Page 121 of The Trouble with Flings

Being here stirs memories of Easters on Long Island that I haven’t thought about in years. Our events were much smaller, but the shared excitement was the same.

Fitz leans in, lowering his voice for my ears only. “Hey, beautiful. That’s a new smile. What’s it for?”

The way he notices every little thing about me tugs at my heartstrings. Strings I thought were broken beyond repair. But I didn’t count on Fitz Silver coming back into my life, making me feel even safer and happier than ever before. He’s managed to mend those strings and make them stronger. I’m starting to wonder if fate had a hand in us after all.

“I was just thinking about the Easter egg hunts we went to as kids. I had forgotten all about them. But I remember running around with my brothers and sisters. Jace was always sneaking eggs into Jayla’s basket, and Mia would convince me to be her partner so we could share the candy we got. She did that on Halloween, too. And Jared never collected any eggs. He’d just run around like a maniac, climbing trees and hollering, Look at me!”

He laughs. “Sounds like fun. When’s the last time you went to one?”

“I don’t know. When I was nine or ten maybe.” I gaze up at him. “Thanks for bringing me with you. I’m glad I’m here.”

“Me too.” He leans in for a kiss.

A little girl barrels into the center of our group and shouts, “Happy Easter!” She’s wearing a yellow shirt beneath a tan fisherman’s vest, complete with flies and hooks, a colorful tie-dyed skirt, and a headband with cheetah ears on them. She has light brown hair and a face full of mischief and two hands full of headbands with animal ears on them.

“Keira!” she says, pressing a headband with elephant ears into Keira’s hands. “Raz!” she hands him a cat-eared headband. Indi gets leopard ears, and when she reaches Archer, she says, “Grumpy!”

Everyone laughs, and Archer just shakes his head and takes a headband from her. “Tiger ears?” he says. “Aren’t they supposed to be bunny ears?”

“Not anymore!” she exclaims. “It’s not fair that bunnies get all the attention. I’m sharing the love!” She hands Fitz giraffe ears and says, “These are for you because giraffes are the nicest.” Then this adorably confident girl studies me, her little face screwing up in concentration. “I don’t know who you are, but you look like a fox. Sneaky and smart!”

She hands me a fox-eared headband and darts back into the crowd before I can thank her.

Fitz watches her go, amused. “That’s Joni, Brant’s brother Rowan’s little girl. She’s got a great imagination.”

We all put on our new ears, and as we make our way through the park, I spot Joni handing out headbands with funny animal ears to Margot and Alexander, Gail and Roddy, and Steve and Shelley. I met them all, along with Lenore, Shelley’s mother, who’s a trip, when we first arrived. They’re all as lovely as Fitz’s parents, though each couple has their own unique style.

The Silvers are chic and tailored, the Remingtons clearly love the hippie era, and Shelley and Steve fall somewhere in between, casual, comfortable, and effortlessly put together. But as Shelley straightens Gail’s headband, and Alexander, Roddy, and Steve argue about whose ears are coolest, there’s a rhythm of closeness between them that tells of years of leaning on one another, weathering births, separations, rebellions, and thousands of other ordinary moments that stitch families together.

They’re the kind of people who make you believe in love and friendship that lasts. It’s no wonder that their collective kids are following the same path.

I nudge Fitz, motioning in their direction as Margot hugs Joni and Gail and Shelley lean in to do the same.

“Joni’s everyone’s granddaughter,” he says. “Her mom died from cancer when she was a baby.” He points to an impossibly tall guy with shaggy brown hair and a beard, wearing a striped boho pullover, following Joni to another couple. “That’s her dad, Rowan.”

My heart breaks for Rowan and Joni. I think about our baby, and my chest constricts at the thought of one of us not being there to watch our child grow up.

I’m starting to understand why this community has such a strong hold on Fitz.

“Does anyone know what our dads are planning for the golden egg this year?” Leni asks loudly.

A collective no rings out.

“Leni tried to bribe her father into telling her what the prize is,” Raz says.

Leni swats him. “I told you that confidentially.”

“Oh, damn. Come here, baby,” Raz says consolingly, pulling her closer. “Let me make it up to you.”

Leni puts a hand on his chest, keeping him at arm’s length, and says, “You keep those lips to yourself until you learn to keep a secret.”

“Confidential my ass, Leni,” Fitz says. “You tried to bribe our dad last year.”

“Can’t blame a girl for getting creative,” Leni says, and everyone laughs.

Keira nudges my arm. “Did Fitz explain that the hunt can get a little aggressive?”

“It’s all fun and games until someone steals a golden egg,” Indi says.