Page 118 of Duke
I smile at him, and he smiles back.
“I’ll allow him to take you inside.” Duke tips his hat at Ryder. “But then I take over, yeah?”
Ryder chuckles. “We’ll see about that.”
“Your brotheriscute.” I slip my hand into the crook of Ryder’s thick arm.
Duke shrugs. “Well, yeah, because he looks exactly like me.”
Ryder and I introduce ourselves to the teachers at the door. One of them, Ms. Blair, looks to be about my age, and she tells us how much she and her teaching partner Ms. Sherman enjoy having Junie and Ella in class.
“I hope my daughter is as kind and happy as those two are.”
“Oh?” I ask. “How old is your daughter?”
“She just turned four months old yesterday.”
“Aw.”
Ms. Blair wiggles her shoulders. “She’s chunking up.”
“She’s absolutely delicious,” Mrs. Hobson adds with a smile as she hands us each a paddle. “And sweet as pie.”
“Probably why I could eat her with a spoon,” Ms. Blair replies. “Welcome, y’all. We’re so glad you’re here.”
I have the strange urge to hug her. Will this be our first and last interaction? Or will she become a new friend? Amomfriend?
The event is taking place in a large central hall with a stage on one side and more chairs than I can count on the other. It’s already loud inside. Kids are running around, and parents chat while holding beers and plastic cups of wine. My smile grows when I see Tallulah tending a makeshift bar in the far corner.
Sally and Patsy are on the stage. Sally plays the violin, while Patsy sings a twangy version of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” into a microphone.
Large bulletin boards are set out across the space, each one pinned with dozens of pieces of the children’s art. There are paintings of strawberries and houses. Centipedes constructed out of egg cartons. Hats that look like bunny ears.
“All right, this is really adorable,” Ryder says.
“The most adorable,” I agree. “It’s perfect.”
Never thought I’d want to spend a Saturday night at a preschool function, but this is actually sweet and very well done.
There’s nowhere else I’d rather be right now.
I can’t stop smiling as we approach a bulletin board that a placard tells us belongs to Ella and Junie’s class. “The finger painting.” I gesture to the kaleidoscope of colors that make up a finger-painted heart. “I remember loving that as a kid.”
“Well, yeah. It was an excuse to make a huge mess with no one gettin’ mad at you.” Ryder pulls me a little closer. “Can I ask you a favor?”
“Always.”
“Be good to my brother, would you? Duke grew up feeling like the odd one out, even though he’s probably got the biggest heart out of all of us. He’s always been lookin’ for something more, you know?” Ryder’s eyes bore into mine. “I think he mighta found it in you.”
My eyes prick. “Duke is…kind of amazing, isn’t he?”
“He’s my best friend. Of course I think he’s amazing. Although if you ever tell him I said that, I’ll deny it up anddown.” Ryder’s smile is kind. “We love havin’ you at the ranch, Wheeler. I hope you know that. But I also love how you push Duke out of his comfort zone. Give him an excuse to get out of town. He needs that.”
I have to look away. Otherwise, I’m liable to burst into tears. “You’re a good friend and brother to go to bat for him like this.”
“You’re a good friend too, Wheeler.” Ryder pats my hand. “Duke doesn’t let just anybody in. He’s picky. Probably why he’s been single all this time. But you stood out to him, for all the right reasons.”
“Jesus.” I wipe my eyes. “Since when are you the relationship whisperer?”
