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I grin at Kylie, who’s taking it all in with wide-eyed glee. She always loved coming to our big family events. Now, she’ll be able to come to them all instead of on the rare occasion she’s home the same weekend we’re getting together.
“Kylie! I got my cookie!” London hollers from her chair. “Will you share it with me?”
I gasp dramatically. “You traitor! You were supposed to share that with me.”
Luddy giggles, her eyes sparking with mischief. “I promised I would share my cookie. Not that it would be with you.”
I grip my chest as if she just ripped my heart out. Then I see the way Kylie and London are giggling with each other, and I finally understand the full depth of betrayal. “You conspired against me?”
Kylie grins. “I wanted to make sure I got a cookie.”
“This cannot stand!” I rush in, tickling Kylie’s ribs. She squeals, trying to fight me off, but I’m too quick.
“Okay, okay. I’m sorry!” She laughs. “I’m going to pee my pants if you don’t stop.”
Knowing she isn’t being dramatic, I stop tickling her. “You’re on my list, Thatcher.”
“I’ll make it up to you.”
I raise an eyebrow. “Yeah? How’s that?” An image of Kylie on her knees pops into my head unbidden. I quickly blink it away, putting my focus back on her, only she’s looking at me in a way I can’t quite interpret.
She shakes her head as if to clear her thoughts. “I’ll buy you breakfast tomorrow.”
“Deal,” I say, despite knowing I’d never let her spend what little money she’s saved on me. I drop a kiss onto her head before doing the same to London’s, then I head back to grab my phone from our pool bag. I need some distance from these overwhelming feelings that have been brewing since I brought Kylie back to Pine Creek Falls.
I find Emmett leaning against the wide doorway some distance from the rest of the group. He’s staring at the table, his gaze locked in as if he’s unable to move until he figures out the puzzle he’s stuck on. I scan the room, trying to find out what has him stumped. My gaze lands on Emma, his oldest kid, talking to Gwen. Emma is telling some big story, her hands waving in the air, while Gwen is listening intently.
I look back at Emmett, who’s finally come out of his trance.
He shakes his head. “She avoids me like the plague.”
I frown. “Gwen?”
“Mm-hmm.”
“Like…she sees you and turns the other way immediately, or just doesn’t converse with you?”
“The former.”
“What did you do?”
He throws his hand out to the side. “Fuck if I know, Gray. It had to have been bad because I’ve tried to talk to her, and she shuts it down before I can even get a word out.”
“Want me to have Kylie get the scoop?”
Emmett sighs. “I don’t know. It’s probably for the best if I just leave it alone. Lord knows I have no idea how to keep a woman around.”
I make a face at him. “That’s not even close to true. What happened with Eliza was not your fault.”
He scoffs. “She’d say the exact opposite. And she’d be right. Anyway, we need to head out soon. I’ve got a ton of stuff to catch up on.”
Emmett’s been building a business off his honeybees. It started as a hobby a few years ago and turned into something much bigger than he ever anticipated. In the end, he had to quit working with his construction crew to keep up.
He pats me on the shoulder, then strides into the side room. Gwen barely glances at him before making a hasty exit. I make it my mission to find out exactly what’s going on there. I’m not sure I’ve seen the two of them say hello to each other, let alone have a chance to piss each other off.
It’s a mystery I intend to rope Kylie into helping me solve.
CHAPTER 13
