I returned his grin. “Oh, I like you! You should stay for dinner. We’re having Thai.”
“I love Thai.”
I dragged him into the lounge room and didn’t miss the way Brynn’s eyes lit up when she laid eyes on him. My sister liked more than just fishing with this guy.
Taking the flowers from him, I said, “I’ll find a vase for these while you two catch up.”
Jamie’s eyes didn’t leave Brynn. “We’ve been catching up for days over the phone.”
The way he said that, and the way he watched her told me that he also liked more than just fishing.
“Okay kids, it’s time to leave Auntie Brynn in peace.” When they grumbled about that, I said, “Anyone still in here in one minute will be on dishes duty all weekend.” With that, they all scrambled out of the room faster than I’d seen them move in weeks.
Brynn met my gaze with a smile and mouthed, “I love you.”
I could be a good sister sometimes.
Jamie stayed for dinner. He also convinced Mum and Zara to play a game of Scrabble with him and Brynn. King and Holly ended up in front of the television watching some sport while she grilled him some more about bikes. Robbie helped me with the dishes while my heart did a little dance over all the happiness in my house.
“Dad said he’d take me to karate on Saturday if you’re busy,” Robbie said as he wiped the last plate clean.
“Do you want him to take you, baby? I’m good either way.” I held my breath a little. This was the first conversation he’d initiated all week, and I hoped he’d spend some time opening up to me.
He shrugged. “I don’t know. I just thought you might be busy with King.”
I stopped wiping the counter so I could give him my full attention. “Does it feel like I’m busy with King all the time lately?”
He met my gaze, and I saw the hesitation in his eyes. “Maybe.”
“I’m sorry if it feels that way, but I want you to know that I am never too busy for you. I have Saturday blocked off for karate and ice cream. I really want to take you, but it’s up to you, and I promise I won’t get upset if you want Dad to take you.”
“If you take me, will King go, too?”
“I haven’t asked him to go. I figured it would just be you and me.”
“Okay. I want you to take me, unless we spend the weekend at Dad’s.”
Shit.
Now I was confused about his feelings over King.
“Robbie, do you like King?”
He nodded. “Yes.”
“No, really, you can be honest with me. If he’s done something to upset you, I want to know so we can fix it.”
“I like him.”
“But you don’t want him to go to karate with us?”
He glanced down for a moment before giving me back his eyes. “I think Dad would be upset if he went there with us. But he can hang out here with us. I asked him about hiring Thor to watch again, and he said if it was okay with you, he’d hire it again for us.”
Well fuck. My kid just broke my heart with his thoughtfulness and King patched it back up with his.
I nodded. “Okay, I understand what you’re saying, and I think you’re so thoughtful to consider your father’s feelings. And I am 100 percent on board with you guys watching Thor again.”
He grinned. “You’re gonna have a bath again while we watch it, aren’t you?”