Page 44 of Chasing Forever

Nona’s scowl fell away, and her smile was full of warmth and acceptance. “Well, I’m glad she has you to set her straight when she starts thinking silly thoughts,” she told Levi. “It’s a very important job, reminding people how awesome they are whenever they’re feeling a little down or something, and I bet you’re really good at it.”

My nephew’s chest swelled up. “I do it all the time with my friends. When Tommy struck out in kickball the other day and started sayin’ he was no good, I reminded him last week he kicked the ball so hard it went over the fence and into the road. That made him feel better, and on his next turn, he got a homerun.”

Every time I thought it wasn’t possible to be any prouder of my nephew, he did something that melted my heart into a puddle. His kindness had no limits or expectations. He gave it freely, without expecting anything in return.

“You’ve got a very kind heart, Levi.”

He nodded earnestly. “Aunt Merri says it don’t cost nothin’ to be kind, so we should do it every day.”

Nona’s gaze returned to me, and I swear her eyes took on a sheen in the porch light. “Your aunt is a very wise woman, Levi. You’re lucky to have her.”

“For sure. We’re lucky to have each other.”

If he didn’t stop being so damn perfect, I was going to start crying. Fortunately, Nona brought the conversation to a close by reaching out her hand to Levi and saying, “My grandkids are really excited to meet you. What do you say we head inside and see what kind of trouble we can get into, huh?”

Levi followed, and I took a moment to sniffle and wave at my eyes to dry the tears that had begun to form.

Tristan used his grip on my hand to tug me into his side, then wrapped his arm around my waist. “Still worried she isn’t going to like you?”

I stuck my tongue out at him as we made our way inside. I should have known I had the world’s best nephew at my back to hype me up whenever I needed it.

I couldn’t rememberthe last time I’d had so much fun. By the time we’d finished the amazing dinner Blythe prepared—where therewerevegetables, much to Levi’s chagrin—and were sitting around the dining table with coffee as we let our dessert settle, I was bordering on uncomfortably full—the chocolate cake Nona brought was the best I’d ever eaten— yet still feeling light as air.

The muscles in my abs had gotten a workout from how much and how hard I’d laughed all evening. It hadn’t taken long at all for me to grow comfortable with Trick and Nona. I should have realized that a man as wonderful as Tristan could only have been raised by parents just as amazing.

The ease in which they had accepted Levi and me into their fold, like it was as natural as breathing, slotted a few more of those jagged pieces into place until I was nearly whole. After the years with Warren, I didn’t know if it was possible for me to ever feel that way, but there I was.

I’d watched Trick and Nona throughout the evening, and discovered exactly where Tristan’s affectionate nature had come from. The love his parents had for each other radiated from them. Even after being married as long as they had, they still looked at each other with stars in their eyes.

Whenever Nona talked, Trick watched her with this small grin on his face that said he still couldn’t believe how lucky he was to have her. And whenever he touched Nona, she’d inadvertently lean into it like she couldn’t get enough.

Growing up, that was the kind of love I wanted, however after Warren, I’d given up any hope I might have it one day.

But now I was starting to think it might be possible.

“Merritt, honey,” Nona said, pulling me from the happy daze of my thoughts and back to the present where the adults were still at the table, enjoying each other’s company, and the kids had taken off to go play with Rhodes’s dog, Koda. Their constant giggles and intermittent shrieks of delight told us they were having the time of their lives. “Blythe showed me pictures of that sideboard you’re restoring for her. It’s absolutely breathtaking.”

Heat infused my cheeks as a smile overtook my face. I’d been working on that piece whenever I had time—which wasn’t as often as I would have liked—and it was coming along better than I could have hoped. I thought for sure I would have been rusty after so many years, but the moment I picked up the sanding block, it all came back to me, and I swear I felt my mother standing right beside me every time I worked on it. I’d been taking pictures of the progress and it felt amazing to have someone admire the work I’d put in so far.

“Thanks. It’s been nice to get back to it. I forgot how cathartic it felt to lose myself in the work of bringing something back to life.”

Blythe lifted her wine glass to her lips and took a drink. “I’d say you’re doing more than that. I looked up pictures online of other pieces from that time period, and what you’ve done has leveled it up. It still has the original charm, but you’ve also somehow made it fit perfectly with everything we already have here.”

“You could make a very nice living doing what you do,” Nona said. “You have a real talent and an obvious passion for it. People would pay an arm and a leg.”

I sputtered under her praise. “Oh, no. I don’t do it for that. I’m not looking to make money. I like doing it. It’s not like I’m charging or anything.”

“You should,” Tristan added, turning to look at me. Like his father, he’d spent most of the evening finding little ways to touch or caress me, to let me know he was there and to show he cared. Just then, his arm was draped over the back of my chair, alternating between twirling strands of my hair around his fingers and gently brushing the pads across the nape of my neck. “This is something you love doing, and you’re great at it. You should go for it.” He gave me a crooked grin. “I’ll even be your first customer.”

“Uh, not gonna happen, little bro,” Blythe cut in, then raised her eyebrows at me. “She’s already working on something for me, and I fully intend on paying her for what she’s done. Whether she likes it or not.”

“You don’t have to do that.”

“Yes, I do. Know your worth, babe. And know the worth of your work.”

God, she really was the best friend a woman could ask for. I wondered, not for the first time, how I’d gotten so lucky.

We left not long after, when it became clear that Levi was fading fast. We said our goodbyes, and I found I was actually looking forward to the next family dinner. Tristan’s entire family was amazing. We’d barely turned off the gravel lane that led up to Rhodes and Blythe’s house before Levi was out cold in his booster seat.

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