Page 56 of Signs and Signals

About an hour later, Atlas messaged me and told me to ignore his mother, he isn’t reaching out. He is determined to get her to learn her lesson this time.

Haven is awake just in time for Silas, Emerson, Asia, and Amara to walk in. Of course, she runs straight to Silas. I love how they all love her. It makes me love them even more.

Ten minutes later Van and Lyra walk in, both carrying a covered dish, following Van to the kitchen. I walk in to see what they have brought and to see where I need to put it. I have a system, and I will not let anyone screw it up.

As I turn the corner to the kitchen, Van and Lyra look like they are about to lose touch with reality. Van is moving a fewfeet at a time sniffing the air, and Lyra is sniffing all the covered foods.

“Uh, guys, what on earth on you doing?” They turn to look at me, eyes wild, I am almost afraid if I get too close, I will be attacked.

“Do you have some here? Where are they? I can smell them, I know you have some Indya,” Van pleads, almost begging. His is pulling the ends of his hair, which is now standing up all over the place.

“Please just let us have one piece, Indya. That’s it, just one,” Lyra whines. Which is unlike her, which confuses me.

“I’m not sure what it is I have, that you want. Maybe tell me what it is first, then I will be willing to share,” I tell them, seriously trying to come up with what they are searching for and think I have.

“The toffee!” They both yell at the same time. Then it hits me. The brownies. Atlas told me they were his favorite sweet, so I thought the bacon, caramel and toffee would pair well with the chocolate of the brownie. I didn’t realize the candy was their favorite as well. I start to laugh.

“Wow, you all are really obsessed with those toffee’s, huh. I didn’t realize that or else I would have made more. I made bacon caramel toffee brownies for dessert,” I laugh, watching their faces light up like children on Christmas morning.

Van seems to have found the pan of brownies on the counter and when he goes to lift the covering, I smack his hand and scold, “No, Van. Bad boy. Dessert after dinner, after you eat real food.”

Lyra looks just as shocked as Van. He just stands there, mouth open, holding the hand I smacked to his chest, like I did actual damage.

“Wow, you are mean, Indya,” Lyra astonishes, then walks out of the kitchen, Van following, both looking defeated. I just laugh harder.

Chapter Twenty-Four

Atlas

We finish at the clubhouse a little after lunch. My brain is exhausted, we have been here since four this morning and have done nothing but watch the Rangers past games, then strategize. Over and over.

The entire team is coming for the cookout, Zander warning all of them not to mention the owner of the home. As far as anyone, except Indya, knows, the home belongs to a friend of theirs. The guys agree, everyone heads to their own houses to get changed and head to Zander's.

Zander and I pull in at the same time, and before we make it to the door, the rest of the team starts pulling in. Nice, we won’t have to wait on anyone. When we open the door, the house is quiet, I follow Zander to the back door and see everyone is scattered around the patio, Silas playing with Haven on the playset.

“I am glad that thing is gettin some use,” Zanders smiles looking out the window watching Haven.

I don’t say anything. I just stare at her. She looks older, she has grown, her hair is longer and her curls a little wilder than before. Fuck I missed my princess.

“You good, bro? Nervous to see her?” Zander asks, which is comforting he cares.

“I am. I missed her so fucking much. It was like I was missing a piece of myself without her,” I say honestly. He just nods his head, then opens the door. He turns to look at me, as if saying,Just rip the band aid off.

I greet all the siblings and Amara that are sitting on the deck. When I get to Indya, her cheeks are flush, her eyes hot with need. I just smirk at her and state, “Indya.” Leaving it at that. When really, I want to capture her mouth with mine and let everyone see, I didn’t need a plan or grand gesture, I got her back without it.

Haven sees Zander walking toward her, while I am listening to Van complain about something to do with brownies and Indya being mean. Honestly, I’m not paying attention to his whining, I am watching my princess and every move she makes. I want to run out there and grab hold of her and never let her go.

I feel a small hand touch my back, breaking me from the trance, turning my head, I see it is Indya. She gives me a small smile, and jerks her head toward Haven, telling me to go to her, the results of her reactions may surprise you. I take a deep breath, then let it out. Stepping away from Indya and toward Haven.

A step around a couple of my teammates, chairs, and a few toys, finally getting a clear path to my princess. I am looking at the ground trying to get the courage to get closer to her, when I see movement, and her Zander laughing. I look up, there she is, looking straight into my soul. Her features showing an array of emotions, disbelief, hope, happiness, and there in the very back of all of that is a little bit of sadness.

I start walking toward her and she runs as fast as her little legs can, when we are almost together, I bend down. She seemed to pick up some speed after that, I wasn’t going to tossher in the air like I usually do when we greet each other, not this time. This little bitty thing pretty much tackles me, making me fall flat on my ass.

Still, she jumps into my arms squeezing my neck tighter than ever. God, I have missed this child.

I try to get her to look at me, but she just buries her face deeper, holding on tighter. I take in my surroundings because there is no longer the noise of people chattering and laughing having a good time, it is completely silent.

My eyes find Indya’s first, she has tears pouring from her red rimmed eyes, but the biggest smile on her face. I look at the rest of the girls, and they are not faring any better. My poor hard ass sister is crying into Van’s chest, who has a gloss shining in his eyes. I meet the eyes of all the guys, they are all smiling.

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