Page 11 of One Small Spark
Inside, a little voice shrieks, “Wren!” and all my frustrations melt away.
“August!”
My nephew hops off the kitchen chair where he was coloring and flies into my arms. I lift him up, and he squeezes me tight, his head on my shoulder, his little heart beating out hislove. This is the good stuff. Better than cream cheese brownies, a deep tissue massage, andThe Princess Bridecombined.
With one arm around my neck, he uses his other hand to brush his pale blond hair away from his forehead. He’s overdue for a trim. “Are you going to watch the movie with us?”
“I don’t know,” I tease. “Depends on which movie.”
“Robin Hood and Little John.”
I die every time he mispronounces “l” sounds. His speech impediment makes itYittle John.
Never get old and jaded, my sweet boy.
I squeeze him around the middle until he giggles like I found all his tickle spots. “One of my favorites! But I always want to hang out with you.”
I’ve seen this little munchkin practically every day of his life, and I always want more. He and my sister Tess lived right here with me and Mom up until a few months ago. I practically pushed Tess to get her own place and now only have myself to blame for how my sad little heart aches whenever I walk by their empty rooms.
Forget sleep, exercise, and staying hydrated. My mental wellbeing rests entirely on nephew snuggles.
I set him back on his feet. “What did you do today?”
“I rode my bike and played with Dutch and built Legos and ate ice cream!” Words tumble out of his mouth faster than I can keep up, but I think I get the basics. It’s a good day.
“Ice cream for dinner? I didn’t know Nana was that much of a pushover.” Actually, I did know. Everyone melts for August.
“He didn’t have ice cream with us.” Mom walks into the dining room from the kitchen, smoothing her hands over her disheveled hair. “He had a boys’ afternoon with Ian.”
Speaking of melting for my nephew, Tess’s new boyfriend has become the mushiest. He started out as a Viking-styled hermit and now acts like the sun rises and sets over Tess andAugust. I’m here for it. They deserve to be cherished by someone who realizes their worth.
He’s also part of the reason August spends at least one night a week with us at the house. It gives Tess and Ian some alone time and affords endless cuddles for Mom and me.
“Ice cream was a treat, silly.” August grins, showing off a new gap in his smile. At six years old, this kid is losing teeth at an alarming rate. “Daniel made sausage and potatoes for dinner.”
As if answering a summons, Mom’s silver fox beau emerges from the kitchen. Sheriff Daniel O’Grady. He looks kind of rumpled, too, his short hair askew in the front and his T-shirt wrinkly.
Oh. Oh, no. They were making out in the kitchen again. For shame. You’d think a bakery owner would be more hygienic than that.
That’s another big change around here. Not only did Tess finally move out and meet a fantastic man, but Mom’s dating again. It took her twenty years after Dad left, so it’s a big deal. I’m glad she’s happy. But when I asked her if we were getting a stepdad, I meant it as a joke, not a wish. Daniel isn’t here twenty-four-seven, but it’s only a matter of time.
It’s a fresh reminder I need to get a place of my own. I paused my apartment search after meeting one mild-to-moderately creepy landlord too many. Now, I’m waiting for my best friend, Hope, to move in with her fiancé so I can swoop in and take over her apartment. It’s a genius plan.
“There’s leftovers if you want some,” Daniel offers. “Mo wasn’t sure if you’d be hungry after your book group.”
Mo. He’s given Mom a nickname that never fails to make her blush. I didn’t even know the woman was physically capable of blushing up until the summer. Suddenly, she’s fooling around at every opportunity and blushing up a storm.
Gross.
“They fed us, but I’m always in the mood for a tasty potato.” I head for the kitchen, but Daniel cuts me off.
“I’ll get a plate for you. You relax with your mom and August.”
“Uh, okay. Thanks. That’s…nice.”
I sit next to August, who has returned to his Avengers-themed coloring book. I make a mental note to find a pin-up of Thor in there and hide it somewhere for Tess to find. She might have her own real-life Thor now, but that doesn’t mean I’m going to forget about her old crush on the hunky superhero.
Mom sits across from us. “Daniel just wants to be helpful,” she whispers.
