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It’s on the tip of my tongue to confess the conversation I’d had with Dad earlier while we were unloading the truck. The one where I made him an offer for the square of land directly across Lake Eden. My gaze even flicks over to the thick span of wilderness barely visible across the water, the whole patch of untouched earth waiting for me and my crew to break ground and build Addie the home of her dreams.
It’s been on my mind for a while. I initially wanted to build it, have it ready to bring Addie to, but this is for both of us, and I want her to make the plans with me. I want us to picture and create our home together. Arriving this morning, seeing the excitement on her face, I knew it was time to put that plan into motion and ask Dad officially.
“You want to buy it?”he’d asked, pausing in the process of pulling Addie’s suitcase down.“From who? The land already belongs to us.”
“From you,”I said, amused by his confusion.
“Rhys, the land belongs to you already. It’s been in our family for years. It’s already yours and Addie’s.”
I wanted to roll my eyes at how simple he always made these things sound. Like when Grandpa passed and left Dad his construction company even though Dad had zero understanding or interest in the business. He simply looked at me and asked if I wanted it because Dalgado Constructions has always been mine and Grandpa’s passion. Grandpa had me out on the field since I could walk. I knew the company inside and out and loved theintricate art of working with my hands. Dad just signed it all over to me and told me to make Grandpa proud.
“Can you just let me please pay you for it?”I begged, seeing where this was going.
Dad froze as if I’d pulled a gun on him.“Pay me? For what? You’re going to pay me for what is yours?”
I groaned and pinched the bridge of my nose.“You own it, Dad. It’s under your name. Grandpa left it to you, so, it’s yours and I would like to make an offer to buy it.”
If disgust could be more potent, I would be dead, but he scoffed and waved at me to get out of his way with that shit.“Mine. Yours. You’re my son. This is your land. Your home. You want to build a home here for yourself? Throw a rock and pick a spot. Don’t come to me talking about money again or I’ll disown you.”
I bite back my chuckle.“If you disown me, can I buy the land then?”
He smacked me upside the head as he passed with Addie’s bag in hand.
But I keep the idea to myself until I can talk to Addie. I want to take her to the spot I’ve chosen and watch her face as she sees where I want our lives to start. Where I want our children to run and grow. I know Addie enough to have zero doubt in my mind that she will love it.
Still, I chuckle and lean forward to press a kiss to the top of Paloma’s head. “I’ll move back if Addie does.”
Like a child being told they’re headed toDisneyland, Paloma squeals with happiness and gives a little clap of her hands. The gold bands at her wrists clink noisily over the hum of chatter. She pivots slightly on her flat sandals as if prepared to hurry over to my dad and tell him the news but stops to turn back to me.
She lowers her voice. “Oh, Aunt Iris isn’t having a good day. Please be patient with her.”
I groan and she pats my arm sympathetically. “Great.”
My gaze drifts over the many faces glowing in the soft light of the setting sun. My aunt Iris is nowhere to be seen, my Grandma Khalida has snuck in when I wasn’t looking, and Dad is guiding her wheelchair to a spot at the table.
I’m guessing Iris must have picked her up from her retirement home. That was the only explanation why the troll hasn’t caused havoc yet.
I also dimly notice that Iris’s daughters Eve, Ruth, Miriam are absent, unsurprisingly. They rarely ever joined family events unless it was mandatory. I suspect they’re too embarrassed by their parents’ behavior to bother.
I don’t know if every family has an Aunt Iris, but she’s the reason everyone drinks during family events. She’s the reason everyone stays quiet during conversations because anything you say will be scrutinized and shamed. It’s worse when something displeases her, putting her in a foul mood. Then she sets out to make everyone else miserable.
“Does she have to be here?” I grumble.
Paloma touches my arm again. “She’s your aunt and your dad’s sister. We need to be kind. Let’s get through tonight and hopefully she’ll be in a better mood tomorrow.”
I disagreed. Anyone who went out of their way to make my family that miserable can just stay the fuck home. Paloma knows I will happily go toe to toe with the woman if she even thinks about crossing the line with Paloma or Addie. I give zero fucks about her place on the family tree or what she thinks about anything. She can talk all she wants about whatever she wants, but the second she oversteps into my territory, all gloves will be off.
“I’ll do my best to watch my tongue for you,” I promise the tiny woman peering up at me because it’s her damn day. It’sher anniversary and she shouldn’t be warning people to tiptoe around assholes.
Paloma smiles and touches my cheek. “Thank you, baby.”
The appearance of two figures on the porch has us looking around. I don’t recognize either one of them, but Paloma and Dad don’t seem surprised by their appearance.
“Long, lost cousins?” I partially tease because one is a fully grown man in his mid-twenties. The tiny creature next to him was half his age, but has the same piercing blue eyes and soft, blond hair.
Paloma chuckles. “That’s Brooke and Michael. Brooke is dating Dayton. He asked if she could stay for the night. Her mom was fine with it as long as her brother tags along with her.”
Brooke has to be sixteen at best.
