Page 111 of Fire Island
I can’t help but smile.
“Here, take these out and come back for the bread, will you?”
“Of course.” I take the bowls to the table and head back for the bread.
As I reach the kitchen, Iris is rifling through the cupboard, trying to find something. Two empty bowls sit by the large pot on the stove. “You want these two filled up?”
“Sure,” she says, her head still stuck in the cupboard.
I take the ladle in my left hand and pour a generous amount in each bowl. When I set the ladle on the spoon rest, Iris is by my side with a jar of something in her hand.
I place the full bowl on the counter beside her.
She blinks, her gaze following my hand. My ring-clad hand. Hesitating, she stares at me. “Evie!”
“Yeah?” Happiness stretches my face.
“Holy shit!” The jar crashes to the floor. Iris jumps up and down, her hand covering her mouth. “You—are Cal and y—” She squeals and jumps on the spot again. Her face breaks, positively exploding with joy. “Evie—oh my god!”
I slide the plates onto the countertop when Iris looks set to burst. She flies at me, arms folding around me in the tightest squeeze.
I chuckle.
“Emmett! Get in here!” Iris calls as she releases me. I can’t take my eyes off her ecstatic face, and I absolutely didn’t miss that the first person she wants to talk to is Em. My work here is done.
I chuckle under a huffy breath when Em flies into the room, his hand gripping the doorframe, worry scrunching his face. “Irry, what is it?”
She crosses the couple of feet to where he stands and grabs his shirt at its opening. With Emmett standing in front of me, Iris snatches up my left hand and holds it under his nose. “Look!”
Suspense claims her pretty features, her bottom lip pulled through her teeth.
“Shouldn’t we wait for Cal?” I interject softly.
“I’m here,” he says, his low voice coming from by the door. I find him leaning on the doorway, happiness beaming all over his gorgeous face.
Emmett folds me into his arms. “Congratulations, Miss Evie. Told you he’d find his way back. And then some.”
Now emotion floods my senses, burning behind my eyes. “Thank you.”
Without Em, there is a high chance neither Cal nor I would be here.
“Anytime.” He releases me to Iris. “Welcome to the family.”
He gives me a Cheshire cat grin with crazy eyes, and Iris slaps his arm as she rolls her eyes at him. “Ignore him, we McCrearys are the essence of good people, and we are honored to call you one of our own. Besides, I always wanted a sister.”
Now Cal huffs a laugh and pushes from the frame. “If you’re all done with the squealing, I’m hungry.”
He folds himself around me from behind and drops his face into my neck with a low groan.
“Me Cal. Me hungry. Me eat Evie...” Em winks at me.
“You’ll keep, bud,” Cal mutters, rising his head to glare at his best friend.
Iris gives Em a hard look as she walks past with two bowls, heading for the dining table. “Come on, you dunderheid.”
Em springs into action, following Iris as she sashays toward the table. God, those two are killing me.
“Em’s not wrong. I could eat you right now, baby girl.”
