Page 65 of Worth the Chase

“Two? I thought it only went down?” Thomas questioned.

Patrick quickly shook his head. “Upanddown,” Patrick announced, like he knew the floor plan better than I did.

“One of you give me a tour already.” Dad held on to his beer and started walking toward the stairs when a knock on the front door stopped him. “Who’s that?” he asked me, like I had any idea.

“Hold on. Lemme check.” I put my fingertips up to the side of my head and closed my eyes, acting like I could sense who it might be.

“Smart-ass,” my dad huffed.

There was another quick knock, followed by the door opening, and Brooklyn and Clara walked inside, each holding a pizza box.

“Hey, everyone,” Brooklyn announced as she set her box on top of the counter before reaching for Clara’s and doing the same.

“Hi, Uncles! Hi, Daddy! Hi, Pops!” Clara said animatedly as Jasper raced up to her. She dropped to her knees, and Jasper licked her face. “Hi, Jasper. I missed you.”

“You two are goddesses.” I opened up one of the boxes, grabbed a slice, folded it in half, and took a large bite.

“Swallow, Uncle Matthew. Sheesh,” Clara demanded as she wrapped her arms around my leg and squeezed.

“I’m just so hungry,” I said around a mouthful of food.

Clara narrowed her eyes and shook her head. “You have no manners when you’re hungry.”

She giggled, and I reached down to pick her up and started tickling her. She squirmed in my arms, but I refused to stop until she said she was sorry.

“I’m sor—” She laughed. “Sorrrrrry. I mean, not really, but please stop, Uncle.”

“Fine,” I said before putting her mismatched-covered feet on the ground.

I watched as Thomas swooped in, took Brooklyn in his arms, and kissed her. She stared up at him with hearts in her eyes, and a week ago, I would have been insanely jealous. But not anymore because I had my own heart-eyed woman.

At least I hoped I did.

“Uncle Matthew, this place is huge.” Clara spun in a circle in the almost-empty living room. Once she stopped, her eyes were as wide as she could make them.

“I know it is. Why don’t you go pick out a floor?” I said, shooting Patrick an all-knowing look, and I swore he almost keeled over right then and there.

“A whole floor?” Her mouth dropped open.

She took off running, and Patrick raced to catch up to her and reached for her hand.

“I’ll go with you. I’m sure you don’t want awhole floor,” he said.

Clara looked up at him like he was crazy. “I don’t know, Uncle Patrick.” She didn’t sound convinced. “After Little Miss Goo comes out, I might need a whole floor to myself.”

“Little Miss what?” Patrick asked, and Clara quickly threw her hand over her mouth like she’d said something wrong.

“Come on.” She pulled on his hand.

“I guess the cat’s kind of out of the bag,” Brooklyn said as soon as the two of them disappeared.

My dad and I walked over to where Thomas and Brooklyn stood in the kitchen.

“What cat?” I asked.

My dad quickly followed with, “What bag?”

Thomas put his hand on Brooklyn’s stomach, and they both smiled.

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