For a split second I panicked because I didn’t, in fact, have a pen. Then I realized that my phone was in my damn pocket.
Five minutes later, I was walking back toward my truck, both relieved and disappointed that I hadn’t come face-to-face with my brother’s ex. Half of me was glad that I had another day to psych myself up for the upcoming interaction, but the other half was frustrated that I hadn’t gotten that first meet over with yet.
I called Katie as I pulled back on to the busy freeway.
“How’d it go?” she asked without preamble. “Is she nice? What does Henry’s daughter look like? Is she going to let us see her?”
“Take a breath,” I replied drily.
“I can’t. This is huge.”
“It’s nothing, yet,” I said. “She doesn’t live there anymore.”
“Oh no!”
“The guy who’s in the apartment now gave me her address, though. She’s up in Anaheim.”
“Well, that was shitty of him. I mean, good for us, but who freaking gives up info like that to some dude they don’t know?” She paused, probably to inhale after her little rant. “What are you going to do now?”
“Go up there tomorrow, I guess. Can I stay at your place—”
“Yes!” she replied before I’d even gotten the words out.
“All right, I’ll be there in a bit.”
* * *
“Uncle Trev!” my nephews yelled as I climbed out of my truck an hour later. I threw Gavin up in the air, then hugged Keller against my side as I made my way slowly toward the front of the house. The drive between Morgan’s old apartment and Shane and Kate’s house wasn’t far, but it had been such a fucking headache. Between the road construction and the sheer number of people getting home, I’d been mostly stopped in the stop-and-go traffic.
“You made it,” Kate said happily as she ushered me into the house. “I know you’re only here for the night, but I’m so glad we get to see you!”
“Me too,” I murmured, leaning forward to kiss the top of her head. I still had Keller clinging to my side and Gavin in my arms. They were both built like little tanks, and their warm bodies pressing up against me were making me sweat even worse than I had been.
“You look like you need a beer,” Shane called, laughing at the look on my face. “Or five.”
“Just one would be great,” I said, setting Gavin down as I moved toward the kitchen. “Where are the other kids?”
“Iris is sleeping, and Gunner and Sage are out back,” Katie said with a smile. “I didn’t tell them you were here yet.” She went to go get the kids as Shane handed me a beer.
“She moved?” he asked, leaning against the counter.
“Yeah, but I’ve got her address in Anaheim. Gonna head up there in the morning.”
“There’s a hotel up there that we stayed at when we took the kids to Disney for a weekend. I’ll get you the info,” he replied. “It’s nice, cheap, and they do a full breakfast in the morning. Worth the price for just that.”
“Yeah, eating fast food is getting old,” I replied.
“When did you get here?” Sage called as she ran through the back door in a swimsuit. She was soaking wet, but I didn’t stop her as she came barreling toward me.
“Just now,” I answered as I leaned down to hug her. Half a second later, her arms and legs were wrapped around me as I lifted her off the floor. She was probably getting too big for her parents to carry around, but I was the fun uncle and as long as I could lift her I’d do it. “How’s school going?”
“Good,” she said, leaning back so she could see my face. “A couple weeks ago we had a new girl come to class, and I showed her around so now we’re best friends.”
“Funny how that happens, huh?”
“Yep. Auntie Kate says you never know what cool things will happen when you’re nice to people.”
“That’s true,” I replied, nodding.
“Time for a shower and pajamas, Sage,” Kate said as she came inside with Gunner under her arm. “Then you can come back down and hang with Uncle Trev for a while.”
A few minutes later, it was quiet in the kitchen as the kids got ready for bed upstairs.
“You sure you don’t want me to come with you?” Shane asked as we got comfortable at the kitchen table. “Might be easier with me there.”
“Nah.” I shook my head. “It’ll be bad enough when I show up.”
“You think she’ll react badly?”
“I have no idea,” I replied honestly. “I figure it could go either way.”
“Hopefully she believes that you’re Hen’s brother,” he said with a small smile.
“I’m sure she’ll see the resemblance,” I joked with a shrug, thankful for the small humor that made my shoulders relax for the first time that day.