panic.
“June is asking if she should allow the little girls inside the apartment because she doesn’t want them to hunt for their Easter baskets until I’m ready. I don’t have any frigging baskets, or candy, or those plastic eggs—I assumed if they were at their grandparents’, they’d do that. When Bentley and I were kids, all my parents did for Easter was make a really nice ham dinner. We sometimes went to church, but we never did baskets or egg hunts. Bentley and Heather must’ve had different traditions, and now I’m letting my nieces down. Again.”
At the first mention of the problem, the gears of Ryker’s mind whirred to life. Talking about PTSD and his feelings—he sucked at that. But fixing shit? That was right in his wheelhouse.
“Tell them you’re out getting a surprise ready for when they get home.”
Her face was a portrait of misery. “But it’s Easter Sunday, and all the stores will be closed.”
He strode over to snag his phone from the charger. “Text her and trust me. Between my brothers, my sister-in-law, and my mother, we’ll give them an Easter to remember. Let’s hustle. We’ve got to get to PattyCakes and boil some eggs.”
Chapter 15
Adele texted. They’re heading to brunch, and should be here in about forty minutes,” Bryce called out over the hubbub in the café, her heart soaring. She felt—for the first time in ages—excited about the day. The future. The…everything.
And it was all thanks to Ryker. Well, Ryker and his entire family.
As the man promised, his brothers came out to help, if in the most unexpected ways. Drake and Kate raided their attic, bringing over old Easter baskets and miscellaneous spring decorations. They drove them to PattyCakes, where they proceeded to decorate every spare inch of the café dining room in flower garlands, bunnies, and all things happy.
“Patty gave me permission to deck this place out for spring,” Kate said as a greeting when she walked into PattyCakes. She looked like she’d walked off the cover ofWorking Mommagazine, wearing a mint-green dress and juggling bags of pastel-colored decorations. Kate’s ready smile and can-do attitude made Bryce weak with relief. “I brought along a crap-ton of bubble wand favors left over from the last wedding I planned. Bubbles make everything better. So does glitter, but that’s hell to clean up.”
Bryce gave the petite woman a one-armed hug. “You are a rock star. Go nuts, and I’ll make sure Patty’s place is spotless afterward.”
“Uh-oh,” said Drake, looking exactly like his pictures on the café’s walls in a black shirt, khakis, and dark, chunky glasses. “You may regret those words. I should know.”
Kate’s green eyes crinkled in a grin as she shoved her husband with a hip. “Patty is baking cupcakes, and Zander is stuffing himself into the Easter Bunny costume he begged from Ray at the dry cleaner’s. This is so much fun. I haven’t planned something for kids in forever.”
Ryker, who’d lugged the rest of the bags from Kate’s car, gave Bryce a chin nod as he set everything down.
“See? Told you Kate would be game to throw together a last-minute party.”
“Event!” both Kate and Drake said in unison, then laughed in a way that told Bryce it was an inside joke.
“Okay, let’s get moving.” Kate leveled Drake a playful look. “Carrying Elise doesn’t exempt you from helping. Come hold my tape dispenser.”
Drake gave an up-down waggle of his eyebrows. “I’ll hold your tape dispenser. Best offer I’ve had all day.”
Kate rolled her eyes. “Ignore him. He’s just spunky because he finished the final edits forMarch’s Madness, and he’s in his one-day honeymoon between one book and the next.”
“Can I hold Elise?” Bryce asked, reaching for the chubby redheaded baby.
Drake handed her over, and Elise chortled as Bryce snuggled her. She smelled like baby powder and Cheerios, and she was so squishy and yummy that Bryce couldn’t resist giving her a raspberry on her cheek, making Elise shriek with joy.
“You’re a natural.” Kate beamed, adjusting Elise’s frilly white Easter dress. “And you say you’re a hopeless mom-like creature. I disagree. See how she’s holding her, Ry? Elise likes to face outward and see the world.”
