Page 104 of Take This Heart
Dad squeezes his shoulder and Milo puts his hand on top of Dad’s, patting it twice.
“Don’t listen to these guys, Milo.” Dad’s eyes well up and he shakes his head. “You’re all too much, but I sure do love ya. Every single one of ya. That includes you, Milo. Dammit, you’ve all got my waterworks going.”
“Love you, Dad. And you’re all right, Milo,” Noah says.
Coming from Noah about a man I’m seeing, that is high praise.
One by one, my brothers thank Milo for this gesture.
He waves it off like it’s the least he can do.
I finish shaving him and lean down to kiss his shiny head.
“I don’t think you could possibly know how much this means to me,” I tell him softly.
He puts his hand on my cheek. “It hurts seeing you cry.”
He stands up, dusting his shoulders. He turns and looks at me.
“What do you think?” he asks.
“Your head is an odd shape, but I still like it.”
He frowns and turns quickly to look in the mirror.
I step on my tiptoes and stare over his shoulder. “I’m just kidding. You’re still ridiculously beautiful.”
He turns and tickles my sides before wrapping me in a hug.
“And you’ve totally won my heart with this one, Mildie,” I add.
“Is that right?” he asks, grinning.
A screech makes me jump.
“What is going on in here?” Grandma Donna cries. “Oh, fer crying out loud. Yourhair.” She goes to each guy and wrings her hands as she stares at them. She makes a face when she sees Noah and Camden. “You need the hair, honey.”
She pats their shoulders and they just laugh.
“Nancy!” she yells. “You won’t believe what these hooligans were doing while we were makin’ peanut brittle!”
She tuts as she looks at her grandsons and lets out a little whimper when she sees Grayson.
“All your beautiful hair,” she says, sighing.
When she gets to Dad, she takes his hand.
“You still look handsome as ever, Everett. Stella would still swoon over you.” She pats his cheek.
"I’m not so sure about that, but thank you,” Dad says.
“What about me, Grandma?” Dylan asks.
“It could be worse,” she says. “You could’ve done this in January and then you’d freeze your patooties off.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
ONE CONDITION
