“For some reason, the world wanted us to do this together or else you would’ve been able to read house numbers,” I tell her.
That gets a little grin.
“So, let’s figure it out,” I say. “Rosie just lost her mom. That’s worse than what either of us are going through.”
“No. You’re right.”
“Maybe whatever life you build from here with Rosie will be better than any life you could’ve made in Hawaii,” I say. “I mean, you can only eat so many pineapples. And I’m not bad scenery. Just saying.”
She laughs. “No, you’re not.”
She must say it before she thinks because her eyes go wide as soon as the words are out of her mouth.
I take a step toward her but am stopped by the sound of little feet pattering on the tile.
“Boone!” Rosie yells. “Boone!”
“Hey,” I say as she enters the kitchen. “Are you okay, little girl?”
She squeezes her Glo Worm tight. “I thought you were gone.”
Oh, hell. I need to make sure she never has that fear again.
Jaxi squats down. “We’re both here. Just wondering what you wanted for breakfast.”
“Pancakes?” Rosie asks.
“I can order that,” I say.
Jaxi laughs as Rosie burrows herself in her arms.
“You and your phone orders.” Jaxi stands and scoops Rosie up on the way. “We have to start eating at home.”
Eating at home.
Rosie leans toward me until I take her. In exchange, I hand Jaxi my phone.
She furrows her brow. “What do I do with this?”
“Order breakfast.” I toss her a wink as I carry Rosie toward the living room. “We have cartoons to watch.”
“Oh, is this how it’s going to go?” she jokes.
“Hey, I have to potty,” Rosie says as if this information is news to her.
I stop in the doorway. Rosie is perched on my hip with her head on my shoulder. I look at Jaxi, whose beautiful face is lit with a soft smile as she looks at her niece in my arms.
She holds my phone to the side. “You really just handed me your phone?”
“So?”
A slow smile spreads across her cheeks. “Okay. Fine. Bacon or sausage with your pancakes?”
“None,” Rosie says. “Just lots of syrup.”
“Bacon for me.”
“I’ll have sausage,” Jaxi says to herself.
Her eyes snap to mine, and I can’t help it. I laugh.
“Let’s get out of here,” I fake-whisper to Rosie. “Your auntie is being naughty.”
Jaxi blushes. It’s a beautiful sight—one I hope to see again.
The odds of it are good because she lives with me.
Which is both the best and weirdest thing to happen to me in a long time.
Fourteen
Jaxi
Oh, my gosh. What are these people doing?
A stream—no, a river—of people come in and out of Boone’s house. Everyone is carrying something. The women bring in containers of food and gallons of tea. The men bring in boxes and packages. A girl with braids who showed up at the same time from a food delivery service brings in paper bags marked with a grocery store logo.
And, in the midst of it all, is a woman with a warm, motherly smile and a no-nonsense attitude who directs the traffic.
I hold Rosie’s hand and tuck her into my side. We stand by the kitchen door and try not to get trampled by the activity.
“What’s happening?” Rosie asks, her face a little pink from the afternoon in the pool.
“I don’t know. I think these people are Boone’s family.”
“Oh.”
Rosie nibbles on her bottom lip and watches the activity. Finally, she shakes my hand away and makes a beeline right in the middle of the thong of bodies.
I rush after her, afraid that she’ll get trampled. “Rosie!”
“Boone!” she exclaims, racing after a man who does look quite a lot like Boone. “Come here!”
The man stops and sets his bags down. “Well, hey there,” he says, kneeling. “What’s your name?”
“Boone?” Rosie asks, screeching to a halt in front of him.
I’m just a few steps behind.
“Nope. Not Boone. My name is Coy.”
“Oh.” She looks around. “Where’s Boone?”
I open my mouth to tell her that he’s outside when, out of nowhere, Boone races through the foyer. He scoops Rosie up, making her squeal.
“I’m right here,” he says, twirling her through the air.
He sets her back on her feet.
Coy stands up and looks at me. “Are you sure you want to do this? You’re going to have two babies to take care of if you stick around this guy.”
I laugh. “Did you know you could DoorDash a whole cake?”
Coy cringes. “I did know that, actually.” He laughs. “I’m Coy. I’m Boone’s best looking and most talented brother.”
“Are you talking about me?” Another man who heavily resembles them stops beside us. He’s about the same size but probably a little older. There’s something refined, slightly more sophisticated about him—like a movie star. “I’m Oliver. Nice to meet you.”
Before I can say anything, another lookalike introduces himself.
“I’m Holt.” The man waves as he carries a box down the hall. “That’s my lady friend, Blaire.” He points at a raven-haired woman with a box by the door.