The Life That Mattered (Life Duet 1)

“He’s good.” Mom shot me a wide-eyed expression.

“He is. So why the surprise?”

“It was Lila’s idea.” Mom gave Lila a weak smile. She thought of her as a third daughter. Always had. “Grandma hasn’t seen the cabin since you moved in. I told her you had it decorated differently and that she’d love it. So Graham sent us up here on his jet. Took less than thirty minutes.”

I felt honored to live in the log cabin my grandfather built. It meant Katie would get everything else from their estate when Grandma died. But I was okay with that.

Grandma nodded. “I do love it, sweetie. You’ve made it your own. And grandpa would be so proud of all the chopped wood you have piled outside.”

“I can’t take credit. It’s all Ronin.”

“What’s all me?” Ronin made his appearance in faded ripped jeans, a white tee, and messy wet hair. “Hi, Mrs. Taylor.” He leaned over the back of the sofa and dropped a kiss on Mom’s head.

Mom reached up and patted his cheek. “Good morning, Ronin. You have a beautiful voice.”

He chuckled while shifting a few inches to my grandma and kissing her head too. “Thank you. Good morning, Mrs. Burns.”

“Good morning, sweetie.” Grandma reached up and patted his wet head.

I stood so he could sit in the recliner. He grabbed my waist and pulled me onto his lap as he plopped into the chair.

“They were talking about your wood, Ronin.” Lila smirked from around her spoon.

“Yes. Benedict would’ve been proud of all your wood.” Grandma nodded.

I bit back my grin. “Ronin is good with wood. And he definitely has a lot of it.”

Lila choked on her spoon.

Ronin shifted me on his lap, so I could feel his wood. “I do my best. Evelyn likes it hot, so that requires lots of wood.”

I loved how my mom and grandma were oblivious to the innuendos of the conversation while Lila looked ready to pee her pants in the kitchen. My lips hurt from biting them so hard.

“Your grandfather was the same way. He used to pack so much wood. But sometimes he’d forget to cover it, and it would get wet. Of course it was always my fault. He’d make up some reason why I distracted him; therefore, it was my fault the wood didn’t get covered and ended up wet.”

“I can see that,” Ronin said like his mind wasn’t just as far down the gutter as Lila’s and mine. “It’s quite easy to get distracted and forget to cover the wood. If I’m honest, my wood has been wet quite often.”

“And it matters if you’re burning softwood versus hardwood,” Mom added.

This conversation wasn’t happening. Was it? How the hell did we let it get so far? My stomach ached from containing my laughter.

“It really does.” Ronin nodded.

Lila snorted, turning toward the sink and running water in the oatmeal pan.

“We like to use hardwood. Right, Evie?” Ronin squeezed my leg.

I hummed my agreement, rubbing one of my eyes like I had something in it. “Uh-huh.”

“There’s a lot of softwood in these parts. It never lasts as long.” Grandma shook her head.

“Speaking of wood.” Ronin lifted me off his lap and stood. “I should go outside and get some.”

“Do you need help?” I asked, rubbing my mouth to hide my grin.

“Nah … you have company. Besides, you helped me get wood earlier. And I can’t fully express how much I appreciated it. I’ll handle it this time.”

“If my hands weren’t arthritic and my back so fragile, I’d help you get wood, Ronin,” Grandma added.

I can’t even …

Faking a cough, I held up my finger and ran to the bathroom.

Before I got the door shut, Ronin said, “That’s kind of you, Mrs. Burns, but I’ll handle the wood by myself.”

Lila slipped into the bathroom with me and shut the door.

“Oh my god,” she whispered, tears in her eyes and a hand over her mouth.

We leaned into each other to keep from falling over as our bodies shook with laughter. It took me back to grade school and the days we’d lose control with giggle fits over something like seeing the outline of a guy’s penis if his jeans were too tight.

All those years later, we still found humor in the mysterious male appendage.

“Y-your gr-grandma …” Lila cried.

I nodded, keeping my hand over my mouth.

After another minute of working the silliness out of our systems, Lila dried her eyes. Her smile faded into a different kind of smile. A forced smile. The one that was unbelievable because her eyebrows frowned.

“What?” I sighed softly while blotting my eyes with a tissue.

“Your mom told me something. That’s really why we’re here.”

“What?”

“We’re here so you can digest it and help her tell your dad.”

“Digest what?” I leaned my backside against the vanity and crossed my arms over my chest.

Lila peeled one arm away from my chest. Taking my hand, she opened the bathroom door, and I let her lead me into the living room.