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I gave him a long look, which had his grin spreading.
“True,” Erik said, his eyes weighing me from across the porch as his lips curled into a small smile. “But she’s got a long way to go if she wants to keep up with the rest of us in that category.”
Sheila sighed. “What every mother wants to hear. Come on, let’s get your bags inside and get some lunch.”
Chapter 30
Cameron
Dad asked to eat his lunch out on the front porch.
Ian and I traded a look because we knew he was waiting for Parker to arrive, and once he was back in that leather recliner, the old man always fell asleep if he managed to eat something.
Mom didn’t fuss over his request, simply squeezing his shoulder.
Emmett and Adaline unloaded their suitcase from the SUV, bringing it in after they’d greeted everyone. Erik and Lydia left the baby—Poppy had already snagged her from Mom under the pretense of youngest aunt privileges—and drove the car back to the guesthouse where they could unload their things.
Ivy watched them drive off with a thoughtful twist of her lips.
“What is it?” I asked.
I thought maybe her eyes would dart up to mine, but she kept her gaze trained on the vehicle as it took the small curve toward my oldest stepbrother’s former house. “So if Erik hadn’t moved away, you all would’ve just … lived on the same property.”
“I guess.”
“On purpose.”
With a grin, I nodded. “Yes.”
“But you don’t feel like one of those families who’d have a big, weird commune thing.” Finally, she looked up at me. “You’re all so normal. Other than the freakishly good looks,” she added. “That is not normal.”
My shoulders shook with repressed laughter. “I’m not sure what I’m supposed to say to that one, duchess.”
She sighed heavily. “Just trying to figure all of you out.” She looked into my face. “Are you sure you’re okay?”
Poppy had little Isla cuddled in her arms, Olive studied her new cousin with a shy smile on her face. Dad watched them with a contented smile on his gaunt face, and I already knew that this weekend would decimate whatever limited amount of energy he still possessed. Ian hovered behind him, and I could tell on his face we were worried about the same thing.
“Fine,” I told her.
She arched an eyebrow. “Mm-hmm.”
“I am,” I insisted.
That furrow appeared in her brow. Ivy didn’t believe me. Which was fair, because I wasn’t sure I believed myself.
After swiping a weary hand over my face, I settled my weight on the railing of the porch, widening my legs so I could sit and face her. It meant dropping her hand, but I liked watching her face when she puzzled through something.
“Brain’s working awfully hard over there?” I asked her.
Before she could answer, the door opened, and Adaline popped her head out. She marched up to us and set her hands on her hips, studying Ivy with a frank look in her eyes. “Hi. I’m stealing you.”
Ivy’s mouth fell open. “I … okay?”
I laughed quietly at the slightly panicked look in her eye. “Easy, Adaline. No interrogations.”
She blinked innocently. “Why would I interrogate your client slash friend?”
Fucking Dad and his fumbled answer. I narrowed my eyes in a warning glare. “Excellent question.”
