Page 61

“No sprinkler shenanigans,” Riley warned.

Pete saluted and guided Evan outdoors.

Beth chuckled. “You know that just puts the idea in their heads.”

“Mm. I do,” Riley smirked. “If she wants to make another mud bath, she can do the laundry all week.”

“Harsh,” Beth giggled.

“Brilliant,” Riley winked. “Now, a glass of wine before Hope wakes up?”

“Lead the way.”

Owen ran around the yard, dodging Evan's attempts to grab him. "You can't catch me!" he taunted his cousin with a giggle just before Evan lunged and lifted him triumphantly into the air.

"Gotcha!"

Owen squirmed in Evan's arms, giggling wildly. "You're it!" he proclaimed with a laugh as his feet touched the ground, dashing off again.

“Man, that kid has energy,” Pete commented.

“He’ll sleep tonight,” Fallon said. She watched as Pete fingered the rim of his beer bottle. “It won’t drink itself.”

Pete nodded.

Fallon took a deep breath and sighed. She had known Pete her entire life and considered him one of her closest friends for over a decade. He was always the quiet one—the steadfast friend, the gentle presence who occupied the same seat at the bar every night. People often underestimated Pete McCann, not realizing that behind his kind demeanor lay a sharp mind and deep insight. They didn't take the time to get to know him. He was aware of the whispers about the simple man who spent his nights with burgers and beers at Murphy’s Law. She understood people sometimes equated a love for simple pleasures with a lack of ambition. That wasn’t Pete. He valued the people in his life far more than money. He would do anything to protect his little sister and help her achieve her dreams, even if it meant putting his own aside. Marge had been the center of Pete's world for most of his life, and Dale was his constant sidekick. Dale was now the center of Marge’s life. It seemed appropriate when Fallon thought about it. She sensed that someone else had now captured Pete's attention.

Fallon let her gaze fall on Evan. “They’re lucky to have you,” she said.

“Fallon, I—it’s not like that.”

“You don’t owe me an explanation,” Fallon said. “Beth is great.”

“She deserves more than I can give her.”

“More, huh?”

Pete took a sip from his beer.

“I had ideas aboutmoreonce,” Fallon offered. “I went to the city looking to prove I could be somethingmore. More than this place offered. I looked for somethingmorewith Liv. Maybe to prove I was more than Dean,” Fallon admitted. She turned to Pete. “What ismore? Everything I needed was right in front of me. Andi taught me that,” she said. “I learned to stop looking at all the things people like to add up—houses, money, degrees—lovers.”

“You sure had a few of those,” Pete tried to lighten the mood.

Fallon clinked her bottle against Pete’s. “I did. Still didn’t feel like I hadmore.I think that’s why Riley and I work so well together.”

“Huh?”

“She was looking formore,too. I think we all do. All she got wasme,” Fallon joked.

“I think Riley’s pretty happy about what she has,” Pete said.

“So? What makes you think Beth couldn’t be happy with you?”

“I don’t know. I’m not sure what I have is enough.”

Fallon had given considerable thought to the concepts of “more” and “enough" over the past year. She’d spent years chasing elusive ideas about what would complete her life, as if there were some position she could achieve, a number in her bank account, or a relationship that would suddenly makeeverything okay and makeherenough. After Liv’s death, she realized she needed to be enough for herself.

“Enough for Beth or enough for you?” Fallon asked.