the girl I assume is Logan’s girlfriend sighs. “I can’t with this cuteness,” she says, looking over at Logan. He smiles at her, and I wonder how perfect she must be to be good enough in his eyes.
Leo stands and turns to face his family. “Remember how I told you I had five brothers?” he asks Benny, and Benny nods. “Well, this is all of them.”
They file down the porch steps—one by one—to greet my son in different ways. Mr. Preston’s the last, and Benny looks up at him, gives him a megawatt smile. “Hi, Mr. Preston, sir!” he says, waving his little hand.
“Hi, Benny. It’s good to see you again.” His smile is forced.
I don’t want to be here.
“You’re all so big and strong,” Benny tells them, his head moving from side to side.
Lincoln, one of the twins, laughs at this and says, “You’ll probably be big and strong like us, too.”
“Why?” Benny asks, head tilted.
My heart leaps out of my chest, and I try to come up with a response. I can see everyone else doing the same. Leo assured me his brothers wouldn’t say a damn thing. We didn’t want it coming out, not from them. We wanted— “Leo said you eat all your vegetables, right?” It’s Logan who speaks.
Benny nods.
“Well, vegetables make you big and strong.” Logan smirks, then flexes his bicep. “I eat them all the time and look at me.”
Benny laughs, then shakes his head at Logan. “You’re not as big and strong as Leo!” he says, tugging on Leo’s arm in excitement. “He’s bigger than all of you!” He looks at Mr. Preston, his smile lopsided. “Even you!” That gains a round of laughter, even from me.
“We’re just waiting on Katie, my granddaughter, and Preston, Leo’s godson. They should be here soon,” he says, looking at my dad. “Did you want to come in for a drink?”
“Sure,” Dad says, taking Tammy’s hand as they follow behind Mr. Preston.
“This is a lovely home you have here,” Dad murmurs.
I don’t hear Mr. Preston’s response, because they’re already in the house.
Benny looks between Lincoln and Liam, his eyes narrowed. “Why are there two of you?”
Leo laughs, saying, “They’re twins. Do you know what twins are?”
Shaking his head, Benny answers, “No.”
“It means they were in my mama’s belly at the same time.”
Benny’s eyes widen. “How did they get in there?”
“Um…” Leo turns to me, his cheeks reddening.
“Hey, Benny!” Logan calls, distracting Benny. He reaches behind the porch to collect a blue bucket. “I hear you like rocks?”
Benny’s eyes light up. He’s so excited, he’s practically jumping in his spot. “I do!” he squeals, taking the bucket from Logan.
“See there?” Logan says, pointing to Benny’s name on the bucket in a darker shade of blue. He points to Laney, saying, “She put that there just for you, bud.”
“Thank you!” Benny grips the bucket to his chest, then looks up at Leo. “Adventure time?”
Leo nods. “You go ahead. My brothers will go with you. I’ll catch up in a minute.”
I start to say no, but Holden stops me. “He’s fine, Mia.”
I watch as Logan and Lucas walk on either side of Benny, leading him away. “Hi,” Leo says, stopping in front of me.
“Hi,” I repeat.
“It’s going to be okay, Mia.” He presses his lips to my forehead. “Just relax.” And then he’s kissing me, full open mouth, his arms wrapped around my waist, and I melt into the comfort of his embrace, living for the moment, for the now.
“Gross,” Holden mutters, and Leo and I pull away just in time to see him going into the house.
“I missed you,” Leo says.
“I can tell,” I laugh out, wiping the evidence of our kiss from his lips.
Leo sighs, loosening his hold on me. “So, at some point, my dad wants to talk to you.”
I grimace.
He shakes his head. “Don’t worry, okay?”
I grimace harder.
Leo chuckles. “Quit being so fucking cute all the time, or I’ll take you up to my room right now and fulfill all my childhood fantasies.”
“Shut up,” I whisper, shoving his shoulder.
“You think I’m playing?” He cocks an eyebrow.
“I know you’re not,” I murmur. “That’s why shut up.” I look over his shoulder at his brothers walking with Benny, stopping every few seconds to look at something. “It was really nice of them, the whole bucket and rock thing, and swear—when Lincoln said—”
“Lincoln’s an idiot.” He rolls his eyes. “But I swear to you, Mia. They’re not the same people they were back then. They’ve been super supportive and