Page 16 of Playing it Country

“Uncle Wren!” Briggs yells as he goes flying back toward the entry where Sorren is standing with a soft smile.

“Hey big man, how are you?” Briggs slows right before crashing into Sorren and hugs his legs.

“Are you here for the sleepover?”

“I don’t know about a sleepover, but I’ll definitely be here till you go to sleep.”

His brow furrows. “You don’t want to sleep here?”

“I’m old, buddy,” Sorren says with a laugh. “Uncle Case can still sleep on the floor, but if I do that you’re gonna have to carry me around for a week.” He tickles Briggs until the kid is squirming and laughing uncontrollably.

I can’t help but wonder if that’s the real reason or if there’s something else going on, but I won’t ask, at least not now.

“All right,” I say, rubbing my hands together. “Who wants to make pizza?”

“Me!” Briggs yells and races back into the kitchen where he pulls over his stool to the sink to wash his hands before moving it back to the island. Sorren preheats the oven and pulls out the pans as I grab the dough and toppings from the fridge.

“I see you brought something from the Poppy Seed,” I say as I peek inside the box and immediately start laughing. “What did you do?”

“Nothing,” he grumbles which only makes me laugh harder.

“Dude, she—”

“I know.”

“What is it?” Briggs asks and I slide the box so he can look inside. “What’s wrong?”

“Aunt Rhea put your favorite cookie in there,myfavorite cookie, and Uncle Wren’s least favorite.”

Briggs wrinkles his nose. “Least favorite?” Kid is so damn cute like he can’t imagine anyone not liking a cookie.

“I don’t like raisins,” Sorren grumbles as he moves to stand on the opposite side of the island.

“Mom puts them in my lunchbox, but sometimes I trade them with Josh for his Goldfish.” He lifts his little shoulders and lets them drop like it’s no big deal. I stifle my laugh.

Sorren points to him. “See?”

I laugh as we fit the dough into the pan. It’s definitely not Holly’s pizza, but it will have to do. Thoughts of Holly immediately make me think of Hannah and the way she felt in my arms.

I loved the zing of electricity that raced along my skin even if I couldn’t keep it. It’s nice to know that feeling still exists inside me even though it’s been a long time since I felt it.

“So,” I say to Sorren once the pizza is in the oven and Briggs is drawing at the table with the monster art kit Marlee got him. “What did you do?”

Sorren rubs his hand over the stubble on his jaw, and I can see the barest hint of a smile. “Imayhave tried to alphabetize the spices.”

“Again?” I double over laughing, and Briggs only spares us a glance before returning to his paper.

“Listen, I worked hard on labeling them and organizing everything, and she gets mad when I try and put it back. Also she wanted me to go with you guys to that thing in Blackstone.”

Reining myself in I say, “You thought about what you want to do? I know you don’t want to come work with us and that’s totally cool. You’re not good sitting idle, man, and I know you help Waylon and I know you stop in and help at the garage sometimes, but seriously, you need a hobby.”

He stares at Briggs as he says, “I’ve been workin’ on an idea.”

“Let me know if I can help.”

“You don’t even know what it is.”

The comment is a brush-off because he still feels like he’s carrying the weight of the world all by himself, but I just shrug.

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