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“She’s—something else.” I laugh.
“Yeah.” He rubs the back of his neck. “She was the only grandchild for several years, and her mom wasn’t in the picture, so she had a lot of male influence in her life.”
“She’s great.”
“The things kids say,” Merrick says. “Come on, let’s get you off your feet. I’d tell you to let me take a turn, but I have a feeling that’s not going to happen.” He places his hand on the small of my back and leans in close. “Baby hog.”
My body reacts to being near him, just as it always does, but I pretend otherwise and let him lead me to the couch. We spend a few more hours talking to his family. Kennedy, Declan’s wife, fills me in on the wiener pants and arm porn, while the others promise me there are more hilarious stories they can tell me about their niece. Jordyn assures me that when we have downtime at the boutique, we’ll have Blakely story time, and I plan to hold her to that.
It’s been a great day with incredible people, and when it’s time to leave, I don’t want to go. That’s not like me, not in these kinds of social situations. The Kincaid family, Merrick especially, has gone out of their way to make me feel welcome. It’s a day I’ll never forget.
CHAPTER
EIGHT
Merrick
“What’s up?” I answer my phone as I check my back pocket for my wallet. It’s Maverick, and I’ve had this weird feeling for the last hour or so. A call from my twin isn’t surprising, because that feeling, it’s not about me.
“What are you doing tonight?” Maverick asks.
“I’m having dinner with Courtney and her parents.” I look around the mail on the counter for my keys. I find them and grin, gripping them in my fist. “What’s going on? You need me?” As much as I don’t want to let Courtney down, if my brother needs me, I’ll be there. I know there’s something on his mind. It’s not just his tone, but it’s this gut feeling that I have. One that I only get with my twin.
“Nah, just calling to see what you’re into. Stella and the kids are napping, and I can’t seem to shut my mind off.”
Glancing at the clock on the wall, I have a few minutes before I need to leave. I sit down on the couch. “I’m listening.”
“It’s surreal, Mer. How is this my life?” he asks softly.
“You deserve all of it,” I tell him, meaning every single word.
“I’m supposed to be sleeping when the babies are, and all I could do was stare at my wife. Ada is curled up at her side as they sleep in our bed, and damn, Mer, I love them so fucking much. It’s... overwhelming sometimes.”
His confession makes me smile. “They love you too. You’re the center of their world, Maverick.”
“Yeah,” he says, his tone lighter. “I want this for you, man. I do. I know we teased our brothers about this, but fuck me, Merrick, it’s unlike anything I’ve ever known.”
“I’ll find her,” I tell him.
“She might be right in front of you and you don’t even know it.”
I chuckle. “You mean like Stella was right in front of you?”
“Exactly. I’m so fucking glad I opened my eyes. It makes my chest ache to think I could have missed out on life with her and Ada, and now the twins—my heart is so fucking full it could bust wide open.”
“Embrace it, brother.”
“I am. So... dinner with the family tonight?”
“Yeah, Court’s mom has been on her about all of us having dinner, so we’re meeting them at that new steakhouse in Harris. Her sister and her fiancé will be there as well.”
“She’s nice. We like her.”
I shake my head even though he can’t see me. “Yeah, she’s nice, and I like her too. She’s easy to be around, which is a plus, since we’re faking this whole relationship thing.”
“Right. Faking.” The words come out with a fake cough, and I roll my eyes.
“I need to get going. Call me if you need me, and go nap with your family.”
