Ichuckled, pulling out of his grasp and smoothing my hair back. “Something likethat,” and Kylie’s accusatory expression softened as she raised her arms up,stepping around her husband so I could wrap my arms around her waist. “I’vemissed the fuck out of you guys, you have no idea.”
“Yeah,I think we know,” she said softly, tightening her arms around my neck. “I likethe look, by the way. You can stop stealing my hair ties now.”
Reluctantlyletting go, I stepped back and outstretched an arm to Tabby, waiting patientlybehind me. As she moved forward, my hand laid against the small of her back,and I said, “Guys, this is Tabby. Tabby, Devin and Kylie.”
“Hello,”Tabby greeted them, stepping forward with polite handshakes, but Kylie wasn’thaving any of that. She wrapped her arms around Tabby in a tight hug. Devin’seyes met mine, as he gave his brows a little jump as his lips curled into anapproving smile.
“We’vebeen hearing so much about you,” Kylie told Tabby, stepping back to grip hershoulders. “And can I just say, I freakin’loveyour dress?”
“Thankyou,” Tabby replied. “And I hope you’ve only heard good things, althoughknowing this guy …”
Devintipped his head to her. “They’ve been good things … mostly.”
Rollingher eyes toward me with a playful groan, she said, “You’re the famous DevinO’Leary. My nephew Greyson is a big fan.”
Lookingto me and then back at her, he asked, “He is? Why didn’t you tell me that?”
Ilaughed. “Yeah. That’s why I stuffed him in the basement. I can only hear somuch of your fucking voice.”
Wesat—Devin next to me and across from his wife, me across from Tabby—and perusedthe menu in a comfortable silence before embarking in rousing conversationwithout a lull in sight. Tabby and Kylie got along better than I ever expected,while Devin and I talked shop and the upcoming tour. They told me how Livy wasdoing, about the new home studio Devin was putting into their garage, and abouthow Richard and Grace, Kylie’s parents, were doing. They asked me aboutGreyson—what he was like, how things were going—and if he’d be accompanying meon the tour.
“Well,”I began, grimacing at the question, “he’s got school and I’m not sure how thatwould work with touring.”
Tabbytwisted her cloth napkin, avoiding my gaze. “He’s better with you though,Sebastian.”
“What?”I asked, my tone harder than intended, and Devin and Kylie shot a glance towardeach other.
“Baby,you wanna go to the bar with me?” Devin asked Ky, and before she could answerthe question, he stood and took her hand, leading her from the table.
“Iwas thinking about it earlier, and maybe now isn’t the best time to bring itup, but he’s doing really well at your house. You’re doing well foreachother, I think, and I mean, I don’t know what exactly you would do abouthis schooling, but I really think he should stay with you,” Tabby dropped thebomb before taking another sip of wine.
Ichewed my bottom lip, tightening the hand around my fork, before saying, “He’sknown me for a couple of months, Tabby, and you expect him to just jump into mylap and be okay with hardly seeing you?”
“Isn’tthat exactly what’s happening right now, though?” She finally looked at me.“I’m not mad about it, Sebastian. I’m just … I’m just acknowledging that I’mnot exactly needed at this point. He belongs in your world. He fits so muchbetter there than in mine, and—”
“So,what does that mean? He sees you for, what? Christmas? His birthday?” I hatedthe anger bubbling through my veins. I hated this, when all I had wanted was agood night, to show her that we could easily, and happily, share one world.Together.
Andmaybe that Greyson wasn’t just good with me, but withbothof us.
“I’mnot sayingthatinfrequently, but …” She shrugged, a rueful smile in hergaze. “I was never meant to have kids, Sebastian. That’s becoming more and moreobvious to me. For a second today, when I walked into your house, I thought Ihad failed my sister by not being what Greyson needed, but then I rememberedI’mthe reason he’s with you. This never would’ve happened if I hadn’t found yourletters in her closet. That was my role in this, it’s what made me important,but I think I can step back now and let you guys do what you need to do.”
“Tabby.”I shook my head, tapping the base of my wine glass. “You are so much moreimportant than you realize.”
“ToGreyson?”
Myhand reached across the table to lay over hers. “What do you think?”
Shesmiled and took a metaphorical step back. “I think we should save thedifficult, annoying conversations for another night, because this wine is goingstraight to my head and making me emotional.”
Witha challenging jump of my brows, I replied, “Maybe I want you to get emotional.”
Inthe flickering glow of candlelight, and against a backdrop of hypnoticallyserene music, she watched me. Studying my face with a tilt of her head. “You’remaking this more difficult for me, you know that?”
Myhand tightened around hers. “Maybe that’s the idea.”
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