Page 110 of Between Us

Bonnie’s eyes are trained on the small physical contact between them for a few seconds too long to be casual, before looking up and nodding at Maria with a smile. “Your secrets are always safe with me,” she tells me with a wink and turns out of the room to take Maria to her backyard behind ours.

Chapter Fifty-Four

Blake

Staringatthechessboard,I do my best to focus on the game rather than the excitement of knowing my brother, and his family, are on their way. It’s a wasted effort considering I’m meeting myniecefor the first time.

Grady’s gotten better about staying more connected over the last month and a half. Which is ironic considering he’s busier now, and probably running off less sleep, than he ever expected. But I appreciate the effort, even if the conversations are always about Stella rather than him.

I know it’s easier for him to focus on her, and I need to just appreciate him trying at all.

When I glance up at Adrian kneeling on the other side of the coffee table, he’s smirking in a smug, annoying way.

We’ve been playing a couple games a week for the last month, since we were too lazy to do anything on New Year’s Day, and I asked him to teach me.

Not only did I underestimate how difficult chess is to learn, but also how fuckinggoodAdrian is.

It requires a lot of skill and forward-thinking that I’ve realized I might not have much of.

And a fuck ton of patience, which I knew I didn’t.

Adrian mentioned once that it makes him happy when I play a game with him. It was all I needed to be convinced to read up on the rules. For whatever reason, it seems to relax him.

I’m not nearly as worthy of an opponent for Adrian as my dad. They played a game that lasted six hours over the course of two days a couple weekends ago.

Mine and Adrian’s games never go over an hour and a half, and I’ve only beaten him once… but I think he let me win.

Right now, it’s not the best distraction, except I don’t want to leave and accidentally miss a second with Stella.

As I’m hovering over my rook, already certain Adrian’s going to win within a few more moves, the front door starts to open.

I don’t know who’s out of their seats first, but my mom and I are there before Grady and Arielle take their first step inside.

“Oh, you’re here!” my mom coos as she wraps my brother in a hug.

His girlfriend, Arielle, is standing awkwardly to the side, rocking Stella in her arms. She’s a few inches taller than me, with dark brown hair and eyes that I’ve always thought were kind of cold.

She’s nice but neverfriendly. It’s like she’s stuck in this state of politeness.

I’m practically chomping at the bit looking at Stella, and wanting nothing more than to grab her, and snuggle her, and smell her.

Yeah, maybe that’s weird, but Grady and Arielle asked everyone to kindly not kiss her—and I respect that—so it’s the next best thing.

Adrian walks up behind me and places his hand on the small of my back. Looking up at him, I offer him a small smile before turning back to Arielle.

She’s looking at me now as my mom continues to fawn over my brother. Closing the small distance between us, Arielle walks over and tilts her upper body to show off the most precious baby I’ve ever seen.

“Auntie Blake,” Arielle starts. It doesn’t come out naturallyat all, although I appreciate the effort at this moment. “This is your niece, Stella.”

“Hi, Stella,” I breathe out, and run my finger down her arm until she closes her small hand around it. Looking up at Arielle, I tell her through watery eyes, “She’s perfect.”

Arielle’s smile is soft and proud when she looks back down at the bundle in her arms. “She is. Do you want to hold her?”

“Yes,” I answer instantly. Reaching out, Arielle gently sets Stella in my arms and takes a step back. Looking down at her, I take in her light eyes that are likely to darken, considering both of her parents have shades of brown. “I love her,” I blurt out.

Arielle and Adrian chuckle, but as my mom and Grady walk over, he says, “Good, I’d hope so.”

Looking up, I catch my mom greeting Arielle. She looks surprised to be put before the baby. I know my mom’s trying in her own ways too.

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