Teller
Blake’sbusy grilling a feast on the back deck of the jumbo house he built for my sister when we arrive.
I set down the two bags of wood chips I’d brought up, leaning them against the railing next to his Cadillac-sized combination grill and smoker. “Got my workout for the day, carrying those all the way out here.”
“Why didn’t you use one of the ATVs?” His gaze strays to Charlotte, talking to Heidi and Alexa in the yard below us. “I think Charlotte likes you. You don’t have to keep showing off to impress her.”
“Nah.” I grin and slap his shoulder. “A little tip for you, it’s always good to keep the magic alive.”
He chuckles and adjusts one of the knobs on the smoker.
“I feel shitty I didn’t bring you a present.” I stare at my empty hands and back to Blake’s face.
“You brought the wood chips I needed.” His eyebrows knit together. “You’re here. What else do I need?”
“I’m…” I hesitate and run my hand over the back of my neck. We’re past this, aren’t we? Blake doesn’t need my approval or my gratitude. Every action shows how much he loves my sister. “I’m proud of you. Not many men would step into the role of fathering someone else’s kid so selflessly and so completely.” Shit, Heidi’s own father couldn’t do it. The realization hits me hard, wiping my mind clean of anything else I had planned to say. “Thank you.”
His face pinches, hands clench and release at his sides. Several emotions seem to flow over him. Maybe I said too much. Overstepped, yet again.
“You know I don’t ever want to lie to her.” He stops and seems to search for the right words. “But I don’t want her to grow up feeling different.” He gestures toward Heidi. “Especially since we’re having another girl.”
My fucking eyes sting. Must be the smoke coming off the grill.
“I love Alexa like she’s my own,” he continues. “I hope that adopting her the second I was able to will make sure she never doubts herself. Or how I feel about her.”
No words. What can an uncle say to that?
“Holy shit, are you speechless?” he asks.
“Don’t ruin it,” I warn.
“Seriously, though. Don’t thank me for doing the only thing I know how to do. I hope over time people forget and don’t constantly bring it up around her, you know?”
“Yeah, I hear what you’re saying.” He wants to protect her from even the smallest emotional scars. “Love you, brother.” I reach for him, giving him a quick, tight hug.
“You’re awfully huggy lately,” he says, pulling away and slapping my shoulder.
“Only with family.”
One heavy hand slaps down on my shoulder, and another on Blake’s. “You two want to step aside and let me handle this?” Wrath asks.
“No.” Blake shrugs him off. “My grill, my way.”
“What’s welterweight doing? Supervising?” Wrath squeezes my shoulder.
The corners of Blake’s mouth twitch, like he’s considering telling Wrath I’ve been over here getting all emotional with him. Then his smile fades. He points his grill tongs at the bags of wood chips. “Talking about all the different kinds of wood chips. Pecan, Apple, Hickory, Plum—”
“I got it.” Wrath nods quickly, then slaps Blake’s shoulder again. “Congratulations. You’re a lucky man.”
Blake’s shoulders tense, waiting for whatever obnoxiousness is about to come out of Wrath’s mouth. “How’s that?”
Wrath lifts his chin in Alexa’s direction. “You’ve officially got a cool-as-shit daughter.”
Blake’s expression relaxes. “Yeah, I do.”
We spend time bullshitting about grilling, and a run Wrath wants to take to visit our Virginia and Tennessee charters. “This time, we need Rock to come. You too, Teller.” Wrath elbows Blake. “Deadbranch needs to see how a real president behaves.”
Blake chuckles, “Yeah, go tell him that.”