Page 106 of More Than Words
My stomach flipped, and a smile of my own took over my face.
“Go.”Lauren elbowed me gently in the ribs.“I won’t keep you.”
I gave my friend a quick hug before attempting to pick my way through the crowd to my man.I didn’t get far when Avery stopped me.
“There you are.”
“Is something wrong?”
She laughed.“Only that Reid is losing his mind.”Avery grabbed me by the elbow and steered me to a small table where Reid sat, glowering over his beer.
“What…” I looked between Avery and Reid, my concern growing.“What’s wrong, Reid?”
“That.”He jabbed his finger out, and I followed where he pointed to see Quinn with a table of friends in the far corner, with a pile of books stacked in front of them.
I looked back at Reid in question.
“He’s mad because Quinn is over there flirting with boys.”
I laughed out loud, but when Reid glared at me, I did my best to swallow it.Avery winked at me.
“Quinn’s thirteen now,” I told her overprotective uncle.“You were at the party, remember?”
We’d hosted a big party at Ethan’s—well,ourhouse in March.Only a few weeks after I moved in.“It’s pretty normal for girls her age to be interested in boys.”
Reid grumbled something under his breath and lifted his beer to his lips.
“You’ll be okay.”Avery patted his shoulder.
“Just think of Quinn as good practice for when you have your own one day.”
Reid’s mouth dropped open, and he stared at me in shock.“I think your daughter is all I can handle right now.”
Daughter.
Quinn?My daughter?
The word struck me speechless.It took me a minute to recover.
“I mean, she’s not…”
Avery put her hand on my shoulder and squeezed.“Yes,” she said when I looked up at her.“She kinda is.”
I took a breath and looked at Reid, who smiled for the first time and gave me a nod.
I exhaled slowly.“Okay,” I said.“I guess she is a little bit mine.”Saying it out loud made me smile.
I looked over at the table where she was laughing and joking with friends.And yes, also flirting.I couldn’t help but laugh.
God, I loved that kid.
And Ethan.My eyes moved once more to the man behind the bar.
I loved this whole chaotic and totally unexpected life we were building together.
“Go,” Avery said.“I’ll try to talk Uncle Reid here off the ledge.”
Ethan
