“I’m not trying to make you feel bad,” Asha said, softening her tone. “I just don’t want you to get hurt when they don’t appreciate you for your gifts.”
I nodded, but I felt hurt anyway. Maybe she was right. After all, even John had thought me useless in the beginning.Maybe I just have to keep my head down and work quietly.
It wasn’t like I hadn’t had practice.
At that moment, the front door opened again, and a cacophony of voices followed. John appeared first, chuckling at something the man walking next to him said. His companion was taller, freckled, and wore a teasing grin. His mid-length strawberry blond hair matched his thick beard, and he wore a leather hunting jacket similar to John’s. I knew who he must be: John’s best friend, Danny.
“This your girl?” Danny said, nodding in my direction.
“Sure is,” John replied, and his proud smile melted me. I instantly forgot about the conversation with Asha.
“Pleased to meet you,” I said, extending my hand. “I’ve heard so much about you.”
“Hopefully not too much,” Danny replied wryly as he shook my hand. “Don’t want you to rethink staying with us.”
“Not much chance of that, thankfully.”
He turned back to John, still holding onto my hand.
“She’s so damn polite,” Danny said with a grin. “Where’d you find this one, and why the hell is she with you?”
John nudged him hard enough to make him choke out a laugh, and with a warm squeeze of my hand, he let me go. I couldn’t stop a smile from curving my lips. I’d heard a lot about Danny’s inexhaustible sense of humour, his inability to take life too seriously, but his presence also radiated a natural friendliness that put me immediately at ease. His playful jab at John lacked any trace of malice; he was warm, earnest, and clearly overjoyed to see his old friend. I already understood why John liked him.
Danny was followed by a much younger woman with shoulder-length brown hair and soft brown eyes. She looked nineteen or twenty, with a slim build and a big, puffy winter jacket. John introduced her as Jenna, Danny’s youngest sister—the one who’d been assistant teaching. I wondered if I’d get a moment to ask her about it, but the thought was quickly banished by the arrival of three more people: a pretty, petite woman with long blonde hair; a big, hulking man with dark hair and a beard; and a little blonde baby, wrapped snugly in a sling at his mother’s breast.
They were introduced as Isla and Noah, along with baby Ely. I learned that Isla was the middle McNeil sister, and Noah was her husband and childhood friend. Kimmy squeaked with excitement on seeing the baby and hugged Isla, who laughed warmly.
“I’m so sorry I missed your delivery,” Kimmy said in a rush, “but oh my God! He’sprecious.”
She immediately started cooing over the tiny infant, utterly distracted, and I laughed. Asha gave her enthusiasm a sidelong glance but held her tongue. Bruce and the two older Armstrong children joined us, and then the kitchen was full to bursting, everyone talking at once.
“We spoke to Abby,” Bruce said to me and John. “They’re calling the meeting for a few days from now. Everyone will be there.”
My stomach lurched, but John simply replied, “Thanks. We appreciate it.”
As though sensing my nerves, he then steered me into the living room. Everyone followed us, since there was more space for socializing. Isla approached me with a brilliant smile, her husband in tow, and John pecked my forehead before going to talk with Danny, Jenna, and Sarah. Meanwhile, Kimmy had stolen Ely and was now kissing him all over, and the tiny baby wore an identical expression to his father, utterly unimpressed.
“Claire, I’m so excited to meet you,” Isla said, shaking my hand. The large man next to her said nothing, his face a stoic mask.
“Don’t mind Noah,” Isla said breezily. “He maylooklike he wants to be anywhere else, but he’s also delighted to meet you.”
Noah grunted in what I assumed was assent, and I couldn’t suppress a giggle.
“How old is your son?” I asked.
“Two and a half months,” Noah replied, his deep voice startling me, but I couldn’t miss the note of pride in his voice. “He didn’t want to come out at first. He loves his mother too much. Not that I blame him.”
Isla gave him a soft look, and my heart squeezed. I knew Isla had once dated John, but any possessiveness I may have felt was quelled by the way she looked at Noah; she clearly adored him.
Kimmy moved to hand Ely back to his mother, but Noah intercepted. It didn’t seem like such a big man should be able to cradle a baby so gently, but he did, snuggling Ely against his massive shoulder.
“Your shoulder’s bugging you,” he said to Isla, who opened her mouth to protest. “I’ll take him for a while. You have fun.”
Without another word, he walked into the hallway with Ely, and just before we were out of earshot, I swore I heard his deep, growly voice take on a higher, gentler tone as he spoke to his infant son. Isla smiled after them, then began chattering away with me and Kimmy, asking us all about our trip and my background. In return, Kimmy demanded all the details about her pregnancy and Ely’s birth, fussing over her. Isla was bubbly, funny, and sweet, and didn’t seem to mind one whit that I didn’t belong there. When John pulled me aside some time later, I had the distinct impression that I may have made a new friend.
John led me to the now-empty kitchen, stopping just inside the doorway. His eyes were lit with happiness and affection, and he stopped me in my tracks with a tender kiss.
“What’s up?” I asked when he moved back, smiling from ear to ear.
