Page 119 of Rope Me In

“Her name suits her.” We walk a bit more before Gavin asks, “Why were you shocked?”

I kick a rock with my boot. “Because I know your relationship with Dad was complicated. And given how he left things when he died, it didn’t even occur to me you’d want to name your baby after him.”

“Both of our relationships with him were complicated,” he volleys.

“I can’t disagree with you there. But why do you want to?”

Gavin hesitates, then he stops walking again and faces me. “Despite my differences with him and everything he did, I realize that he did what he thought he had to do. Was it always right? No. But he was trying to protect his family.”

Before I was sober, Gavin’s words would’ve made me angry, and I would’ve wanted to reach for a drink. But now that I’m a dad and have had therapy where I talked until I was blue in the face about my relationship with my father, I get what Gavin is saying. I know Dad only ever did the best he could to raise us with what he knew, with the tools he had at his disposal. I forgave him for everything he said and did years ago now.

“Is there any other reason?” I ask. I have a gut feeling it’s more than that for him.

“He was a good man with a strong work ethic. And despite his mistakes, he loved us. He loved us more than I think we even knew. He made sure we always had each other, Kade. And while his death almost ripped us apart, it brought us back together. This is my way of not only honoring him but also honoring you,honoring our relationship. If my daughter is half the person that you are, that he was—” Gavin clears the emotion in his throat then pauses to gather himself. “There’s one more thing.”

I just nod, unable to trust myself to speak right now. Gavin’s emotion—his words—are affecting me more than I expected but not in a bad way.

“Her middle name is going to be Kade.”

Kade. “Emmy Kade Montgomery.”

Gavin nods.

I tug my brother to me in a long and fierce hug—a hug that you can only share with a brother, a person who’s been by your side as you went to hell and back.

When I pull away, his eyes are teary like they were all those years ago when I first told him I was getting help and that I needed space. This conversation is emotional, too, but for an entirely different reason.

“I’m proud of you, Kade, of the man you’ve become. You make me want to be better every day.”

I squeeze his biceps. “You’re a good man, Gav, the best man. Thank you for even thinking to do that. I—I don’t know what else to say except that I’m honored.”

His next words are almost a whisper. “I can’t wait to meet her.”

“You’re going to be a great dad.”

“You think?”

“I know.”

Before I can say another word, a streak of blonde hair zips between us then starts circling our legs.

“Look! I’m a pony!” Jamie giggles. She makes a nickering noise that has Gavin and I chuckling, then she circles us again and again. Soon, Presley walks over to us with Blake on her tail.

“I’m so sorry. She ran over here so fast.” Presley laughs. “Maybe you’ll get lucky, and she’ll pass out after a bath.”

“If not, we’ll watch a movie,” Blake says as she sidles up to Gavin. She rests her head on his shoulder, and he places his handon the swell of her belly. My heart warms at the picture they make, and I stare in awe at her stomach.Emmy Kade. A niece named after me and Dad.

Presley tucks into my side, and I snap out of my little trance. When she sees my still-glassy eyes and slightly shocked expression, she frowns a bit.

“You okay, baby?” Her voice is hushed so a still-galloping Jamie doesn’t hear.

I give my attention to Gavin then to Blake. The latter is giving me a look that says she knows what Gavin told me. Her warm brown eyes smile at me, and she places her hand over the one my brother has on her stomach.

With a smile of my own, I gaze down at my wife, the person who means more to me than anything in this world.

“I’m great.” I know she doesn’t completely buy it, but I’ll tell her everything when we’re alone. I tug on a lock of pink hair. “You ready to get out of here, wife?”

She bites her lower lip and stares at my mouth. “If you are.”

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