Page 182 of Beyond the Blue Horizon

Emotion rushed, and I fought the insecurities that wanted to surge. Instead of succumbing to them, I edged back and nodded my agreement.

Because I was, too.

Truly grateful.

Maci bounced her way over to me, her adorable face tipped up in my direction. “Are you Miss Piper Poo?”

A shot of laughter rocked out of me. “Apparently so.”

“It’s really good to meet you.” The little thing wrapped her arms around my legs at the middle of my thighs and hugged me tight.

I couldn’t do anything but lean over so I could hug her back. “It’s really good to meet you, Maci. Your mom and dad have told me so much about you.”

“Hey, what about me?” Nolan jumped from behind her.

Reaching out, I pulled him into the embrace. “And I’ve been super excited to meet you, too.”

Words started to tumble out of Maci as she continued to cling to my legs. “That’s good because we were really excited to meet you because you got a little boy who’s our new best friend, and I can be his babysitter because my daddy told me I’m really smart and nice.”

Affection pulsed. “That sounds like a great plan. Finn is lucky he gets to be your friend.”

Nolan pulled back and did three jumping jacks as he shouted, “You get to be our friend, Finn!”

Finn giggled like crazy. “Yay! I yourfwiend.”

I turned to where Theo held him at the top of the staircase.

My lungs compressed at the sight.

A mild breeze gusted and rustled through Theo and Finn’s hair. Joy was so brilliant on my son’s face, and the dark pitch of Theo’s eyes were softer than they’d ever been.

I swallowed around the rocks in my throat.

Theo seemed to shuck the emotion as he turned a smile to Nolan and Maci. “What, I don’t even get a hello?”

Maci giggled, holding her hands together at her chest as she swayed. “You already know we love you, Uncle Theo!”

“Because family is who you love most,” Nolan shouted.

Theo angled around Raven and dropped a kiss to her cheek as he passed.

“You sure look good with that baby,” she called behind him, suggestion seeded in the words.

If I wasn’t watching so closely, I would have missed the pain that lashed across his face.

Then he grinned, squeezing him a little tighter. “Finn here is my buddy, isn’t he?”

Finn grabbed him by both sides of the face, his little fingers gripping into his trimmed beard. “Finn’sFeo.”

My heart made a valiant attempt at crashing right out of my chest. Careening and battering and flailing in expectation.

Raven met my eye as Theo hustled the kids back through the open door. Easing forward, she reached out and touched the tear that I didn’t know had gathered at the edge of my eye.

“I know who’s done for.” Her words were soft. Not quite a tease. Then she stepped back with a smile and wrangled the bowl from my hands. “Come inside so I can show you around.”

She strode for the door, waving a hand back at the patio as she walked. “We just had this portion of the wraparound porch built since I moved in. We needed an actual entryway since all the living space is upstairs, and the only way you used to be able to get in was through the garage.”

I stepped inside.