“Black, you two in?” Robbie asks. Ember turns to focus on us, her smile fading instantly.
“We’ll let you know. Presley needs to check into a few things.”
“Winnie?” Ember assumes.
“Yes, I usually have her on Thursday nights and sometimes Fridays, too.”
“No problem. Just let me know when you can.” Ember gives her a reassuring smile.
“Who’s Winnie?” Raven’s tone is sharp as she look between Presley and me in confusion.
“She’s my niece.”
“And she’s the cutest little girl you’ve ever seen!” Ember gushes.
“She is, and so smart!” my mom agrees.
“Wait, you’ve met her? I didn’t even know she existed until five seconds ago.” Raven narrows her eyes at me. “What else has Finn been hiding?”
Tension fills the room as the chatter stops.
“RJ, there’s nothing to hide.”
Presley slides free and hands me her empty glass. “Ember, I’d love that tour of the house now?”
“Absolutely. Follow me.”
“I’ll come with you,” I offer.
“No.” She presses a hand to my chest. “You stay and talk to Raven. Obviously, she’s feeling left out. Tell her about Winnie, tell her about us, hell… tell her about any fucking thing. But get that scowl off her face and that venom out of her voice. You say she’s one of your best friends, and I get the feeling she’s doesn’t like me too much right now. I’ll be back in a few minutes. See if you can smooth this over, so everyone doesn’t feel uncomfortable.”
“I’ll take care of it.”
She follows Ember, and my eyes slice to Raven, jerking my head to the kitchen.
“Something on your mind?” I cross my arms and lean against a counter when we’re out of earshot.
“I feel like I don’t even know you anymore. You used to call, come to the house, see the kids, hang out. Now, I haven’t seen you in weeks. Not to mention, I know nothing about this girl, but all of a sudden, there’s no Finn without Presley.” Her voice cracks, and it stings.
The woman standing in front of me may be a wife and a mother, but I still see the young girl who used to tag along, begging to be included. There was a time I hoped we could be more than friends, but it wasn’t in the cards. She and Declan belong together, and I encouraged her to follow her heart.
Through it all, we remained close, and that’s how I know she’s hurt. My relationship with Presley has become my priority, and Raven feels excluded.
“Come here, RJ.” I open my arms, and she comes without argument. “I’m sorry I’ve been MIA lately. These last few weeks have been busy. Most of my free time has been with Presley. I’d like for you to get to know her because she means a lot to me. Her life hasn’t always been easy. No lie, she’s the bravest and most remarkable woman I’ve ever met.
“This camping trip in a few weeks should give you a good chance to know her better.”
“I’m sorry. My hormones are out of whack since the babies were born.”
“It’s okay, but do me a favor and cut the attitude. The last thing I want are things to be awkward or tense.”
“You really like this girl, huh?”
“We passed ‘like’ within the first five minutes. Now, I’m totally captivated.”
“Wow, sounds serious.”
“Oh yeah, it’s serious. Don’t chase my girl away, okay?”