Page 111 of Sterling Touch
As Cort and I approach the field, another car pulls into the drive that’s already overflowing with vehicles. Once the car is parked, the back passenger door flies open and out rushes Simon, a dark-haired boy who hero-worships Judd. With a mitt and ball already in hand, he runs from the car but quickly does a turnabout when Trudy steps out of the vehicle, admonishing him for his manners.
“I’m not raising no Tasmanian devil here,” she comments on the whirlwind of excitement the kid displays before he swings back to close the car door, then spins again for the homemade field.
Trudy circles the vehicle and takes one look at me under the arm of Cort.
“Well, as I live and breathe,” she mutters, her eyes wide as she approaches us, offering us a collective hug. Pulling back, the dark-skinned woman cups my cheek while keeping her other hand on Cort’s shoulder.
“Your momma would be so proud.”
The comment brings instant tears to my eyes. My looks have been compared to my mother. Sometimes, my temperament is even compared to hers, but this moment means the most to me. Because I know Trudy means my mother would be happy to see me happy.
Cort tugs me tighter to his side and kisses the top of my head while I fist his Terrors jersey in my hand.
“Thank you, Trudy. It’s so nice to have you here today.” It’s going to be a great day.
Behind her, another car door shuts, and Trudy releases Cort and I, stepping aside to wave an arm toward a stunning,deeply-tan-colored woman with wildly curly hair piled on top of her head. She’s a cross between glamourous, with large sunglasses on, and artsy, wearing bib overalls with a tank top underneath.
She pulls the dark shades from her face revealing smokey gray eyes.
“Vale, I don’t know if you remember my niece, Tallulah.”
“Of course, although it’s been a while.” I step forward to offer her a welcoming hug. She’s slim and taller than me and smells amazing. I also know she’s around Judd’s age.
Releasing her, I hear the crunch of gravel behind me and turn to see Stone standing on the edge of the drive, roughly a foot to the side of Cort.
For a half a second, my breath hitches because the two men I love most in this world are so close to one another.
But Stone looks like he’s seen a ghost, and his eyes don’t leave Tallulah. His slightly summer-tanned cheeks are almost as white as the beard on his jaw.
“Stone?” I question at the same time Tallulah gasps.
I glance between her and my brother then back at our new arrival.
Stone finally finds his feet and steps forward. “Um. Hey. Welcome to my home.” He extends a hand toward our guest, who stares down at it a moment before hesitantly slipping her hand into his.
They don’t shake as much as hold still, clasping hands a little longer than might be socially acceptable.
“Hey. The name is Taxi.”
Trudy scoffs. “Tallulah Alexander,” she chides.
Only Taxi doesn’t break eye contact with Stone. “Nice to meet you.”
Stone blinks, like he’s taken aback. “Yeah. Nice to meet you.”
Trudy chuckles. “You two have met, you just don’t remember.” Trudy waves a hand. “She was the one always running around the yard, trying to take her clothes off as a child.”
“Aunt Trudy,” Taxi shrieks, embarrassed, while still holding Stone’s hand.
As if realizing they are still clasped together, she tugs her arm free.
“Think I’d remember if I saw you naked,” Stone states, quietly chuckling afterward.
“Yeah,” Taxi says, slipping her sunglasses back on her face and glancing around Stone. “Heard there’s a baseball game. Are we going to play ball or what?” Impatience is clear in her tone, but she remains stone-still, slipping her hands into her overalls.
My brother’s gaze follows the motion before he says, “Oh, we’re going to play alright.”
I sputter a cough and glance over at Cort, arching my brow.What the hell is happening here?
