Page 94 of Starting Back
She grumbled before burying her head into his chest. Mom smiled when my gaze slid to hers, both of us thinking the same thing. Jake was happier than we’d ever seen him, even when Mike was born.
I was always thrilled for them both, and my usual jealousy was tempered by a second chance of my own.
“Look!” Emma barreled back into the kitchen with Leo. “We took a selfie,” she said before shoving the picture at me. He had Emma in his arms as one stretched far in front of the camera. I’d have to steal this one and keep it with the photo she’d made me take of them on the fire truck.
“Okay, now the three of us could take one.”
Leo laughed when she pulled on the hem of his shirt.
“We’ve learned it’s easier to just comply,” Jake joked, with his arms still around his wife.
“Oh, so have I,” Leo said before scooping Emma into his arms. “You’ll have to take it this time.” He turned the camera around and set her finger on the button, shooting me a wide grin before looping his arm around my waist and drawing me to his side. “Ready?”
“I can take it,” Donna said, holding out her hand for Emma to give her the camera. “That way, I can get all of you.” She tapped Emma’s nose.
“Okay, cheese!” I winced as Emma screamed in my ear.
The camera clicked just as Leo planted a kiss on my cheek.
“That should be a good one,” he said when his eyes caught mine.
“Yes, it should.” Donna smiled, her brow lifting when she found my gaze. “It’s coming out already.” She turned the camera to show Emma where the picture was printing.
“Okay, let’s see.” Emma tapped his chest for Leo to set her down.
“You’re a patient man,” I said, brushing my lips against his cheek.
“Happy to be her servant for the day.” He pressed a kiss to my forehead.
Donna snuck a smile over her shoulder as she shifted toward the dining room. “Peyton, take off the apron that doesn’t fit you and come sit down. Now.”
Peyton groaned, lifting the strap over her head, hanging it next to the back door, and following her mother.
“Is the apple cider open?” Mike grumbled as he yanked on the refrigerator door.
“It is, but why can’t you wait until dinner?” Jake asked.
Mike responded with a grunt.
“He’s mad because he lost,” Chloe taunted, a sly grin splitting her mouth as she crossed her arms.
“It’s a hard game to figure out,” he said, glaring at her when he set the bottle of cider on the counter.
“Wasn’t that hard for me.” She shrugged, laughing until her gaze stumbled on Leo and me.
“Nice work,” Leo said. “Beating my cousin inStreet Fighterwas the best part of all my holidays.”
Mike poured a half glass of cider and stomped into the dining room.
“The best part was how pissed he’d get,” Leo told her in a loud whisper.
Chloe nodded, a tiny smile drifting across her mouth so quickly that if I blinked, I would have missed it.
“Is dinner almost ready?”
“In a few minutes,” I said, studying her face and wishing I could do something to melt all this ice between her and Leo, but her half-second smile gave me a sliver of hope.
“Why don’t you go into the living room with Emma? Let your cousin nurse his wounds and let her take a few pictures of you.”
