“My oldest brother, Luke, was missing for most of my life—turned out he grew up in foster care.”
“He wasmissing?”
“Half brother. His bio dad kidnapped him, changed his identity, then died, leaving him a ward of the state. No one knew better.”
“That’s—”
“Crazy? Awful? Everything in between? Yeah, but he fell for the girl who lived next door to his foster mom. Now they’re married and have adopted three of their four kids from foster care. My twin brother and his fiancée are adopting three siblings from foster care too. So my reaction wasn’t about you. Just seems like…”
“A recurring theme?”
“Makes me curious what the Lord’s up to next.” He laughed, pulled out his phone, opened to a family photo, and handed her the phone. “This is us at a reunion this spring. All nineteen of us.”
Nineteen?She could barely fathom a family that size. She studied the different faces—unique yet an unmistakable family connection in their shared love for each other. The genuine joy between them reminded her of what she’d seen at King’s Inn with Emberly’s boyfriend Steinbeck’s family. Probably Emberly’s family too someday.
For just a moment, the deep desire to be part of a family like that bloomed to life again. She’d buried it the day she realized she’d brought the Bratva down on King’s Inn. But if she could give them what they wanted, get free…
He swiped to the next photo. “This is Luke and Hannah. Their oldest is Jimmy, then Asher, Joseph, and the youngest is Roman.”
She could almost hear Roman’s laughter through the image. Hannah was beautiful with long brown hair. “You and Luke look so much alike. Is he your twin?”
“Nope, that would be Logan.” He reached over and swiped to the next photo. She struggled to focus on the people and nothis warmth radiating as he leaned toward her. She drew a slow breath, only to fill her lungs with his heady masculine scent.
“My fraternal twin. Older by four minutes.” He seemed completely unaffected by their proximity.
She blinked at the photo, pushing other thoughts away. She could see family resemblance, but Logan had a different look—more serious eyes. The woman next to him in the photo had long auburn hair, arms wrapped around a girl with a shy smile.
“That’s his fiancée, Devin, and the three kids they’re adopting—Easton, Alani, and Tyce.” He swiped again. “And this is my older sister, Libby, her husband, Austin, and their three girls—Rose, Sophie, and the baby is Daisy.”
She handed back the phone, drew a calming breath. “They all look sweet. I wish I could meet them.”
“Maybe someday you will.” He mumbled the words, ducking his head as he set the phone beside him. Maybe he hadn’t been as indifferent to their nearness as she’d thought.
He leaned back, rested his hand inches from hers on the rock. His warmth rolled off him, and despite the evening heat, something about him made her want to lean in. Was it Liam, or was she just tired of being alone?
He turned, met her gaze with those dangerous blue eyes.
Definitely Liam. His finger moved slightly, bumped against hers, sending a thread of awareness through her. Was that a question in his eyes?
“Nimue, what are you really?—”
His phone’s shrill ring cut off the words. He sat up, lifted it, breaking their connection. He stared at Logan’s face on the call screen for a moment before accepting.
“Hey, can I call you back in?—”
His brow wrinkled. Nimue drew a slow breath. Was he about to ask her what she was doing here? Or maybe what she really…what? Her heart hammered.
Maybe she was just reading into it. Maybe…
“You’re where?” His gaze met hers as a smile broke across his face. “I’ll be there in thirty minutes. I’m…with a friend. I’ll ask her.”
Afriend. Her mind tumbled the word over and over.
He pocketed the phone, stood, reached for her hand to help her up.
His grip was warm, solid, and after she stood, he held on. “Remember how you said you wanted to meet my nieces and nephews someday? How about today?”
“What?” She could nearly taste her heartbeat in her throat. Afriend.