Page 83 of Endlessly Yours
When Evan and Kendall’s two kids, Reese and Cassie held the youngest ones with Kylie, Eli and Alexis’s kid, helping the others out.
Not every one of my brothers and cousins had children, and I wasn’t sure if all of them would, but everybody was making their next phases in life.
And as someone who thought that they were done growing and finding a future like this long ago, it was nice to see.
Eli and Alexis laughed in one of the corners, both of them whispering to one another, and from the way that Eli kept touching Alexis’s belly, I had a feeling baby number three would be on the way soon. Kendall kept moving around to a thousand different places with the caterers, even though she shouldn’t be working, and I laughed as Evan tugged her away, growling and threatening to lift her over his shoulder.
Everett and Bethany stood by the stage with East and Lark, the four of them sharing photos of some trip that they had just gone on for each one of the women’s careers. The fact that Lark not only had the number one song in the world right now, but Bethany had the number one movie, just made me smile. It also made me laugh because Gabriel had the number two song in the world. So, of course, we had to make sure Lark lorded it over my brother.
Elijah and Maddie lay on the ground with their newest baby, both of them looking lost in the world and in each other’s eyes as if they hadn’t a care in the world.
While Sidney danced in my cousin Elliot’s arms before being twirled toward her other husband Trace’s arms, the three of them a unit in a way that I hadn’t even imagined possible when I had first moved here.
Aurora lay on Ridge’s lap, his hand protectively over the swell of her belly, as they had just announced their pregnancy as well. After everything that my brother had gone through in the past, it was good to see him creating a family once again. And I knew Aurora, a widow just like I was, had found this second phase of her life difficult at first, and yet, she was thriving.
Wyatt and Ava ran around the room chasing Faith, who had a piece of cake she probably shouldn’t have had, but as Aurora had been the one to make it, she just winked at the little girl and helped block her from her parents.
Everybody laughed, looking happy and excited to be there. And I watched as Rory gathered Cameron and Alice into her arms for a deep hug before going to sit over with my parents and listen to a story.
A familiar, tall shape sidled up next to me, and I looked over as Callum took a sip of his beer and frowned into it.
“Not up to your liking?” I asked the man who had slowly become my friend, even though it had taken a bit longer than it might have in other cases.
“Mine’s better.”
“We do have some of your beer here,” I added dryly.
“True, but I like to taste the competition.”
“And I guess there is no competition?”
Callum shrugged. “Not so much.” He gestured towards his sister who stood laughing with Gabriel, and a now calmer Wyatt and Ava.
“She looks happy.”
I nodded. “She is. I know they don’t get to stay down here often because Gabriel’s on tour, but we’re taking care of her.”
“So I hear. It’s good that she has you guys down here and even the Montgomerys in Denver. She doesn’t need to come up to Ashford Creek. It’s better here.”
I wanted to ask him why, to wonder why the lines between his brows kept deepening over time, but I didn’t. This wasn’t the time or place, and I didn’t think Callum would tell me anyway. Instead, the other man took another sip of his beer, winced, and gestured toward another familiar face.
“Who’s that?” he asked, pointing at the woman with newly bright red hair and a bright smile who pulled both Rory and Briar into her arms for a laughing hug.
“Kira. She’s the drummer for Gabriel’s band, remember?”
Callum nodded. “Oh, yeah. She looks different.”
“New hair color, I think.” I raised a brow. “Need me to introduce you?”
Callum just snorted. “What is it with happy people in relationships wanting to make everyone else happy in a relationship?”
“Honestly, this isn’t the case. I had to deal with people setting me up for years after my first wife died. I’m not going to do that to you.”
“And thanks for that, but no, I was just trying to remember where I saw her before. I remember now, though. She’s not for me. Don’t worry.”
“You ever going to tell your sister or any of us who is?” I asked softly.
“There’s nobody for me. But I’m fine with that. I’m going to head out soon, though as much as the Wilder reunion is welcoming, there’s another reunion I need to attend soon.”
