Page 47 of Feels Like Home

“Your dad is right. You two are the best boys Iknow.”

I don’t know what else we can say to make them understand, and quite honestly, I think words are not what they need. Actions always speak louder thanwords.

“Wanna toss around the Frisbee in the back yard while your dad gets those burgers grilled up forus?”

Reece and Aidan both look up at me then at each other before both gracing me with a slight smile. Reece has a dimple in his left cheek if he smiles a certain way, it’s one of the ways to tell the two apart. When I first met the twins I had a hard time, but after spending quite a bit of time with them, it’s pretty easy to see thedifferences.

I don’t get the dimple smile yet, but that’s okay. I know we’ve cracked through the surface, and right now that’s all thatmatters.

14

Christine

When didI turninto a high school girl, doodling someone’s name on mynotebook?

Today, apparently, as I look down at my desk and notice Andy’s name written all over my pad of paper that I had pulled out to make inventory notes on. It seems as though I wanted to order a whole lot ofAndy.

The fact that I’m over forty and shouldn’t be having these girly crush feelings doesn’t escape me in the least. Nor does the fact that he’s almost a decade my junior. Though, to be fair, he’s not like most thirty-five year olds. And it’s not really almost a decade. He’s wise beyond his years and one of the gentlest souls I’ve everknown.

And strong. Don’t get me started on the muscles that man seems to build more of daily. Once he figured out it wasn’t safe for him to take out his anger on himself, or his boys, he took it out on the gym equipment he has in his basement. Bri’s boyfriend, Grady, helped him get it set up, to figure out what he wanted, and what worked for him. If Grady didn’t plan on going to school to become a vet, he would do well with personal training. It comes natural to him, and even though it’s one of his passions, he says it’s not what he wants to do for the rest of hislife.

A knock on the door startles me out of my musings, my imagination conjuring up images of Andy working out in his basement, sweat dripping down his chest and incredible abs that I happened to get a glimpse of one night when he lifted his shirt to wipe his forehead. The same movement he made two weeks ago when he had been helping James work atBalance.

And that night I spent dreaming of Andy, and his boys, and Bri, and what it would look like to be a family of five. And in my dreams? It wasbeautiful.

“Christine? You okay?” Aidan’s voice breaks into mythoughts.

“Huh?”

Reece laughs at me. “You were staring off into space. Didn’t even acknowledge us when we camein!”

I look around my office to see all three of the Simpson men staring back at me, amused expressions covering the younger two and a heated look in the older, sexy one I was just daydreamingabout.

I lick my lips and divert my gaze, clear my throat. “What are you guys doinghere?”

“Boys wanted to ask you something,” Andysays.

They both nod. Reece nudges Aidan in the side with hiselbow.

“So, this might seem weird, but we’re going to the cabin for spring break in a fewweeks.”

“Thecabin?”

“Yeah, the one I told you about that’s been in my family for years?” Andy remindsme.

“Oh! Yeah. Yeah, of course! That sounds like fun! You want me to get your mail orsomething?”

Reece looks at Andy who nods his head in encouragement. “Actually, we wanted you to come withus.”

“You what?” I look to Andy, who simply smiles over at Aidan, who looks just as nervous asReece.

“Yeah. We want you there with us. It’s a lot of fun. We can fish and hike. The water by the pond will be too cold to swim, but there’s a big hammock on the front porch so you can relax and read or whatever. And you can bring along Bri if it makes you feel better,” Aidan rushes out thewords.

My heart is racing. “Are you boys sure you want me to come along on your spring break vacation? Wouldn’t I be in theway?”

“Are you kidding? No way! We want youthere!”

I turn to Andy. “Is this okay withyou?”

---