Page 64 of Skylar

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Aiden noticed a car parked in front of the house as he pulled into the driveway after work one day and wondered if it was someone visiting his mom. Though she didn’t have a lot of friends in Coeur d’Alene, she still had several in Serenity who came to visit.

Sometimes he felt guilty about having had her move to Coeur d’Alene, rather than him driving an hour or more each way to commute to work. However, his mom had assured him that it was fine. That she needed a little separation from the life she’d shared with his dad in Serenity.

There was a strong possibility that she’d move back to Serenity one day because she’d kept their house there. But for now, Coeur d’Alene would be their home.

Opening the side door, Aiden immediately heard the pitter patter of little feet.

“Uncle Aid!” Willow came running towards him, and Aiden reached out to grab her and swing her into his arms.

He gave her a kiss on her cheek, which she returned to his. “How was your day?”

“Great! A man brought me a new tablet with a pretty cover.”

Aiden frowned. “What?”

He walked out of the kitchen to the living room at the front of the house. There he found his mom speaking to said man.

“Cole?” Aiden bent to set Willow down, then gave Cole a brief but tight hug when he approached Aiden. “What are you doing here, bro?”

Cole shrugged as he put his hands on his hips. “I thought I’d come and get myself tested. Say hi to the fam.”

That surprised Aiden. Cole had come back to Serenity even less than Skylar had over the years. “You’re not dying, are you?”

“Aiden James!” his mom exclaimed.

Cole chuckled as he turned in her direction. “It’s fine, Miss Tracy. I know why he’s asking that.”

“It’s been an age since you showed up.”

“It has, but I think it’s for a good reason.”

“You staying in Serenity?”

“Probably,” he said. “My folks will most likely want me out at the house with them.”

“Most likely,” Aiden agreed.

“You want to go out and grab a bite?” Cole asked. “I plan to head out to Serenity later.”

Aiden glanced at his mom, who waved her hand. “You go on. Willow and I will be just fine. I’ll take care of her for bedtime tonight.”

“Thanks, Mom,” he said, then turned to Cole. “I’m just going to get changed, and we can go.”

It didn’t take him long to swap out his suit for a pair of jeans and a T-shirt, then he jogged back up the stairs to join Cole in the living room.

“Hey, Willow,” he said, moving to where his niece was seated on her favorite little child size recliner. “You didn’t tell me a joke yet. Whatcha got for me?”

Willow’s face lit up. “What do you call cheese that’s not yours?”

Aiden once again made a show of trying to think of the answer. “I give up, what.”

“Nacho cheese!”

As he grinned, Aiden heard Cole chuckle. “That’s a great one, kiddo.”

He held out his hand for a high five, which Willow gave him with great gusto. Cole also held his hand out, and Willow didn’t hesitate to smack his hand, too.

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