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Uncles.
It was strange of me to think that, but it felt right.
“You ready?” Avery asked.
Finishing off the water, I nodded. “As I’ll ever be.”
Chapter Twenty-One
BECK
Avery reached for my hand as we started to leave Brock’s office. Our fingers laced together, and I couldn’t help but smile at her. I was nervous to meet the rest of the Shaw family, but knowing Avery was by my side, I felt more at ease than when I’d met my uncles.
Dirk and Brock walked ahead of us, and I could hear the voices of people growing louder as we moved through the home. Exposed log beams and wood were prominent. It was stunning.
Leaning in to speak so only Avery could hear me, I said, “This house is beautiful.”
She smiled. “It is. I would love to have a log home someday.”
Before I could reply back to her, we walked into a large family room, bigger than Stella and Ty Senior’s, and everyone turned to look at me.
“Holy…”
I let my words trail off as my eyes scanned the room. Smiling faces greeted me as I felt my heart rate pick up a bit.
Stella walked up to me and kissed me on the cheek. “How do you feel after Dirk’s little game he played on you?”
“I feel fine now, ma’am. I mean, Stella.”
She gave me a warm smile, took my other hand, and turned to the rest of her clan.
“Okay, let’s introduce you to everyone. Pay close attention, there’ll be a quiz later.”
My head snapped to look at her, and I saw the corner of her mouth twitch with a hidden smile.
“Wow!” a pretty blonde said. She stood next to Bryson Robinson, who played for the Mariners. “You look just like Uncle Beck. I mean, his pictures. You look like him from the pictures I’ve seen.”
I smiled. “So I’ve been told.”
“We’ll go from oldest to youngest,” Stella said. “Beck, you’ve already met Blayze. Brock and Lincoln’s oldest son.”
Blayze and I met in the middle of the room, and I shook his hand. “Good seeing you again.”
“Same to you. This is my wife, Georgiana, and our two sons, Ryder and Rhett.”
Both boys walked up to me. I would guess they were about two. I knelt down as one of them handed me a small stuffed moose.
“Thank you so much. I love moose, and I hope I see one while I’m here.”
Georgiana bent down as well. “This little one is Ryder.”
“That’s Rhett, Georgiana,” Blayze said. “The red socks.”
She looked at his socks and closed her eyes. When she opened them, she smiled. “This is Rhett. Rhett, this is your cousin…or is it uncle? No, it’s cousin Beck.”
I laughed. “I think it’s cousin.”
The other little boy walked over. “And you must be Ryder.”
He gave me a wide smile and handed me a stuffed bear wearing a shirt that said Montana. “Thank you! I love it.”
The little guy giggled and then threw himself into his mother’s arms. She stood, as did I.
“Yep, this is Ryder,” Georgiana said with a laugh.
Stella went on. “This is Morgan, and her husband Ryan.”
I shook Ryan’s hand. Morgan was holding a little girl about the same age as the twins.
“It’s so nice to meet you, Beck!” Morgan said, as she leaned in and kissed me on the cheek. “This is our daughter, Blakley.”
I leaned in and said, “Well, aren’t you the prettiest little thing I’ve ever seen.”
Blakley giggled and buried her face into Morgan’s chest.
“Great,” Ryan said. “Already letting the handsome boys make her giggle.”
Everyone laughed as I shook Ryan’s hand. “Nice to meet all three of you.”
“Next is Hunter and his wife Kipton.”
“Good seeing you again, Hunter,” I said, turning to his wife. “It’s a pleasure, Kipton.” She was holding a baby in her arms. “This must be Callie,” I said, as I peeked at her.
“I’m impressed,” Kipton stated. “You’re going to fit right on in, Beck.”
Stella turned and pointed out the blonde who’d spoken earlier. “This is Rose. She’s Junior and Kaylee’s daughter, and her husband is Bryson.”
“It’s nice to meet you both,” I said, as I shook Bryson’s hand and Rose gave me a hug. She stood back and studied me.
“I’m sorry. I don’t mean to stare. It’s just…you look so much like my father and his brothers. It’s crazy.”
“I think it’s the blue eyes,” I said, feeling a touch embarrassed by all the attention. “Congratulations, by the way,” I said, as I motioned to her swollen belly.
“Thank you! I’m due in July. I heard your birthday is in July.”
“That it is,” I replied. “July fifteenth.”
“Maybe we’ll have two birthdays on the same day,” Bryson said.
“That would be cool,” I stated as I smiled at the small family.
“Next, we have Lily and her husband, Maverick.”
The same process again, with me shaking Maverick’s hand and Lily kissing me on the cheek. She was also pregnant, and due in June.
