but me and Evie weren’t the same at all. Cassie and Bash had loved each other since they were kids. They were supposed to be together. I’d only known Evie for a month, six weeks tops.
Not the same situation at all.
But I could suck it up and just avoid being alone with her. Or near her. Yeah. I could do that.
Fuck. I didn’t even believe myself.
I absently plucked at the bass in my lap and wished I could be anywhere but here, but it was my house, so that wasn’t an option.
“It’ll be fine,” I muttered.
Bash nudged me in the shoulder. “Evie is great. Cass and I had dinner at her place the other night. James is an amazing little kid. I see flashes of Jamie and it makes me sad and boosts my spirits all at the same time.”
“You don’t have to tell me how great that kid is,” I said. Or how great Evie is.
“I know. Maybe there’s a song in there,” he said.
“Won’t Cassie be upset if you write about something other than her?” I teased.
“They aren’t all about her,” he said, with a shrug.
“Sure they aren’t.”
“Anyone hungry?” Cassie called out, and I glanced up to see her standing at the door with a massive bag of food.
“I am,” James’ voice carried over Cassie’s shoulder into the room and she turned to give the little boy the brightest smile I’d ever seen.
Don’t get me wrong, she smiled at Bash constantly, and at the rest of us. But this smile was different. It was as if all the happiness in the world was looking right at her in that moment.
And I needed to shove aside my shit and be happy, too.
Even if my heart clenched a little bit when I finally met Evie’s eyes. She broke our gaze a split second later, focusing on James wiggling in her arms.
I’d missed her more than I should have, and seeing her standing there, shifting on her feet awkwardly, drove home that fact. I would have given anything to yank her into my arms. To kiss the hell out of her. To forget every misstep we’d had.
But I still couldn’t completely trust her, and I wasn’t sure if I’d ever be able to.
“Aren’t you always hungry?” Bash asked, walking over to grab the bag of food from Cassie.
“Mommy says I’m growing,” James said.
“You are. Way too quickly for me,” Evie said. Then she looked around the room. “Hi, everyone.”
Jax popped up from his seat and headed toward them.
“Hey, little man, you must be James,” he said, a huge grin on his face.
“Yep. Who are you?”
“I’m your super awesome and amazing uncle Jax,” he said, and if I had to bet, most of us rolled our eyes.
“He’s excited to have someone his age to play with,” Bash said, and I chuckled.
“Oh, Wolfie, be nice,” Jax said.
James looked back and forth between them as they teased each other.
“Don’t overwhelm him,” Cassie said, pushing Jax back.
“Just wanted to make sure he knew who his favorite uncle was going to be,” Jax said.
Then James spotted me and grinned. Then he waved and I couldn’t help but return his grin.
“Hi, Tristan. I missed you. You missed lots of pizza.”
I chuckled softly. “Yeah. Sorry about that.” I reached out and ruffled his hair and avoided touching Evie at all costs.
James wiggled in his mom’s arms and she lowered him to the ground.
“Don’t break anything,” she said.
“Don’t worry about it. Jax breaks tons of shit,” Bash said.
“Bash,” Cassie admonished.
“Shit. Oh sorry. I’m working on it. Anyway, Jax is always breaking something,” Bash said sheepishly, and I couldn’t stop my laugh.
Evie would probably kill us, but the odds of James not learning curse words while hanging out with us were slim.
Then James barreled into me and I couldn’t help but scoop him up in a hug. “Whoa,” I said.
“James,” Evie said at the same time, and we both looked at her. A faint blush stained her cheeks, and I had to focus on the bundle of energy in my arms to keep from kissing Evie.
This was never going to work. I already couldn’t separate my feelings between them.
“You have to come to the park. Auntie Cassie is the best, but you push higher,” he said.
I laughed. “I’ll see what I can do.”
“Good. I’m hungry,” he repeated.
“Me too, little dude,” I said.
Cassie and Bash had already spread out sandwiches, pasta salad, and chips on the table in the corner. We made up plates of food and found spots to sit.