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We laugh as we collect our clothes, which are thrown all over the place.
Music comes from the house as we approach. I hear Lexi singing. I still can’t get over how that voice comes out of a five-year-old. I could barely talk without a lisp at that age.
When a male voice starts singing, Aiden stops unexpectedly, yanking me back.
“What the h—”
“Shh,” he says, bringing a finger to my mouth. He turns his ear toward the house and listens a couple seconds more before breaking out into a run, dragging me behind him. What in the world? He takes the three patio stairs all at once, almost sending me through them. I trip but catch myself and make it up to the top in one piece. He looks down at me, scrunching his nose up.
“Sorry, baby,” he says, kissing the hand that I caught myself with, “but I can’t miss this.” Can’t miss what?
He starts to pull me again guiding us into the house. He stops short at the sight of Max and Lexi singing into a karaoke machine in the living room. Max hasn’t seen us yet. I tilt my head as I watch him dance around with Lexi. He’s pretty good. Aiden pulls out his phone and starts recording.
I elbow him. He smiles a huge grin down at me, shaking his head. “Fucking priceless,” he whispers. He must not have been quiet enough for Max. He whips around and stares at Aiden. While he records him. The look Max gives Aiden has me stepping a few feet away. I’m not going to lie, I’m a little scared. Aiden laughs.
Lexi is clueless as to what’s going on. She grabs Max’s hand. “Max, this is your part,” she says, tugging on him. Max’s jaw clenches tightly. He looks down at Lexi’s large eyes and exhales loudly. There might have been a little growl, too.
“What’s wrong? Do you not want to sing with me anymore?” Her bottom lip sticks out. He closes his eyes for a moment, taking in a breath then releasing it. I can see the second he plans on giving in to Lexi. He rolls his shoulders and when he opens his eyes, he smiles wide and grabs the microphone.
He looks up to Aiden before singing and mouths, “Payback’s a bitch.” He jumps right back in singing and dancing, not missing a beat. He’s definitely not embarrassed, so I wonder why he freaked out.
When the song ends, Max hands Lexi the microphone. My eyes go wide and I yelp when he runs, jumping over the couch toward Aiden. Aiden slams the front screen door open, running out with Max trailing right behind him. Lexi giggles at the guys.
I run to the window and watch. Unfortunately they run in a direction out of my view. I laugh, thinking how two men who are almost thirty can still act like teenagers.
“What in the world was that sound?” Uncle Ted asks, coming from the hallway.
I turn. “That would be Aiden running from his death wish,” I say, laughing.
“Seems he’s not the only one who has a death wish,” he deadpans, walking toward me. He’s stone faced but his eyes tell a different story. The emotions swirling in them is like a punch to the gut.
I hate seeing it. The worry. The pain. The sorrow. I want to scream and stomp. We were just getting past the kidnapping, but now we’re here again. I want to yell I’M FINE so everyone will stop looking at me like this.
Ted pulls me into a tight hug. I wrap my arms around him and sigh. The tension melts away from my body as soon as he hugs me tighter. I know the emotions are coming from love. I can’t fault anyone for that.
“Hey, at least you can’t blame my job,” I joke, trying to lighten the mood. He didn’t want me to work in law enforcement, thinking I’d be in constant danger. He’s a retired cop, so he knows how it is. Seems the joke’s on him, though. Things that have happened to me have nothing to do with my job. Which I’m sure doesn’t help ease his mind.
He looks down and chuckles. After placing a kiss on my forehead, he stands tall. His hand tugs at my hair, and I tilt my head wondering what he’s doing.
“Seems you have some hay in your hair,” he says, humor filling his voice as he pulls out a piece of hay. “Wonder where that came from?”
My face heats, and I’m pretty sure it’s as red as a tomato right now. Please tell me he didn’t see us. I cover my face with my hand, shaking my head.
I hear the screen door open and Aiden grumbling. “Asshole broke my phone.”
I lift my hand, meeting Aiden’s eyes. My mouth hangs open at the sight of Aiden’s face. His lip is bleeding and his face is covered with dirt. There’s grass in his hair.
“Really? Sometimes I wonder if y’all are really almost thirty.”
“Don’t worry, sweetheart. He looks just as bad,” he says proudly, jerking his head in the direction of outside. He lets out a laugh. “Why were you so red when I walked in?” he asks, shaking out his hair.
My gaze flicks to Ted. He barks out a laugh. I don’t even want to know what he might have seen or heard, so I take off for the kitchen.
I hear Ted say, “Son, it’s good to see you.” I turn and see them hugging. Aiden winks at me. I smile at two of the most important men in my life.
I walk into the kitchen and Lexi is helping Amy make cookies. I chuckle when I see that she’s wearing more flour than what’s on the counter. “Look, I’m making balls,” she says, showing me by sticking out her hand.
I hear the screen door open again.
