Page 25 of Just Say Yes

Behind me, Duke’s truck rolled down the driveway and I smiled. Duke got out and nodded at me before getting their son from the back seat. Sylvie grinned and held up a covered dish.

I lifted the boxed pie I’d purchased from the Sugar Bowl and shrugged. When she stepped beside me, I turned back to JP’s house. “He’shosting. Did you ever imagine?”

Sylvie’s grin widened as though she’d known all along that JP would find his way. Her shoulder bumped playfully into mine. “Hazel’s a witch, remember?”

I giggled and shook my head. We all knew Hazel was the one for JP. She had a flair for the dramatic and a slightly witchy side, which should have sent JP running. Instead, she’d completely charmed him.

Teddy came barreling outside, launching his seven-year-old body off the porch steps. “Hi!” he shouted, without ever looking back. There was no denying that Teddy shared JP’s DNA––everything about him reminded me of my older brother, right down to his uptight wardrobe. My chest pinched thinking about how little Teddy had finally found his place within our family.

Hazel followed behind him with a smile. “Hi!” Her smile was bright and friendly as she waved. Behind her, JP scowled, and the stark opposition of their expressions made me laugh.

“Teddy! Wait up!” She clambered down the steps. “That kid doesn’t slow down for a second.”

“You’re not hanging around?” I asked, disappointed because I’d been enjoying getting to know Hazel.

She grinned. “Not tonight. Teddy was promised a playdate with Ben and Tillie, so Sloane and I are taking them to town.” Hazel looked at the driveway. “No Bug?” she asked as she adjusted the strap of her purse.

I shrugged. “She said she was going to see a movie with a friend.”

“Huh,” Hazel said with a mischievous bounce of her eyebrows. “Sloane said the same thing about her granddad. See you later, alligators.”

Hazel left me standing there, wondering when my aunt was going to finally admit she and Sloane’s grandfather Bax were an item. Their friendly conversations had turned into daily coffee and walks on the pier. I smiled inwardly, and a soft noise rattled in my throat as I shook my head.

They always used his grandkids as an excuse, but I knew he was the source of the blush on her cheeks whenever his name came up.

When Duke stepped up beside us with Gus on his hip, I frowned. “Hey, I thought Red was coming today.”

Sylvie didn’t meet my eyes, but she grinned up at JP’s house. “He’s behind us.”

My face twisted. Ever since Red had moved to the semi-independent condos, I’d missed him. While the trial medication was doing wonders for slowing his early-onset dementia, there was no way he was able to drive himself to JP’s house.

Sylvie didn’t make it any clearer when she lifted her eyebrows and smiled before sailing past me and walking with Duke into the house.

As Hazel maneuvered her skoolie out of the driveway, she honked twice and waved out the window at another truck rolling down the drive.

This time, my heart dropped.

From the driver’s seat, Logan grinned. Beside him was Arthur, and Red was in the back seat of the cab.

“What in the world ...” I whispered to myself as I stared and watched Logan park his truck next to Duke’s in JP’s driveway.

I was rooted to the spot.

“MJ!” Arthur clapped his hands together after climbing out of the truck. “I was hoping you’d be here.”

He walked up to me, planting his hands on my shoulders and giving them a squeeze.

“Hi, Mr. Brown.” I looked directly at Logan. “This is a surprise.”

Arthur chuckled as Red walked up. “Hey, kiddo. It’s been a while.”

Tears pricked at my eyelids as my heart swelled for Red Sullivan. “Hey, Red.”

I wrapped my arms around him and squeezed. It was so easy to recall the bad days—the ones when he was confused and scared. So many times it seemed like I was the only one who could help calm him down and remind him he was safe and cared for. Now it was like he was a new man. There would likely always be a wary, confused suspicion in his blue eyes, but today they were bright and clear.

A good day.

He looked down at me. “I can’t promise the coffee is any better at my place, but there’s a cup waiting for you when you want to catch up.”

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