Page 16 of Reeve

Last year, when she was the stage manager forWuthering Heightsand Aaron was in charge of sets, they became friends. I know they still bump into each other regularly at library book clubs and other community events.

“McKenna!” Aaron pulls my sister-in-law into a giant bear hug. “You’re looking great! Is this the little man?”

“Sure is,” she says proudly. “You know, I haven’t had a chance to write you a thank you note for the—”

“Don’t worry about that,” he says, squatting down to meet Madden.

“You’re a good guy, Aaron,” says Tanner. “That was a real thoughtful gift.”

And I have to say…I’m curious. What is this “thoughtful gift” that Aaron gave my brother and his wife? So thoughtful, in fact, that it merits a proper thank you note?

“Hey, little one,” says Aaron. He takes off a yellow buckskin glove with his teeth and reaches out to gently grab and shake Madden’s foot.

My nephew grins at Aaron, then giggles with delight, reaching for the brim of his hat.

“You want this?” asks Aaron, taking it off and offering it to the baby.

It’s as big as Madden’s entire head. His face crumples with fear.

“Oh, no!” Aaron stands up quickly, hiding the offending hat behind his back. “Sorry about that!”

Tanner chuckles as McKenna leans down to soothe her son with sweet words.

“Don’t worry about it,” says my brother, slapping Aaron on the back. “We’ll toughen him up when he’s a little older!”

“Way to go,” I say, giving Aaron a sour look and crossing my arms over my chest.Old habits die hard. “You made a baby cry.”

Aaron looks like he wants to throttle me, then bursts into laughter instead. He turns back to Tanner. “Speaking of tough! Your sister’s no slouch!”

“Reeve’s always been a ball buster.”

“Ooo!” says McKenna, standing up with a nose-scrunched grimace. “Someone made a stinky. I’m pretty sure it wasn’t the hat that made him cry.” She looks at her husband, her eyes flinty. “We have a situation. Rock, paper, scissors?”

Tanner nods, putting his hand behind his back. He knows the drill.

“Rock, paper, scissors…shoot!” yells McKenna.

She holds her hand flat like paper, while Tanner fists his hand like a rock.

“Paper covers rock!” she crows.

Tanner sighs, reaching for the diaper bag on his wife’s shoulder.

“No, no. It’s okay. I’ll come and help,” says McKenna. “From the smell of it, this could be a two-man job. Let’s get him cleaned up and sweet smelling before it’s time to meet Santa.” She turns to me. “Hold our place, Reeve?”

“You got it.” As they trudge away to a nearby café to use the bathroom changing table, I turn to Aaron. “You don’t have to stand with me.”

“I know that,” he says, putting his hat back on his head. “But no one’s being rowdy, and the doors don’t open for another ten or fifteen minutes, and besides…”

“Besides?”

“There’s no one else I’d rather stand next to.”

“Aaron—”

“I get it,” he says softly. “I took my shot, and you don’t feel the same. But it doesn’t change the way I feel about you. I just…”

“I’m leaving,” I blurt out.

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