the dog.
“Mmmbah! Mmmbah!”
“He thinks every dog is Meatball,” Molly said, reaching for Evie with the same spark in her eyes as her little boy. “I travel in a pack,” she whispered as they hugged. “And the grannies insisted, but points to me for making them leave their dogs at home.”
“Oh, it’s fine, I—”
“Is that Declan?” Molly asked with a soft gasp. “Brace yourself. Yiayia’s gonna explode with high hopes.”
“If her hopes are that the windows will open and close again, she’s in luck.” Evie added a squeeze and greeted the rest of them in a flurry of hugs and hellos, taking an extra moment with Pru, whom she hadn’t seen in several years.
“Beautiful Prudence Anne,” she whispered, making the teenager laugh and roll her eyes.
“Hi, Dr. Hewitt.”
“Hey, I used to be Aunt Evie when you were a little bitty girl.”
“I remember,” she said, brushing back a lock of hair. “You used to play peekaboo with me. You’d say, ‘Pru, where does the doctor play peekaboo?’”
“In the I-C-U!” Evie answered with a hearty laugh.
“That sounds like Evie,” Molly joked. “The TA who could make a whole class groan at her animal puns.”
Danny had reached the dog with more cries of “Mmmbah!” but Yiayia marched right up to Declan.
“My oh my, look who’s here.”
Declan nodded. “Nice to see you, too, Yiayia.”
“Careful with that dog,” Molly exclaimed, pulling everyone’s attention to Danny as he zeroed in on Judah, who barked and backed up.
Molly scooped the child up before he could get his hands on Judah. But the surprise threw the dog off a little, and he lifted his head and howled.
“Upstairs?” Declan asked Evie.
“Good idea. You can take him up the back stairs to Granddaddy’s room. Molly and I will come up and do the exam there in a minute.”
He nodded, leading the dog around to the back of the house.
“I’m afraid we caused a wee bit of chaos, lass.” Gramma Finnie patted Evie’s arm as she walked them to the front door.
“I like a little chaos,” Evie said. “We could use some around here.”
“And I really wanted to see the house,” Pru added. “I heard it’s totally sick inside. Can I see the museum room?”
“Of course.” Evie opened the front door and gestured for them all to go first. “You can see the whole house.”
Inside, Molly put Danny down, and instantly, he beelined for the stairs.
“Whoa, kiddo. No you don’t.” She launched after him, airlifting him seconds before he got to the first step. “He’s unstoppable,” she said on an exasperated laugh.
“He’s gorgeous.” Evie reached for the chunky baby boy with dark eyes and a shock of nearly black, Einstein-wild hair. “And he’s a clone of Trace.”
“Seriously, I just carried him,” Molly quipped as she handed him over. “This kid is pure Bancroft, there but for the tattoos he’ll probably get when he’s twelve.”
“Little Daniel Bancroft, do you want to play peekaboo?” Evie bopped his nose as he settled onto her hip in a way that felt insanely natural.
He gurgled in her face, giving a two-toothed smile and tugging at her hair.
“Oh, he’s a lover,” Evie cooed, easing her hair out of his hand right before it got tasted.
“And a drooler,” Pru warned.
“Well, I adore a man who drools over me,” she joked in a baby-talk voice. “Especially one this handsome.”
“Can I show Pru the museum room?” Yiayia asked as they gathered around the baby.
Boy, they were eager to get in there. “Oh, yes. Be sure to look on the coffee table for a stunning locket that I discovered hidden in that newel.” She pointed to the carved ball that now sat a little straighter and more securely on the stair rail. “Well, Declan discovered it.”
A couple of meaningful looks passed between Yiayia and Gramma Finnie, and even Molly raised a brow.
“What was he doing looking in the banister?” Yiayia asked a little breathlessly.
“He was fixing it,” Evie explained when yet another incredibly unsubtle look bounced between the older women. “He’s helping with some maintenance and repairs in exchange for my help with Judah.”
“Well, that’s very nice,” Gramma Finnie said. “He’s such a thoughtful lad.”
“And so handsome and responsible,” Yiayia added with a smile.
Evie was half tempted to shoot back, No kidding, and how ’bout those shoulders? But she just rocked the baby on her hip and smiled at them.
“Now, can we…” Yiayia tipped her head in the direction of the museum room.
“Yiayia hasn’t stopped talking about that room,” Pru said.
“You guys go explore.” Molly put her arm around Evie’s back. “Evie