I laugh and look at Dad, who’s grinning at me from beside Mom like he knows what I’m being told. They both watch us knowingly as I reach up and wrap my arms around his neck. “He already likes you. You’re safe.”
He kisses my cheek and pulls back, shooting me a wink before wrapping an arm around my shoulders. “Good. Can’t say I want to know what it’s like to be shot by a paintball gun.”
Jesse pipes up, eyes sparkling. “Want to know what it’d be like to get shot by a real one?”
Ren rolls her eyes and leans into my brother, letting him tug her against his side before draping an arm over her shoulder. “Good thing you’re both awful shots then, huh?”
“Hey!” the men say simultaneously.
There’s a tug on my dress, causing me to glance down at Ainsley. She moves her hands, wanting me to kneel closer to her.
“What’s up, Nugget?”
Her bottom lip gets drawn into her mouth. When it pops out, her lips open like she’s going to say something but doesn’t. She tries again, then furrows her brows in frustration.
I swipe hair out of her face. “It’s okay. I don’t expect you to say anything. You being here with me is all I need.”
Her hand goes to my cheek for a moment before she signs, I think Daddy is here.
I blink. “What?”
She looks up to the sky.
I do the same, seeing the sun and the cloudless sky. They were outside any chance the weather was nice. I always envied how tan they got from being out for even an hour playing. When I meet her eyes again, I nod. I sign, I think he’s here too.
She smiles at me.
I stand and take her hand and follow my family toward the parking lot. Easton keeps his steps in line with mine, his eyes going back to Carter where he walks by my father. They talk in low murmurs about who knows what, but I focus on how guarded East’s eyes are.
“He’s a good guy,” I tell him, watching his nose flare slightly. “I know you’re probably not the biggest fan of him, but he is.”
He hefts out a sigh before nodding. “I know he is, Piper. Doesn’t mean I can’t glare at the guy knowing where his hands have been.”
I glare in caution, knowing my family has yet to discover what he’s referring to. I know Carter will keep his word about staying quiet. Neither of us benefits from them knowing anything happened.
He presses a kiss against my temple as my brother walks over, one of his hands shoved into his black jeans. He’s dressed up compared to his normal grease-stained denim and Dickies shirt. “I was wondering if we could talk for a second?” His eyes go between Easton and me, his brows going up in wait. “It won’t take long.”
I nod and watch Easton take Ainsley’s hand while I walk off to the side with Jesse by my side. For a moment, we’re quiet. Not knowing what to say, I cross my arms on my chest and rock back on my heels. My eyes trail back to where Ainsley and Easton communicate, their hands moving fast.
Easton knows sign language. He learned. It thickens my throat and squeezes my chest and makes everything feel lighter. The man I love is speaking with the little girl I love in a way she doesn’t feel pressured or ashamed.
It makes me love him that much more.
“I do love you,” he says. I meet his eyes, which are full of sorrow and hesitancy. “I know I’m shitty at showing it, but I’m not lying. Things have been tough with Ren and I took sides even though I shouldn’t have. I hate seeing her upset and I knew watching you and Ainsley was hard for her. That doesn’t excuse the way I treated you, the way either of us did.”
“Honestly, Jesse, it’s okay.”
He shakes his head adamantly. “It’s not though. You always do that. You make light of situations and see the best in people even when we don’t deserve it. It’s one of the things I love about you, but it worries me too. I don’t want to see you get hurt because you care.”
I manage to shrug. “I won’t lie and say I haven’t been hurt by the way you’ve acted toward me over the years, but it isn’t like I don’t understand. If I were in Ren’s shoes, I’d feel the same way.”