Page 116 of The Outpost (Jamison Valley 4)
Mom laughed. “He said I could tell you as long as I promised to take a picture of your smile.”
My smile got bigger as she pulled out her phone and snapped a quick photo, immediately texting it to my brother.
“That’s not all,” Dad said. “Kellan and his girlfriend are having a baby too. And they’re getting married.”
“What?” I laughed. “You’re kidding.”
Mom’s beaming smile got wider and she started laughing again. “Those boys. You’d think at some point they’d stop doing everything together, but I swear, they’re just as in sync now as they were when they were little boys.”
“At least it makes birthday and Christmas shopping easy.” Whatever I bought one brother, I bought the other.
Dad laughed at my joke. “True.”
When I was younger, I’d been jealous of Kameron and Kellan. They weren’t just brothers, they were best friends. They had done their best to include me, but as the younger sister, I had been destined to be the third wheel.
And now they were both building families of their own.
I was glad they could give my parents grandchildren to love and spoil, because without Beau, I didn’t see myself having kids.
I briefly closed my eyes and sent him more good thoughts. I hope you can do something fun for yourself today. I miss you. Tell Boone I miss him too.
I ignored a sting of sadness and turned back to my parents.
“Are you okay, dear?” Mom asked, touching my hand.
I forced a wide smile. “I’m great! Really happy for Kameron and Kellan.”
“You’ll have to come home when the babies are born,” Dad said.
“I’ll be there. I wish I didn’t live so far away, but I guess I’ll be earning lots of frequent flyer miles.” I may not become a mother but I could be one amazing aunt. At the outpost, I had vowed to become a better daughter and sister. Today, I was vowing to be a loving and present auntie, even from a distance.
Dad threw his arm around my shoulders. “You can always move home.”
Move to Florida? I hadn’t even considered that as an option.
It would be wonderful to be closer to my family. I didn’t have a job in Seattle tying me down anymore. And though I hadn’t let Anton’s death taint my home, I also wouldn’t be heartbroken to leave my apartment behind. Could moving home be my next step?
“I’ll think about it, Dad.”
“Good.” He pulled me tighter into his tall frame and kept me latched to his side all the way back to my apartment. We unloaded the groceries and then set out to do some sightseeing and shopping. By the time we made it back home in the late afternoon, I was dead on my feet.
“I need to get back to the gym.” I plopped down onto my living room couch. “I am out of shape.” Spending three weeks writing in my office chair hadn’t done my physical endurance any favors.
“You relax and I’ll get started on an early dinner,” Mom said. “I’ll get you a glass of wine too.”
Dad and I visited in the living room while I sipped a light chardonnay and Mom bustled around in the kitchen.
“How’s Felicity doing?” Dad asked.
I smiled. “Good. She’s due any day now.”
“And they’re having a girl?”
I nodded just as the doorbell rang. I started to stand but Dad beat me to standing. “You sit, I’ll get it.”
I had no idea who could be visiting. My doorman normally called with outside visitors so I figured it was one of my neighbors or someone at the wrong door. When two pairs of footsteps came back down the hall, I sat up straighter.
“Henry?”
