Page 44 of Vanishing Point
“We’re here, sweets. At the party.”
“Party,” she repeated, smiling and kicking her legs a little.
Thomas got out of the car and moved to get Mags out of her car seat before Vi could. He unbuckled her, then pulled her out and settled her on his hip. She dropped her sleepy head to his shoulder, warm and somewhat sweaty, but it was weird how when it was a little kid, who somehow held your entire heart in her tiny, pudgy hands, that feeling was nice instead of vaguely gross.
He could hear the commotion of the party from here, so he wound his free arm around Vi’s waist and led her into the back and thefray.
Thomas dropped off the present with Hilly, introduced her and Cam to Vi and Magnolia. He saw Laurel and Grady and their crew with Zach and Lucy and theirs, and started making his way over. They had to stop, make multiple introductions along the way.
Including to Ty and Jen Carson. Which wouldn’t have been weird, because he’d literally gone onmaybea handful of dates with Jen almosttenyears ago. But, as they walked away, hefeltVi studying him.
“Jen and Laurel look alotalike,” Vi said once Jen was out of earshot.
He gave her a sideways glance. “I guess.”
She laughed and shook her head. “I bet you weresotransparent.”
“Hey,shewent on the dates,” he replied, leading Vi over to Laurel.
It was kind of funny, because he was just always with the same people all the time, so he forgot things that had once been surprising. Like Daisy Delaney walking among them not using her stage name here. Like the Carson and Delaney feud that used to be the talk of Bent, like how mismatched Laurel and Gradyappeared, even though he knew they were perfect for each other.
He introduced Vi to Grady, tried not to laugh when she kept surreptitiously looking at Grady’s sleeve of tattoos, and then Laurel’s sunny ponytail and trim and tidy outfit, as if trying to figure out a complex math equation.
Mags was awake and alert now and demanded to be put down. She watched another group of kids from between Thomas’s legs with avid eyes.
Laurel’s oldest raced over, her cousin-shadow Fern not far behind.
“What’s her name?” Avery demanded of Thomas, pointing at Mags. Then making a funny face at her and making Mags giggle.
“Magnolia.”
“She can come play with us,” she said to Thomas, then looked at Vi with assessing eyes. “I’m thebestwith babies,” Avery said with all the confidence of an oldest girl. “And Fern is second best.”
Thomas looked at Vi. She was studying the makeshift playground the kids were playing on. Most of the little ones were being herded by older ones.
Vi offered Avery a smile. “Well, as long as I’ve got the first and second best to watch after her, I guess it’s okay.”
Avery held out her hand, and Magnolia took it without much shyness. Then Fern offered her hand and Mags took it with her free one. Then they walked her over to the other kids.
“She’s very into the whole babysitting thing right now,” Laurel told Vi. “Which she’s discovered is basically a way she can boss everyone around.”
“Which is not something Avery ever tires of. I don’t know where she gets it,” Grady drawled, earning him a sharp look from Laurel. But it softened, because little baby Cary was tucked into his arm.
They chatted for a bit, mostly about the kids. Thomas got Vi a plate of food, then maneuvered it so Hilly started talking aboutnursing school to Vi. He kept an eye on the girls watching Mags and the other kids. The older girls would do a good job, but still he found himself looking over at her just as much if not more than Vi during her conversation with Hilly.
Thomas helped himself to some food, and once he’d gotten his plate full, he saw Laurel approaching him.
“Hide me so I can eat in peace,” she said, standing behind him. She grabbed a plate and started to fill it. “Sunny is in a mama-only phase, and it’s going to end me.”
“That’s what you said when Ward was doing the same thing and you survived. And then went on to have two more.”
“Some friend you are,” she said, taking a big bite of her hot dog.
But Thomas dutifully hid her. He glanced at Mags who was happily watching Fern with big, admiring eyes. Then he glanced at Vi, deep in conversation with Hilly, sunlight dappling her hair burnished copper.
He just couldn’t take his eyes off her. Couldn’t concentrate on anything else except how much he wanted this. This right here. Every day. Forever.
“Hey, what day do you have free after work this week?” he said to Laurel.
