Page 40 of Lee

Plus, she wasn’t convinced that a man, looking at the totality of her life and family, would see her as being potential wife and mother material.

Another commotion from the volleyball court had Rori looking up from the baby.

“Looks like Jay’s team won,” Aria said. “Again.”

Charli laughed. “That is never a surprise.”

It looked like the players were taking a break since they headed away from the volleyball net. Lee trailed the others with Hudson beside him, the two of them talking together.

One of the men handed the ball to Peyton, and the three older kids began to toss it around while Timothy watched his cousins from where he sat on the blanket with his mom.

“Have you burned off enough calories to want dessert?” Charli asked as Janessa and Misha reached the blanket.

“I’ve burned enough calories to get me dessert for a week,” Janessa replied as she dropped down beside Charli.

The men all detoured to the picnic table and looked over the food laid out there. Lee and Hudson continued to talk as they stood there, but the other men returned to the blanket after making their selections.

“Here you go, my love,” Will said as he bowed to Janessa and held out a napkin with a cookie and brownie on it. “I present thee with a chocolate offering.”

Janessa laughed as she took the napkin from him, tilting her face up as he bent down to kiss her. The other men had brought dessert for their wives but handed them over without the flourish that Will had used to deliver Janessa’s.

The couples’ interactions were loving and cute, and Rori was happy to see it. They reminded her of one of the women she’d worked with in Denver. Her husband had constantly treated her with little gifts. At least once a week, he’d show up with something for her.

“Who’s that?” Charli said when she heard someone call Lee’s name.

Rori saw three people approach Lee and Hudson. Two hugged Lee, while the third shook hands with Hudson. After a moment, Hudson gave a nod, then turned from the group to look over the desserts.

When he returned to the group on the blanket, he had a napkin with desserts as well. He handed it to Kayleigh, then sat down beside her. She made her choice from among the desserts he’d brought, then handed the napkin back to him.

“Who’s that?” Kayleigh asked Hudson, gesturing to where Lee stood.

“Lee said they’d gone to high school together.”

“Oooh,” Charli said as they all turned to look at the group. “Is that…? Anya?”

“I thought she moved away,” Janessa said.

“She did.” Charli turned back around. “But her parents still live here, so it’s possible she’s here to visit.”

“Who’s Anya?” Misha asked.

“Lee’s high school girlfriend.”

Misha broke the cookie she held in half. “Would he get back together with her?”

Charli shrugged. “No clue. It wasn’t a bad break up or anything, and she was nice enough.”

“But he hasn’t seemed particularly interested in dating since his last breakup,” Janessa stated.

“True.”

Rori turned her attention to the baby who’d begun to fuss and squirm a bit. The swaying she’d done earlier didn’t seem to be what the baby wanted anymore, and when she let out a squawk, Rori felt a pulse of panic.

“Do you want me to take her?” Charli asked. “She probably needs her diaper changed.”

“Sure.” Rori hated to give the baby up. But at the same time, if she was getting ready to cry, she’d rather Shiloh be with her mother.

With nothing to do with her hands, Rori picked up her camera again. She fiddled with the buttons, scrolling through the pictures she’d taken earlier in the garden.

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