48. Kyle

I studied the red hair, memorizing its exact shade, as I twirled a soft strand around my finger.

“Ouch,” she mumbled. “I told you to stop.”

But I couldn’t. I hadn’t been able to let go of her for the last twenty-four hours. The Revs had won the game, and as soon as it was over, I’d brought Harper and the kids back to my place. Jace was staying at a hotel nearby, and he planned to take Sam to Legoland tomorrow before they all flew home on Friday.

I hated that they had to leave so soon. But school and work were waiting for them back in Boston. And I’d be home in a few weeks too.

I released her hair, then tugged her against me.

“You’re making her nuts, Kyle,” my mother warned from where she sat on the other side of the living room.

It turned out that Harper and the kids weren’t the only ones who’d flown down for the game. Bill was already here, of course, but my mom, along with Aunt Susan, JJ, his wife Dana, and their twin boys showed up at the field as well.

The wildest part? It had been Harper’s idea. It was a good thing I’d opted for a place with seven bedrooms.

“You need to start the grill anyway.” Harper nudged me, trying to force me off the love seat we were snuggled up on.

“I will in a second.” No one was begging for food yet.

Bill was teaching Piper to play chess at the table. She was completely locked in, concentrating on each rule he explained. I’d give it six months before she kicked his ass at the game he’d been playing his whole life.

JJ’s twin boys and Sam were in the pool. They looked so much alike, they could almost pass as triplets. Especially with the goggles. I could only pick Sam out because he wore green swim armbands, while the twins wore blue.

My aunt and Dana were watching the kids play, both wearing smiles. Dana’s didn’t surprise me, but Susan’s? Yeah, it was hard to believe that she could be okay with all of this. I’d been clear with her yesterday that she had to be pleasant to Harper, and she’d waved me off as if the warning were unnecessary. I wasn’t sure how that one-eighty had happened, but I wasn’t complaining.

“Baby.” Harper leaned closer to me. “The kids need food. If you wait until they’re asking for it, then we’ll have a whole crew of cranky humans to deal with.”

I dipped lower and gave her a quick kiss. I’d kissed her at least four hundred times today, but the temptation to do it again was impossible to ignore.

“I’m here,” she promised, giving me a small smile and patting my leg. “And I’m not going anywhere.”

Without having to talk about it, she understood my apprehension. Instead of being annoyed, as my mom claimed, she patiently reminded me, over and over, of her presence. Of her devotion. If she ever needed her own reassurance, I’d give it to her as many times as she needed to hear it.

I slipped off the love seat and headed over to light the grill. We’d had a grocery order delivered, and because of the number of people here, we’d gone with an easy meal—burgers and grilled chicken and a salad. I trotted around the pool to the outdoor kitchen, only then realizing how similar this space was to my patio at home. Cam was usually the one grilling there, but it couldn’t be that hard to figure out the grill.

I opened the lid and twisted the nobs, but nothing happened.

“Need some help?” JJ asked beside me, startling me.

I bobbled the lid but caught it before it slammed. And with a sheepish smile, I stepped out of the way.

As he messed with something in the cabinet below the cook surface, neither of us spoke, the silence growing awkward.

Itching to fill the air but at a loss for how, I rocked back on my heels. He and I had yet to really talk, and an uncomfortableness lingered between us. I wasn’t sure what to say to ease the tension. I’d never apologize for falling in love with Harper. But I missed my best friend.

Before I could come up with anything reasonable, he stood and pressed a button, and the grill ignited.

“Thanks.”

“So.” He glanced around, maybe gauging how much privacy we had. “I just want to say a couple things.”

Apprehension curled in my gut. “I’ll give you the same warning I gave everyone else. You want to tell me I’m an asshole, fine. But I swear to God, I have a zero tolerance when it comes to how people speak about Harper, Piper, or Sam.”

He held both hands up. “No. She is my sister. Shit, I wanted this.” He shook his head. “Look, I’m sorry I reacted badly when I found out about you and Harper.”

Shock stole the air from my lungs.

“I was surprised. I never thought I’d see the day you’d settle down. And I was jealous, I guess, because I had spent a year trying to get to know her, to get past her walls. Yet in two months, you’d practically moved her into your house.”

I crossed my arms. Although his speech had started off okay, now I questioned where he was going.

“Kyle, look around.” He extended his arm. “My boys are playing with their cousin. Harper is laughing with Aunt Viv. It feels good.” He dropped his hands to his sides. “This is what I spent a year trying to make happen. This is what I promised my father I would work toward. And I have you to thank for bringing it together like this.”

I studied him, confused by the change in direction. “What?”

He smiled. “There is no world in which this would have happened without you. You’re the bridge Mom and Harper needed in order to move forward. So thank you. Thank you for making this happen, even if you did it in your own unique way.” He held out a hand.

Rather than shake it, I yanked him in for a hug, chuckling.

“What’s so funny?” he asked as he pulled back.

“Remember back in high school, when Bill joked about me marrying your sister?”

“Ugh, you were giving Dani shit about her braces, and Bill said it was because you liked her.” He barked out a laugh. “I called his idea a foul or some baseballish shit like that.” He rolled his eyes. “We ate, slept, and breathed baseball back then.”

“Some of us still do.” I pulled the burger patties out of the outdoor fridge. “You declared it would be a foul out. At the time, I agreed. Dani was never going to be the girl for me.” I smirked. “But.” Over my shoulder, I watched Harper where she sat, smiling at my mom.

She tucked her braid over her shoulder and wiggled her fingers in my direction.

I blew her a kiss. “I’m going to need you to change your mind, because I’m marrying your sister.”

I might not need his blessing, or anyone’s, for that matter, but it felt good when JJ smiled and nodded.