Fall by Winter - Cara Dee Page 0,43

he was.

I flicked on the heater and stepped into my boots before I joined him.

He stood by the workbench and looked at the bassinet Mason finished late last night.

“He was always good at this.” William nodded at Olivia’s first bed and folded his arms over his chest. “Our mother called him the family’s little fixer.”

I hummed and walked closer. “You make people’s lives easier for a living, honey.” I didn’t know what else to call psychology for children who’d suffered trauma or had neurological disorders. “If that’s not a type of fix, I don’t know what is.”

William sighed heavily and scrubbed his hands over his face. “I don’t want to compete against my own brother, Lis.”

“Compete for what?” I wondered, bewildered.

“I don’t know,” he replied tiredly. “Our children? Everything we’ve built—”

“Okay, you can stop there,” I said patiently. “I remember feeling a little threatened when Aurora and Brady came home to tell me how cool Kelly was, so I’ll go easy on you. It’s definitely an adjustment. But I wish you wouldn’t immediately assume your own brother would try to replace you. He doesn’t deserve that.”

He flinched. “I know I’m acting horribly selfish here, but this threw me.”

I nodded slowly. “It happens.”

I didn’t know how else to put it. It’d “thrown” me when he’d wanted a divorce and shortly thereafter moved in with the love of his life.

He frowned at me. “That’s all you have to say? It happens?”

I’d been fully prepared to comfort him, because I felt for him when he struggled, but this part right here…? It was almost amusing. He wasn’t made of glass, and it seemed he’d grown very comfortable with everything we’d established since the divorce.

“What do you want me to say?” I quirked a brow. “Two years ago, I had to roll with the punches when you—rightly so—ended our marriage. Today I could not be more thankful. But you didn’t exactly ease me into things, William. Mere weeks after the divorce papers had been signed, Brady told me Kelly was spending the night at your new place.” I shrugged. “I went with it. I had no choice.”

He side-eyed me warily and swallowed hard.

“That said,” I went on in a lighter tone, “you were there for me. You went the extra mile to make sure I had a significant spot in your life as the mother of your children—and as your friend. So, I’m here now.” I gestured briefly around us. “It’s your turn to watch your ex move on with the love of her life, but you won’t be alone. You have me—you have all of us.”

Something softened in his gaze. “You’re in love with him.”

I managed a wobbly little grin as a burst of emotion made my throat feel thick. “Very much. I understand it now. What you have with Kelly. I get it.”

He smiled ruefully and grabbed my hand, tugging me closer. “You know I want you to be happy, right?”

“I know.”

He wrapped me up in a tight hug and released a long breath. “It’s bittersweet to admit he’s better for you than I ever was. You have more in common,” he murmured. “He’ll probably enjoy barbecues with Sharon and…whatshisface.”

I snorted softly. “Jim.”

“Jim. Right.”

He was correct. Mason and Jim had already met, to boot. They’d picked up Sharon and me after spin class when the weather was awful, and we’d made loose plans to get together for dinner.

“I apologize for reacting the way I did earlier, Lis. I made the whole thing about me.”

“It’s okay.” I took a step back and peered up at him. “I didn’t react well to Kelly at first either.”

“Understandably,” he interjected.

“Even so. I get it.” I lifted a shoulder and smiled. “Please don’t worry about Brady and Aurora, though. We raised two fiercely loyal children, and regardless of how well they’ll get along with Mason, they know who their dad is.”

William nodded with a dip of his chin. “You’re right. I’ll talk to Aurora when we get home. I don’t want her to feel guilty about spending time with Mason.”

I squeezed his hand. “I appreciate that. He only wants to bring us all closer. I think you’ll like his idea for how we can spend holidays together, but I’ll let him tell you.”

“All right.” He looked like he was feeling better, thankfully. “Would you mind letting Mason know I’d like to talk to him? I don’t want him to think I’m going to cause any problems.”

“I’ll let him know right now.” Relieved and hopeful, I left the