Page 130 of Push

Elias took a step toward the hallway, but I shot up, already heading for the door.

“I’ll get it!” I said.

“Of course you will,” Liam said dryly.

Swear to…“It’s probably my friend, Zach.”God, I hope it’s Zach.

Once Cat was distracted reading to Noah, I flipped Liam off for real. His laughter followed me to the front door.

I only managed to get in a hello to Zach before Josie marched into the house. She wore a pink ruffled swimsuit, enormous pink inflatable armbands, and goggles pulled down over her eyes. Morag’s leg was clutched in her fist, the poor doll’s head bumping along the floor.

Josie set her stance wide and looked left and right like a general surveying a battlefield. “Where da pool?”

Zach ducked through the door with Alfie on his hip. I helped him shed the bags slung over his shoulder, and he tossed a bunch of floaty pool toys to the floor.

“Sorry, I would’ve been here sooner, but we had a few wardrobechanges,” he explained. “JoJo heard there was a pool, so her ballerina outfit had to come off. Then, we couldn’t find therightswimsuit.”

“All good, man. I get it.” I ruffled Alfie’s dark flop of hair. “No Eden?”

He shook his head. “She flew up to the Gold Coast with the girls this morning. Wedding season’s in full swing.” He grinned. “But I’m sure she’ll find some time to live her best bikini life and sneak a few cocktails. So, where’s this pool…”

Cat looked like she’d died and gone to heaven when the little girl charged into her dining room. She cooed at Josie’s outfit and gave Morag a reverent kiss on her bald head. Reluctantly, she set Noah down in the play area with Alfie but laughed with delight when Josie grabbed her hand and dragged her to the pool.

Josie hopped on the spot, impatiently waiting for me to wrestle the gate open. “I’m better than a baby! I can swim! Daddy! Uncle Toady!” She belly-flopped into the water like she definitely couldnotswim without her floaties. “Watchme, Mama Cat!”

With Morag tucked safely under my arm, I leaned against the glass pool fence next to Zach. “I’m pretty stoked I’ve been christened with a name now.” I grinned.

His eyebrow lifted over his glasses. “Toady?”

“Um, ex-squeeze me. That’sUncleToady to you.”

We kept one eye on the babies in the play area and the other on Josie showing off her mermaid splashes in the pool. I would’ve latched myself to Zach all afternoon if I hadn’t spotted Gwen slip away from the group.

“Man, give me a sec?” I said.

It was time to follow my wife.

I found Gwen hidden in the living room. She’d kicked off her shoes and curled up on the couch, her head down and her arms hugged tight around her knees.

“Gwen.” I eased down beside her. “Everything okay?”

She nodded, but there was a sniffle. My heart knocked faster against my ribs. I couldn’t bear seeing her upset. The ball she’d crunched herself into was easy to scoot into my lap, and I wrapped protective arms around her.

“Did one of those knuckleheads say something?” I asked. “Want me to take care of ’em?”

She shook her head. “I… just…” She swiped at her nose. “Everyone’s being so…so…nice…and welcoming. I’m not used to it. It feels…” She waved her hand around as she scrambled to think of the right word. “It feels…good. I-I don’t want it to.”

“Gwen—”

“I don’t want to get used to this. What if…”

“What?” I prompted her when she didn’t finish.

She burrowed her face into my chest. “What if it all disappears?” She sniffled. “What if…” Her voice grew so quiet. “What if Liam leaves again?”

My gut clenched.Oh, my girl.She needed this lunch more than I’d realized. “And what if he doesn’t?” I asked. “What if this is how it’s supposed to be? Maybe the right people are making their way back into your life when you need them.”

“That’s not how the world works, Toby.”

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