Page 19

The screen door winds back with a creak and a tall woman with dark brown skin and high cheekbones motions to me.
I blink, not recognizing her face. “Hi, I’m here for—”
“Uncle Cody!” A streak of pink, brown and white flies in my direction. A moment later, tiny hands are wrapped around my leg and a child morphs her body to me.
“Hey, booger.” My instinct is to lift Regan up, but my hands are full.
“Is that for me?” My pretty niece hops back and hits me with intelligent brown eyes.
Six years ago, Anya and Clay adopted an adorable baby with dark skin and a thick head of hair. Since then, Regan’s been a part of our family. She’s not a Bolton by blood, but I swear she looks more like Anya and Clay every day.
“Yup. All yours.” I send the floppy stuffed giraffe in her direction.
She squeals and hugs it to her chest. “I love it!”
I laugh at her exuberance. After Anya passed, Regan grew quiet and withdrawn. I was really worried about her. Clay, even more so.
But since meeting Island, Regan came out of her shell.
No, not just that.
She exploded from it. I’ve never seen her more hyper in my life.
The woman who opened the door for me smiles at Regan. “Nice… giraffe.” A strange slur underlies her words and she gestures with her hands when she speaks.
“Thank you.” Regan touches her lip and moves her palm down.
My eyes bug.
Does Regan know sign language?
“Thank you, Uncle Cody!” Regan grabs my hand. Her neat braids—courtesy of Island—swing around her head as she twirls. “Uncle Cody, this is my friend Yaya.”
I start to say a greeting, but another woman who looks strikingly similar to Yaya approaches the door.
She taps Yaya on the back and gestures while saying, “You better get the brownies before they disappear.”
Yaya’s hands move quickly in response.
The woman who spoke about the brownies notices me.
“Hey.” I nod.
Her eyes light up. “You must be Clay’s brother.”
“That’s me.”
“You look so much alike.”
“I’m the hotter one.”
She laughs. “That’s weird. You have Clay’s face, but you crack jokes. I don’t know if I can get used to this.”
I smirk.
“Uncle Cody, this is Deej. She’s my friend too,” Regan says smartly. “Come inside. Let’s find Belle.”
As Regan tugs me forward, I mouth, “excuse me” to the ladies.