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“You should have seen Capri,” Teal went on. “She looked so excited at the prospect of not only having a bookstore there since she loves to read but also to have you be the one right next door.”
My forehead crinkled in confusion. “Me? She doesn’t even know me.”
She batted away my comment with her hand and I realized the ladies did that a lot. They were very expressive, not just with their mouths, but talked with their hands too.
“Capri said she instantly liked you and had a good feeling about you. Plus she said your son was adorable.” Since she was close to Zander she rustled the hair on the top of his head and he laughed. “I think she’s lonely. I mean she loves talking when any of us go in, but I never see her with anyone and she doesn’t talk about family. I’ve never wanted to pry, so I’m not exactly sure. It’s just a feeling I get.”
“She needs a man in her life. I’d set her up with Lyric but he’s taken.” Teal winked at the wall of muscle that growled like a grizzly bear at her words.
“He’s saving himself for Ruby. Once he pulls his head out of his a—” Alley looked over at Embry and gave her a ha-ha look. She almost owed the swear jar more money and the little girl knew it by the smile on her face.
“Wait, I only know one Ruby. Are you talking about my nurse, Ruby?” I asked.
“The one and only,” Alley said. “Lyric and her have a thing.”
Another growl from Lyric. He looked the part of a grizzly with his facial hair. Sometimes it was shorter, but he’d let it go a little longer right then. It actually looked good on him.
“We don’t have a thing. You are all a bunch of meddlers,” he said in an exasperated tone. But I could tell he truly wasn’t mad by the look on his face and giving them shit right back.
“Mommy, I want to help with a new store!” Zander exclaimed, taking us back to the original conversation and saving Lyric in the process.
I’d realized then what I had missed at the hospital when everyone was carrying on.
“I miss the last one. But I am glad we are here so it worked out, right?” Zander smiled.
My little guy was a smart one. Because I was pretty sure it was all working out. And I was hoping it stayed that way. Zander had been talking nonstop about his sleepover and at one point Embry asked if she could be there the next time. It had been funny to watch the boy's faces scrunch up, but in the end, Dexter and my son had told her yes.
The thought of the three of them together reminded me of Luke, Rowan, and me. A fraction of sorrow sunk in. I missed Luke so much.
“I want to help too, Auntie Brin,” Embry added.
Then Dexter said he did too and Hudson, Embry’s little brother ran around yelling, “Me too, me too!”
All the adults were watching me, nodding their heads yes in a show that they wanted to help too. The girls had already told me that the evening before, but every man was doing the same.
“You guys are too much.” Tears welled in my eyes.
“That’s what family is for, my mama always says,” Embry added with a nod of her own.
Looking around the room again, my heart fluttered with love.
“Okay, let’s do it!” I said.
Cheers went up around the room and sank into my soul.
“You got this, baby,” Rowan whispered in my ear. “And I am right here with you. Always.”
I’d felt so lost after losing Luke, taking off with Zander on my own, and losing everything.
But I’d found my way again.
And as sad as things had been, maybe I’d been on my way back to Rowan.
ChapterThirty-Three
ROWAN
I neededit to be perfect.
