alive. I’ll take cute just for you,” Beacon breaks the ice and walks to her extending his hand. “I’m Beacon, and whatever he told you about me is a lie. That’s Mills, and the kid is Arden. Now tell me about all these farm animals you have because I want to meet them. Maybe we can sing Old McPierce had a Farm with real chicken effects.”
“I’ll take you to the barn later,” she offers, then looks at the toddler again. “Can I hold him?”
Mills hands Arden over to her, and the way her face lights up almost knocks me off my feet. I’ve never seen her with a kid before, but she radiates so much love. The way she speaks to him is adorable.
She introduces everyone to Daisy and Buster. Then she says, “Sit, guys.” Getting closer to them she squats, places Arden on her leg, and explains. “This is Arden. We need to keep an eye on him. We’re here to protect him, okay?”
Both bark in agreement and Arden barks back. She doesn’t let him go until it’s time to choose the bedrooms, and surprise, surprise, my brothers are insistent that we have to follow the will—that includes Leyla and me sharing the same room. They should at least give us the bigger room. Blaire called it hers.
I call that bullshit. My brother is going to end up sleeping with her all night. Either they give Leyla and me a room each or we get the bigger one. I don’t voice it, instead I play them.
“The stipulation says that you two must stay in the same room,” Hayes reminds us as I’m trying to shove him and Blaire in the same room.
“You are crazy if you think I’m going to share a room with him,” Leyla argues, her voice is so loud I’m almost sure they can hear her all the way to California. You’re playing it a little too thick, sweetheart. I told you to stick with me and support me, but they’re going to think that you’re high maintenance. “I need my space, and if you want me to stay, you have to accommodate the one thing I’m requesting.”
“Listen, I wouldn’t mind sending him to the barn with the animals,” Hayes explains, and Leyla bites her lower lip trying to contain the laughter. “However, Dad specified that you two need to share a room.”
I shrug as if trying to say I’ll manage when I’m really trying to tell her, we lost.
She huffs. I look at her and offer a solution, “You can sign the divorce papers.”
“The master bedroom is big enough for the two of you, and there’s a sitting room where we can fit a bed,” Blaire offers, taking our hands. “See, this room is almost as big as an apartment.”
“When can we order the bed?” Leyla asks.
“I’ll do it today,” Blaire answers.
Once we move our things into the bedroom, I close the door and she high-fives me. “I feel so bad because Blaire is so nice, but this room is so much better, and we’re two,” she whispers.
“You almost laughed and lost us this room, but well played, Ley,” I compliment her.
For the rest of the day, she spends a lot of time with Arden, and I want to tell her to stop. That she’s going to get too attached, and he’s not hers, but I don’t because that sounds cruel. Not only that, it sounds almost like what my grandmother used to say every year before I left for Baker’s Creek.
Everyone from my grandfather, grandmother, and mother cautioned me about feelings, letting people in, or getting too attached. It’s sad to realize it. I’ve lost too many relationships because of that—including my marriage. At least I have the comfort that I have another chance with my brothers. But does it have to be only with them?
Chapter Twenty-Four
Leyla
Yesterday was a strange day, to say the least.
It was almost like moving day in college but with steroids. Instead of dealing with a drunk freshman, we had to deal with an injured Vance, who came from a mission and had a bullet in the leg. Pierce was concerned because people bleeding used to make me anxious. I already told him that I found a great therapist who has helped me immensely with my PTSD. I guess he didn’t believe me.
I was fine and able to help Blaire and Hayes since I know first aid and got my EMT certification during college. Sure, what they do is not