“So are you, sweet brother.”
He scoffed. “I’m actually having a bit of fun now that I’m single, so don’t judge me.”
“Ugh, don’t give me any details. Bring Rus over when you get a chance. Liliana and Truitt will be happy to see him.”
Ryan laughed.
“What’s so funny?” I asked.
“It’s just so damn funny that Truitt and his dog had the same surgery done. That guy has the worst luck, I swear.”
I peeked into the window and felt my stomach do a somersault at the sight before me. Truitt was sitting up with his leg resting on a pillow propped up on the table, reading a book to Liliana as my mother cleaned up the Yahtzee game.
I didn’t even realize they had come over.
With a slow shake of my head, I let out a soft sigh. “He may be unlucky at times, but I’ve never met a man like him.”
“Then he’s worth the jump.”
With a smile, I replied, “So worth the jump.”
Truitt
“TWUITT?”
The little voice instantly had my eyes snapping open. There, standing over me with a huge smile and those bright blue eyes, was Liliana.
“Hey, pumpkin,” I said, sitting up and finding Evie standing there with a grin that said she had just won the lottery. “Hi, Evie.”
“Hello there, Truitt. How is the knee doing?” Evie asked with a slight twinkle in her eye.
“It’s doing good, thanks to Saryn.”
“I’m so glad I suggested she just have you stay here. You can’t be all alone after surgery.”
My mouth twitched. Evie was playing matchmaker again, and I had no problem with it at all.
“It was a minor surgery, I’m sure I could have stayed at home.”
She tsked and shook her head. “Don’t be silly. You shouldn’t be staying home alone after any sort of surgery.”
“Does Will feel the same as you about me being here?” I watched her grab a sofa pillow and motion for me to rest my foot on it while she moved the ice therapy machine.
“The only thing Will and I want is for Saryn to be happy. And we both knew she wasn’t with…he who will not ever be named again.”
I laughed as I looked down at Liliana, then back up to Evie.
“You know we just started dating.”
She nodded. “And she’s practically moved you in! I think that’s a good sign.”
I sighed and then focused back on Liliana. “What do you have there, darlin’?”
Liliana climbed up onto the sofa next to me and looked at my knee. “Does it hurwt?”
“Not really, your mommy is taking care of me.”
She smiled a brilliant smile that nearly stole the air from my lungs.
“I take care of you, too!”
Liliana handed me a book, and I promptly opened it and started reading. I caught a glimpse of Saryn standing out on the back porch talking on the phone. As I read to Liliana, Evie put up the Yahtzee game.
“I made roast for dinner and left some in the kitchen for the two of you. Liliana insisted we come over to see you before she went to bed.”
“Nothing makes me happier than seeing my favorite girl,” I said. Liliana gazed up at me with nothing but love and trust in her eyes. That look reaffirmed my feeling: there wasn’t anything I wouldn’t do for her or her mother. Moving slow had officially been taken off the shelf, and I was going to spend as much time with the two of them as I could. I went back to reading as Evie headed out of the living room.
The door to the back porch opened and Saryn walked in. Liliana looked up and gave her mother a grin. “Hi, Mommy!”
“Hey, baby girl.”
“Liliana wanted to come say goodnight and have a book read to her,” I said.
“Where is Wus?” Liliana asked.
“Uncle Ryan is going to bring Rus over so he can stay here and heal with his daddy.”
There was no denying that news made me feel even happier. “He is?”
Saryn nodded. “I told him it would be good for both you and Rus to rest together. You two can lie around on the sofa and watch TV all day.”
I laughed. “That is never going to happen.”
“Twuitt! Wead the book, pwease!”
God, I loved how she made her r and l’s sound like w’s. “Yes, ma’am.”
After reading two books, I walked with Evie, Liliana, and Saryn to the front door.
Before Saryn walked out, she turned to face me. “I’m going to go tuck her in, and then I’ll be back. Please don’t go running or anything.”
I glanced down at my right knee. It felt good not to have anything strapped around it and to be walking again. Saryn insisted I use a cane at least for the first few days, though.
“I’ll try not to.”
As Saryn, her mother, and Liliana made their way to the main house, I saw Ryan’s truck coming down the drive.