Light laughter rippled from Eden. “That’s a lot of questions, Juni Bee.”
“I just wonderin’.” She shrugged.
My laughter was a slip of discomfort. A crush of awe. “It’s fine. I’m not quite sure what I’m doing here, either,” I admitted.
Gretchen waddled past, gently bouncing Baby Kate.
“She’s twisting your uncle up in a thousand knots, that’s what she’s doin’. I’ve never seen that man strung so tight. About to blow, if you ask me.”
She winked at me.
Redness flashed.
Eden giggled. “Gretchen.”
“I just tell it like it is, honey. No need to beat around the bush, and we can be mighty sure Logan has been doing somebeating.”
My hand pressed to my mouth to stop the crack of surprise.
Wow. She really wasn’t one to keep her tongue tamed.
I kind of loved it.
I kind of loved her.
I kind of loved it here.
And with each day that passed, I knew it was going to become more and more difficult to leave this sanctuary.
Gage ran over and grabbed me by the hand. “It’s Uncle Logan’s birthday so we have to make him feel extra, extra special in the whole wide world right up to the highest mountain, so we came to decorate for a surprise and then we have a super special surprise party for him at our house tonight. It was all my idea. Do you want to come?”
Warily, I glanced at Eden.
More of that warmth flooded from her smile. “She’s absolutely invited, but only if she wants to.”
“Do you? Do you want to come?” he asked, beaming up at me with that smile.
The vacancy throbbed, while a hardened place within me melted.
I squeezed his hand back. “Well, I’m not sure what I’m doing tonight, but I’ll definitely try to make it.”
“Try harder,” Juni said, propping her hands on her hips.
Eden shook her head. “This one is testing out how far she can get away with the sass.”
It was pure love when she said it.
This family so close.
So right.
Affection bound me tight. “If there’s any way for me to be there, I will be, Juni.”
“Promise?”
“Yes.” Why it wobbled, I didn’t know, but making an oath to this little child felt monumental. Like I was pledging something I didn’t have the right to pledge.
Claiming something that wasn’t mine.