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I exchanged a glance with Arlo, who sent me a reassuring half smile.
“Yeah. At least we know he’s out there.”
At least we know he’s alive.
* * *
I heardnothing more about Zach in the next week, but whatever I wanted to hear about him, was pushed to one side with Thanksgiving approaching, when I would get to see my girls for the first time in four weeks. Of course, I reread the note over and over, wondered who Kai was, and thought about Zach, but there was nothing else I could do except wait for whatever Mel came up with through Reid, and so far, there was nothing. I’d FaceTimed with my girls, but there was no replacement for hugs from India and Iris. I knew they’d landed last night, and I’d already had excited messages about meeting at their grandparents.
This was probably why I was up at five, and showered and ready by six, with another four hours to go until I even had to leave for the afternoon. I rummaged in the spare room that the twins used and pulled out all the decorations for the tree just for something to do, taking a photo for my girls with the assurance we’d go tree shopping soon, before piling them all in the sunroom.
Then, I killed more time checking up on jobs, organizing my office, and roaming around the house showing Charlie things he might not have seen.
I was pushing it when I ended up showing him where I stored dish cloths, but he didn’t seem to care. Then, it was bath time for him. Charlie gave me a good-natured burble as I opened up the snaps on his Thanksgiving pajama, waved his chubby fists, and seemed to like being dressed like a pumpkin. I guess it was meant for Halloween, but oh my God, it was perfect for Thanksgiving. I mean, he didn’t really care what I dressed him in, but he was the. perfect pumpkin size, all round and soft and smiley, and the pajama was a mustard color with the image of a cute, non-scary face on the front. The finishing touch was a soft cap with a swirly felt stalk, and when I sat him in his car seat, he was the perfect baby/pumpkin. I knew Arlo was busy with his brothers, but I couldn’t resist sending him a photo.
His answer was immediate as he gushed about how cute Charlie was, and I realized how much I missed him. He was spending Thanksgiving with his brothers, and hell, I hadn’t seen Sutton and Trace since last Christmas, and somehow, I circled around to how, if I left an hour earlier, I could swing by his house and surprise him, and also let him see just how cute Charlie was.
Yep. Totally about Charlie.
When I arrived at Arlo’s sprawling home, I headed straight for the front door with Charlie in my arms and knocked, all ready with a grin. When Arlo answered the door, I waved a single jazz hand. “Surprise!”
“Jax, what are you doing here?”
He sounded off, not even looking at Charlie, and then, I took in what he was wearing—familiar worn sweats and a Muse T-shirt. That didn’t seem like a Thanksgiving kind of getup for him, and I went on tiptoes to peer over his shoulder, seeing nothing beyond him.
“Hey,” he said and attempted to step outside and shut the door behind him. I poked him back, and he couldn’t argue given I had Charlie, who was waving a tiny fist and reaching for Arlo.
The house was quiet.
“Where are your brothers?” I asked.
He cleared his throat. “Um…Well, Sutton is doing this sports rally thing, and Trace is interning.”
I blinked at him, not entirely sure how to play this. “And you’re alone. On Thanksgiving.”
“I’m fine.”
“You didn’t tell me.”
“I didn’t want to presume that?—”
I placed a finger on his lips to stop him talking as I counted back from five, feeling perturbed by the fact he was here on his own. “You’re alone, and you’re going upstairs, getting a shower, getting dressed, and you’re coming with me for the Byrne Thanksgiving.”
“You don’t have to?—”
I cut him off with a quick kiss. “Myboyfriendis coming to dinner with myfamily, and he has five minutes to get ready.”
“I don’t want to intrude?—”
I kissed him again.
And again when he was going to say something else.
Until he got the idea.
In the end, he backed down, but I could see his smile when he took the stairs three at a time.
We made it out in ten, and the journey was quiet until we were far enough away from his house for him not to jump out and walk back.
