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“That’s why you planted them?”
She shakes her head as if I should already know. “The song I sang whilst cooking dinner—you. The dress I picked out to wear this morning—you.” She reaches up and dusts her finger over my lips. “The way my heart rages on every single day. You. Everything is always you.” She kisses me. “I might not say it with words some days, Lance, but you’re in everything that I do.”
Ever since I came here last week, I’ve seen nothing but her face when I close my eyes at night. And while she doesn’t bring sleep, she does bring a calm I’ve not felt in years. Even being here now, standing on these steps, it brings me a feeling I know I’ll never find anywhere else.
It’s probably my favourite place in the entire world.
I pause as I hear screaming and shouting from the distance, then frown, realising it’s getting closer.
I take a couple of steps to the left of the front door, following the terrace around to the west wing of the house. Just as I breach the corner, I run into a horde of kids. They come to a screeching halt when they see me, the taller, oldest-looking boy of them all crashing into my stomach.
“Shit.”
“Ellis!” one of them scolds.
I step back, letting the boy, Ellis, go.
Holy shit.
Mason and Elliot’s kids.
I scan them quickly, a slight shake of my head as I count all five of them. Ellis has to be around eight now. He’s tall, too, his frame blocking his mousy-haired sister who he pulls in tight to his back. She has a garland of wildflowers sitting on her head, no doubt courtesy of her auntie. “Let me guess… Lowell.” I point at Ellis. “Lowell.” I nod at the girl now peeking out from behind his back. “Montgomery,” I say to the small, sandy-haired boy. “Lowell.” I chuckle, staring down at another mini Mase. “And you’re a Montgomery.” I smile at the little girl who looks exactly like Lucy.
Shit.
I rub my chest as I smile down at them all.
This. This is what I’ve missed.
“What are you doing here?” Ellis demands.
I blink as if I’ve forgotten the reason. “I came to see your auntie Scarlet.”
He narrows his eyes on me, his stare not faltering. “She’s working.”
Shit. I scratch my brow. “Do you know what time she’ll be back?”
“No. Leave, or I’ll get my mum.”
“Ellis,” the mousy-haired girl warns, gripping his hand tighter.
“Don’t speak, Ave.”
“It’s alright,” I say, not wanting to upset them. “I’ll leave. Could you tell Scarlet that Lance Sullivan stopped by and that I’ll be back tomorrow? I’m an old friend of hers.” I nod, smirking at Ellis before I turn and head across the terrace. “Boy’s a tyrant,” I mutter to myself as I jog down the steps.
“We know who you are, you big idiot.”
I shift to look up at the terrace. Only two of them stand at the top now. Ellis and the little boy who’s the split of Mase.
“I’d appreciate it if you’d let her know I popped by, Ellis.” I try a half-smile, not wanting to get into it with a child. I turn and carry on toward my bike.
“I bet you would.”
I pause, twisting my head to look at him over my shoulder.
“Why do you keep stopping, I told you to go.”
I pop a brow.
