Chapter Thirty-Three

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Easton (The Swift Brothers Book 2)

Riley Hart

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CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

Easton

E veryone is already at Daphne and Frank’s house when we arrive—Morgan, Dusty, Rhett, Cass, Meadow, Cora, Simone, and baby Hazel.

It’s Daphne who reaches me first, that kind smile on her face that reminds me of how a mom looks at her child. “We missed you.”

I look down, slightly embarrassed. “Missed you too.” I pull her into a hug.

“I’m so proud of you,” she whispers. “Allison would be too.”

My heart pounds in the best way. I want that. Want my mom to be proud of me, but also… “I’m proud of me too.”

Everyone says their hellos, offering hugs and pats on the back. I can’t pretend my stomach isn’t a mess, that nerves aren’t wreaking havoc on me. That there won’t always be parts of me that shy away from attention or want to slink into the background. That’s just who I am, and that will never change. And I’m okay with that. But this? This is really fucking nice too.

“You look good,” Morgan says, pulling me into a hug.

“I feel good. Maybe not totally good, but better. Are you?”

“Yeah, still seeing the therapist. We’re in this together, little brother.”

“I like the sound of that.”

He steps back for Rhett to approach, my oldest brother looking unsure. “You did good, East,” he finally says.

“Yeah, I did.”

“I’m proud of you. I…yeah, good job. You deserve it.” He surprises me with a hand on the back of my head, pulling me close to press a kiss on my forehead.

I don’t know how to react for a moment. I’m twenty-eight years old—I spent my birthday in inpatient—and that’s the first time in my life my brother has ever kissed me.

“Uncle Archer’s been bringing me to your house. I’ve been playing with the dogs a lot. I made them some new clothes too,” Meadow says, pulling me out of my thoughts.

“Hey, you.” I smile at her. “Thank you. I’m sure they love them. I appreciate your hanging out with them while I was gone. Hope you’ll still come over now that I’m back.”

“I have a room at Uncle Archer’s house…”

“He’s gonna live with me…you can have a room at mine too.”

Meadow grins, and I feel like a million fucking dollars.

After all the hellos, everyone congregates in the living room. The house smells like some kind of stew, which is perfect for the cold weather outside.

Simone is sitting in an armchair, holding a little bundle in her arms.

“Go say hello,” Cora says, giving me the push I need.

I walk over and kneel beside her. Hazel’s got tons of dark hair, curly like her mom’s, now that Simone has taken it out of her braids. She’s sleeping, her little eyes closed, cheeks squishy.

“Meet your niece, Uncle Easton,” Simone tells me. It’s been said before, but hearing it now, in this situation, makes my head snap up, looking at Cora and Archer, at their parents, these people who have so lovingly taken me into their family.

“I…thank you. She’s beautiful.” My eyes tear up.

“Do you want to hold her?” Cora asks.

“Can I?”

“Of course,” Simone replies.

I’ve never held a baby before, and Simone stands so I can sit, then puts her in my arms. “She’s so small. I’m scared I’ll hurt her.”

“You won’t,” Cora insists.

I lean over, smell her baby scent, kiss her forehead…think of Ella…and smile. She loved baby dolls when we were kids, used to talk about being a mom, and though she’s not speaking to me in my head, I feel her, know she’s smiling and happy for me.

I hold the baby for a long while. Everyone talks around me and to me, but I’m distracted by the little bundle in my arms. She’s so small, so sweet. She smells like the future, and I just want to watch her breathe.

Frank asks about Morgan’s bar, and I listen, still looking at the baby.

“I think it’s going to be real good,” Morgan says.

“He got a surprise delivery of these incredible handcrafted barstools,” Dusty says. “We have no idea where they’re from, but they’re perfect.”

My head snaps up, my gaze landing on Rhett. I remember the table in his house…when he came out covered in sweat and sawdust…and I know they’re from him. That he’s…making furniture? It’s so far removed from what I ever imagined for Rhett. I didn’t even know he likes working with his hands, but I know to the marrow of my bones that it’s true, that he makes things and that he did this for Morgan.

I open my mouth, but he gives a small shake of his head, and I close it again.

“They’re my favorite thing in the place,” Morgan says. “I wish I knew where they came from so I could thank whoever sent them, maybe order some more products.”

As much as I want Rhett to get the credit for it, and want to ask him a million questions, I don’t. I let him have his secrets. They’re his to share.

When I look down, Hazel’s looking at me with these big brown eyes. She wiggles. “Oh, you’re awake.” I freeze, unsure what to do. Please don’t cry, please don’t cry, please don’t cry.

She smiles. I touch her little hand, and she wraps it around my finger, then smiles again.

“She likes you.” Archer sits on the arm of the chair.

“I like her too.”

He kisses the top of my head, and we sit there together, admiring the baby, talking to each other and just enjoying her. It’s not long before Daphne says dinner’s done, and Hazel is getting hungry, so I give her back to Simone so she can feed her.

“I’d let you do this part if you could,” she teases because she’s breastfeeding.

Conversation is loud and happy as we eat the stew Daphne made. They ramble about Archer’s upcoming EMT program and act in a way I’ve never seen my family do. Rhett is the quietest, and when I look over, I notice Meadow is sitting beside him, speaking to him softly. Cass is on the other side of her, watching his daughter interact with him.

When we finish lunch, Meadow says, “Ooh, it’s snowing again,” and a thought flickers in my head…snowball fights with Ella. I haven’t had one since I did it with her.

I take Archer’s hand. “Come outside with me.” We put on our coats and gloves. He tugs my beanie onto my head for me, taking care of people he loves the way he’s so good at.

“Where are we going?”

“To have a snowball fight.” My stomach twists, and I see the light go on in his eyes. He knows what this is, what it means.

“Good boy,” he says softly, just for me. I still like that, still want it. Want to be Archer’s good boy.

“Should I invite the others?”

“If you want. That’s all up to you.”

I never would have done this before, and honestly, it’s a little embarrassing, but it feels like honoring Ella too. She would love a big family like this, would love everyone playing in the snow the way she loved.

“We’re going outside,” I tell everyone. “I’m gonna beat Archer in a snowball fight, if anyone wants to join.”

I feel Morgan’s and Rhett’s gazes on me but can’t make myself look at them.

“That sounds fun!” Daphne says.

Everyone grabs their gear, putting it all on. Simone says she’s going to stay inside with the baby, and when Cora tries to do the same, she ushers her wife out with us.

I’m the first one to collect a ball of snow in my hand, and I watch it soar through the air and hit Archer’s shoulder.

“This means war!” he says, making a snowball.

Everyone starts in on each other, laughing and throwing snow at one another, except Rhett, who’s standing some distance away, taking it all in.

“Come play with us, Mr. Rhett,” Meadow calls to him.

“It’s not really my thing,” he replies just as snow clocks him in the chest.

Rhett’s head jerks to the side, shock on his face, and my gaze follows his to find a laughing Tripp Cassidy.

“You gonna let me win, or what?” Cass asks, bending down to grab more, and then…then Rhett does the same, balling snow into his hand and throwing it.

“This is nice,” I tell Archer.

“You have family. You’re loved.”

“I know.” I look up at the sky, feel snowflakes landing on my face, laughter all around me.

I’m going to be happy, Ella. For you and for me.

She doesn’t answer, but I don’t need her to.