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“I’ve prayed for this, lass,” Sorcha said through her tears. “I knew my Kade would bring you two together.”
“Ma—”
Peyton stopped him. “It’s okay, Brodie. I believe there’s some truth to what she’s saying.”
“I do too, only I’m not sure how much you like to talk about him.”
There was a knock at the door. “I’ll get it,” Maddox offered.
“It’s probably my mom. I’ll get it.” Both Alex and Maddox walked toward the door. Peyton saw the look that passed between them and noticed they stood close enough to each other for their arms to touch. Soon, she’d corner Alex and force her to tell her what was going on between her and Brodie’s brother.
“We didn’t expect to see you, little sister.” Maddox wrapped someone Peyton didn’t recognize in a hug.
Brodie jumped off the sofa and hurried to the entryway. He held the woman, who was crying, tight in his arms.
“That’s Ainsley, lass,” Sorcha told Peyton. “Have you met my youngest?”
“I haven’t. She’s beautiful.”
The woman walking toward her with her arm wrapped around Brodie’s waist was stunning. She was tall and thin, like Peyton was, with the same fiery red hair as Sorcha’s. It was wavy and long, reaching all the way down to the curve of her back. She had the same deep blue eyes as her siblings, and her face was covered in freckles. She wore a knee-length, deep-emerald-green dress with long sleeves, over black tights, and funky patterned socks were peeking over her caramel-colored boots.
“I’m Ainsley.” She leaned down and hugged Peyton. “High time we met. Ma’s told me so much about you.”
“It’s nice to meet you, too.”
Ainsley sat down on one side of Peyton, and Brodie sat on the other.
“Where’s Skye?”
“On her way. I didn’t know you were coming too. I’ve missed you, kiddo,” Brodie said to his sister.
Ainsley leaned into Peyton. “I’m twenty-seven years old, and he still calls me kiddo.”
“You’ll always be my baby sister, Ains. Doesn’t matter if I’m seventy-five and you’re seventy.”
When they heard another knock, Peyton’s father got up. “I’ll get it, and we can leave it open. Who knows who else might show up today?”
Peyton’s mother stood when she saw it was Lucia Avila.
“Welcome, dear friend.” She leaned forward, and the two women hugged.
“Quite a gathering you have here today, August.”
When Peyton shifted to stand, Brodie did instead. “Mrs. Avila, it’s good to see you.”
“And you, Brodie.” Lucia smiled and leaned down to hug Peyton. “If I were thirty years younger, I’d hook one of these Butler boys myself.”
“Mama!” Alex shook her finger.
“Now, now. I’m not, so Maddox is all yours.” She winked.
Peyton couldn’t have predicted she’d ever see Maddox Butler blush, but Alex’s conversation with her mother had him turning almost red.
“Is this getting to be too much?” Brodie whispered to Peyton when he sat on the sofa.
“I’m tired.”
He leaned in closer. “Let me know when you want to go upstairs. Don’t feel as though you need to stay down here if you don’t want to.”
