Laughter, playful insults, and horrible flirting on Mark’s end happily bounced from the walls.
“What’s going on?” Ellie slipped up next to me, with a careful eye on our company. Instead of being full of concern for what might happen, I just smiled over at my twin.
“Our friends are here for dinner.”
“Oh, cool.” She took a step into the kitchen and sat down. Not one person acted any differently, and when Keith handed her a plate, she took it with a thank you.
My parents both looked over at her, and when my mom’s glossy eyes found mine, she mouthed, “Did Sloane do this?”
I shrugged because she may or may not have initiated the gathering, but I knew she was the reason for all of this.
I wished she was here.
“Hungry, Black?” Keith held up a plate for me.
“I am.” I pushed off the wall and joined my family.
***
The cold found its way inside my lungs, and I relished the sting that settled deep down inside my chest. A part of me felt guilty for having a good time when North Rock was stuck in a humid hell, but sometimes you just needed to let loose and clear your head.
“This is gonna hurt like a son-of-a-bitch.” Mike grinned at the guys and held the frozen leather between his fingers.
“Ready?” Keith nodded at Mark with a smirk, ready to use his size to plow into him.
“Bring it, like your sister did the other night,” Mark taunted him as I shook my head at Keith. I knew he understood what was about to happen.
“But wait.” Savi popped her head up and lost her formation again. “Which sister?”
“Which sister?” Mike hissed.
“Well, yeah.” Mia joined in and spoke to Savi. “One and Four have the looks for sure.”
“But I can see Three being more Mark’s type.”
“Yes,” Mia pointed to Savi, “I can see that too.”
Mike stood and rubbed the spot between his eyes. “No more wives in the game.”
Savannah made a run for Mike while Mia bolted in the other direction. Savi slipped the ball out of Mike’s hand and tossed it to Mia, who ran like the wind down to the spray-painted line and tossed it on the ground with her arms in the air.
“Power of distraction, ladies!” She high fived Savannah, and Mike and I let our heads fall with defeat.
“This is your fault,” Keith hissed at Mark, who looked thoroughly entertained by his wife.
“She’s so fucking hot right now.” Mark raced over to Mia and scooped her up with a kiss.
“No more Mark either,” Mike muttered behind us.
“Where is Cole?” I joined Mike on the fence when I felt my phone go off. I held up a finger to him and started down toward the patio.
“Hey, babe, I was starting to think you forgot about me.”
“Never.” Her laugh turned into a yawn. “Sorry, but I needed to clear something up, and I finally got the answer I was looking for. I’m in Nebraska tonight and then Casper, Wyoming tomorrow, then hopefully tomorrow or the next day I can come home.”
Warmth shot through my chest. I loved that she wanted to come back, not to mention she said the word home. “Do you have a lead for us?”
“Maybe, but I just need one more thing to connect the dots.”
“You want to talk about it?” I would talk about the weather just to hear her voice right now.
“I wish you were here in this bed with me.”
I closed my eyes and pictured her in bed under me. “Oh, you have no idea how much I wish I could be.” Suddenly, I remembered something. “What about the next best thing? Mom and Ellie will be in Casper tomorrow for a specialist appointment.”
“Really?” That seemed to perk her up some.
“Yeah. Why don’t you see if you can meet up with them for lunch?”
“I’d love that. I’ll text her once we hang up.” There was a long pause before I heard her shift in her blankets. “John?”
“Yeah?”
“Nothing is holding me there.”
“Holding you where?”
“Washington.”
Oh!
“Are you saying you’d move here?” I held my breath and pressed my lips together for her answer.
“If I had a reason to stay, I would.”
“Am I not enough of a reason?” I grinned like a sixteen-year-old boy who just had his first graze with a boob.
“Add Tripper to the pot, and then it would be enough,” she teased. “But, John, I want you to know something.”
“Okay.” I wished she was here. I wanted to get my hands on her, to hold her, stroke her, make her