Page 80 of Into the Mountains
“What?” he asks in a voice with faux innocence. “It’s how stuff is usually split up when couples aren’t an option.”
“Can I be on Charlotte’s team?” Ethan asks. I can’t help but laugh and maybe gloat a tiny bit at Elias.
“You absolutely can.”
After plenty of debating and Isabelle deciding she would rather watch than compete for bragging rights, the teams are as follows: Ethan and me, Elias and Hudson, Sky and Avery, and Jacob and George.
“You two are so going down,” Hudson says, making a sad attempt at taunting.
“Really? Trying to taunt your nephew? Isn’t that beneath you, Hudson?”
He lets out a barking laugh. “If that’s what you think, Charlotte, then you haven’t gotten to know me very well over the last year.”
My eyes narrow as I glare at him. He glares back and neither of us breaks.
“You’re the one who’s going to be pretending to trip again just to get out of the game,” Ethan says pointing at his uncle. Everyone takes their seats as George divvies up the game pieces.
And we play.
“And,” George draws out as he calculates the rest of the scores with his pencil on his notepad. “It looks like the winners are Ethan and Charlotte.”
“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Hudson shouts in disbelief. “How? We got the longest road! That’s extra points.”
“Doesn’t matter in this case. They had more than you. Face it, son. You lost,” he pauses. “Again.” Hudson glares at his dad’s smirk and I wouldn’t be able to suppress my smile if I wanted to.
I reach out my hand and put on my biggest smile just for him. Really, just to taunt him even more.
“Good game, Hudson.”
He squints his eyes at me knowingly, but I see the quick glance he gives to his nephew who is already busy showering Hobbles, who just woke up, with his attention. He takes my hand and I expect him to try to crush my bones together like kids in high school used to do so I automatically retaliate. Except I do it in advance and Hudson yanks his hand back.
“Ow, what was that for?”
“Sorry, I thought you were going to….never mind. Sorry,” I fumble over my words, suddenly embarrassed.
Ethan lets out a long yawn that ends with a sleepy groan. “We better get going,” Elias says in response. “This guy needs some sleep. Got a big birthday coming up.”
“Dad, that’s not for another two weeks.”
“Yeah, but you’ve gotta rest up to be a nine year old. Nine year olds have tons more responsibility, but also tons more fun. So you need all the rest you can get.”
He doesn’t even argue as he grabs Hobbles and starts towards the door, leaving Elias to wrangle the other two. Erebor settles himself on one of Elias’s shoulders and Sable decides she is content to stay cuddled in his arms, head resting in the crook of his elbow.
“I better head out too. I’m exhausted.” I follow Ethan and Elias out the door and Hudson and Avery are close behind. Before I leave the porch, I turn back to Isabelle and George and hug them both thanking them for dinner.
“You’re welcome here anytime dear,” Isabelle squeezes my shoulder as her husband gives me a nod from behind her in agreement.
I turn and see Elias at the bottom step of the porch and I almost decide not to say anything. Instead, I won’t let myself chicken out this time.
“You never did answer my question, Eli.”
“What question?” Ethan asks eagerly.
“Yeah, what question,Eli?” Hudson jokes.
We both ignore them and just stare at each other. Him at the bottom of the porch stairs, me at the top, leaning on the nearby post. For support and for something to hold onto.
“You know I’d never say no to you, Charlie.” And he turns with his son, three kittens divided between them, and walks to his truck.
