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Wilson slid an arm around his girl.
I pulled my son close and didn’t have to lean down as far as I once did to kiss the top of his head.
“Mama?” Micha called.
“Yeah, baby?”
“I love you.”
“Love you more.”
After I’d moved to Coeur d’Alene it hadn’t taken me long to finally understand what Gram had been trying to explain to me all those years—the love my father had for my mother had been all encompassing. When he lost her, he lost himself. That wasn’t to say I agreed with how he handled it by shutting me out of his life. But as a woman who loved deeply, I got it. I couldn’t say I was any closer to my father now, however he made an effort with his grandchildren and never lectured me about what he thought of my life. He was just there, in the background, still holding himself apart. At times it made me sad, all the things he’d missed out on, I couldn’t imagine not having that time with Chloe and Micha. But it was what it was.
Life was life and through all the ups and downs, Wilson was there next to me.
“Look! Raiden’s here.” Micha happily bounced in front of me.
“I see.”
And I did. It was hard to miss the Kent boys. At twelve, Maverick was already taller than his mother. At nine, Raiden was inching his way up, closing in on Letty. Much to Letty’s excitement both boys got their father’s icy blue eyes. As they got older their hair was getting darker—not Letty’s black, but a dark brown. The boys were a handsome mix for sure.
Behind the Kent family, Letty’s parents, Michael and Tally, walked out the back door smiling. Rhode, Brooklyn, Slade, and Remington followed.
Remington Daley—the man of the hour.
“I did it!” Remy shouted.
The young man hadn’t changed a bit from the boy I’d met.
The backyard erupted into cheers.
“Remington Steel, high school graduate,” Asher whooped from his place next to the patio.
His arm was around Sloane, Dax standing close.
“Before we celebrate, I want to say something,” Remy declared, his gaze going around the backyard.
Brooklyn looked up at her son. My friend’s smile was so big and bright it filled me to bursting with happiness.
“The best day of my life was the day my dad came into Aunt Letty’s bookstore looking for my mom,” he started. “Not that my life wasn’t perfect before he showed up. I have the best mom in the world. She gave me Aunt Letty and Gramps and Grandma and I always knew she loved me. But the day my dad showed up, he gave me all of you.” Remington stopped, pulled in a breath and searched the crowd until he found who he was looking for. “He gave me Uncle Reese who taught me there’s always something to look forward to.”
I glanced over to the Turmel family—Reese had Sadie in the curve of his arm. Jolee, Davis, and Hazel huddled close, all smiling at their dad. And yes, Sadie named her only son after Davis Wright, the man who had saved her life. Reese was fully on board with the name, seeing as if it wasn’t for Davis, he wouldn’t have his wife or his children.
“He gave me my Uncle Asher,” Remy went on. “Who helped me pass four years of math class with his wicked smarts. I think I can admit now, he did most of my homework for me.”
Rhode shook his head and smiled. The rest of us laughed at the confession.
Remy went back to looking around.
“He gave me my Uncle Davis who taught me all of his best comebacks and always made time to cheer me up and cheer me on.”
Jane shifted Rhys to her other hip and pressed closer to her husband. Isabella, Raine, Avery, and Emmett did the same.
“He gave me my Uncle Cole who always knows exactly the right thing to say when I need to hear it.”
Cole dipped his chin. Emily tipped her head back to smile up at her dad. Mia proudly scooted closer to her husband.
“He gave me my Uncle Wilson who taught me what real strength looks like.”
