Page 28 of Come Back to Me

Over the next half hour, I’m introduced to Jack’s twin, Ben, as well as his sisters, Shayna, Shannon, and Shyley, and their partners. Jack and I find seats on the patio where I can still monitor Bean running around the yard.

I check on Beanie multiple times and find him and Gracie alternating between chasing each other and lying on their backs for belly rubs from the kids. I notice the cute little boy who was Teddy and Emily’s ring bearer is here and seems enthralled with Bean.

When Bean and Grace tire out and lie down to rest together under a beautiful Magnolia tree, there are high-pitched shrieks of, “Uncle Jack is here! Uncle Jack!”

Suddenly, six adorable little kids are at our side begging Jack to come chase them. Jack looks like he’s going to say no, and I sense it’s because he doesn’t want to leave me.

“Go, play with them. I’ll be fine,” I say.

“Are you sure? I don’t want you to be uncomfortable.”

“I’m sure.” I smile. “I’ll be fine.”

“Yeah, she’ll be fine,” a female voice says.

I look up to see Shayna.

“She’s actually about to come help me shut down the bragging the guys are doing over corn hole. Go play, Jack. Leave us ladies to hang out.”

“Yeah.” I grin, standing up. “I’m going to do that. Go play.”

Jack looks at me, kisses me sweetly on the temple, and then makes monster noises and gestures to his nieces and nephews.

They shriek in delight and start running away on their little legs, with him following behind.

After Shayna and I dominate in corn hole, beating Shannon and Shyley’s partners as well as Ben and John, we head over to where Jack and I were sitting and have a beer. Jack is still playing chase with the littles and the dogs have all joined in on the fun, too. I can’t help but smile as I watch him.

“I’m sorry I didn’t get to meet you at the wedding,” Shayna says, catching me staring at her brother. “I very much wanted to meet the woman who so thoroughly snagged my normally calm brother’s attention and inspired him to go all neanderthal on the dance floor. But then he snuck you out early.”

“Well, I’m very glad to get to meet you today,” I say. “Thanks for hanging with me so Jack didn’t feel bad playing with the kids.”

“Jack’s the best. The kids all love him.” She smiles, watching him. “Plus, it’s clear you’re important to him, so I wanted to get to know you. It’s my pleasure to hang out.”

We both sit, quiet, and gaze at them all playing for a few moments.

“You see the handsome little guy in the red shorts, hanging at Jack’s side constantly?” she asks.

I nod.

“That’s my little fellow, Tommy. He’s five.”

“He’s a cutie.” I smile. I noticed him earlier because he was Beanie’s primary belly rubber.

“He’s my everything,” she says sadly, focused on them. “He never got to meet his father, but Jack has never missed a beat in being there for anything he needed. Don’t get me wrong, all the men in my family are great with him, but he and Jack have a special bond. I’m so grateful to Jack for filling that gap in his life.”

I smile at her, sensing there’s clearly more of a story there, but it’s hers to tell me if, and when, she’s ready.

We go back to watching them at play. And I feel another one of my walls that I’ve been using to keep Jack in the friend-zone fall.

JACK

I collapse onto the grass and try to catch my breath, wiping the sweat from my brow with my T-shirt.

The kids all pile on top of me until one of them, Olivia, spots a toad in the grass and they take off on a mission to find more. All except my little man, Tommy. He lies next to me in the grass, resting his head on my outstretched forearm.

After a few minutes, I turn my head to him and smile. “Do you want to go meet my friend Annie? She’s Bean’s mom.”

“Yeah, let’s go.” He smiles back at me.

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