Daphne slowly stood, looking like a newborn calf as she made her way over to me and collapsed on the bench. She unstrapped her phone from the case velcroed around her arm and pulled it from the pouch, along with a thin metal emery board. She unlocked her phone screen and brought up the New Year’s Resolution checklist we’d made eight months ago. She jabbed her finger on the screen and turned toward me, smiling. “There, we did it.”
I snorted. “I’m not sure I’d call half a mile accomplishing our yearly fitness goal,” I said.
She waved off that thought. “Close enough.”
Daphne’s face was blotchy and red from the exertion and heat. Wheat-blonde hair was sticking to the edges of her face, and her smattering of freckles was lost in the redness of her cheeks and nose. She filed the edge of one of her nails before holding her hand out in front of her and inspecting it.
“I can’t believe you brought an emery board on a run with you.”
“I figured this might be a dud and I might get bored.”
My shoulders shook as I laughed, leaning back against the bench, enjoying the soft breeze that floated over us. “It’s too bad we’re missing out on the tacos and margs. I was really looking forward to a jalapeño margarita and some al pastor tacos.”
“Oh, don’t you worry,” Daphne said, patting my leg. “We’re still getting our tacos and margs. As soon as we have the energy to go back to the car, we’ll head over there. We can always say we were so far ahead they couldn’t catch up to us and ask them why it took them so long.”
“No one will believe that.”
“We could go to another taco place.”
That was true and easy. Austin wasn’t lacking in taco bars that sold margaritas. It’d be easy to choose another option and still have exactly what we wanted. “Let’s do that.” I scrunched my nose and turned to face Daphne. “I’m not sure we really fit in with the people in that group anyway. They were all really excited to run.”
She nodded. “We need to find a more relaxed group. You know a group that will give you a donut for every five sit-ups or push-ups? Maybe go on a nice, easy walk.”
I chuckled. “A nice, easy walk sounds like just my pace. Are you still coming by the office tomorrow?”
“Yeah, I’ve already got everything I’ll need.” Daphne fostered animals for me when they were surrendered at our door and the no-kill shelters in the area were full. It’s how we’d met a few years ago and, over time, we’d become best friends. She was the easiest person to be around; she didn’t judge me on my appearance, on my sketchy dating history, or if I was running late for dinner and showed up with dog hair on my outfit. It was an occupational hazard and pretty inescapable. I tried to be as perfect as possible. My mom had never let me leave the house with a single strand of hair out of place when I was a child, and she’d convinced me people would think less of me if I did. So knowing Daphne’s friendship was without judgement was the greatest gift.
“Good,” I answered. “The kitties are very sweet and I think I have a few interested clients, but I’ll let you know.”
I could take home a cat or a dog, but not any more than that. My cat, Harmonica, was territorial and didn’t like people. Didn’t even like me. So I tried not to bring too many foster animals home, especially if they were playful. Harmonica would swipe at them and punish me for the next three weeks by breaking everything she could.
I rose from the bench, holding out my hand to Daphne. “Let’s go get our tacos and margs.”
“Finally,” she groaned. “We’ve been tortured long enough. After all the effort we put in, we really deserve it.”
5
Kiernan
I rose from the water, lifting Avery on one hand and Caden on the other, and launched them in the air. Their laughter filled the air as they went up and cannonballed back into the pool in front of me. Avery popped to the surface first. She was grinning so wide I could count each of her teeth. Caden surfaced next, laughing and wiping his eyes with his pudgy fists. He spit out water through the small gap in his front teeth. He hit the surface of the water with his hands to splash me. “Again! Again! Again!”
This had been on repeat for the last half hour. Over and over I’d launched Caden and Avery into the air to splash back into the water. After the first couple of times, it wasn’t as much fun for me, but I wasn’t going to deny the birthday boy and his best friend anything. Each of them had me wrapped around their tiny finger.
They knew it too.
I had secured my fun uncle badge of honor the day they were born, and I wasn’t ever giving it back. I liked being their favorite. And if I had to toss them into the pool over and over and over again to keep that title, I’d do it.
“I want to flip, Ki Ki!” Avery shouted and bounced in the water, her little legs kicking to hold her up. I winced. That nickname was the only part of favorite uncledom that I didn’t really enjoy.
Caden and Avery were only a few months apart and had been inseparable since Savannah and Liam brought Avery to the hospital to meet Caden when he was born. Both had trouble saying my name when they learned to speak, so Harper suggested Ki Ki as a joke. Unfortunately, it stuck. Both could now say my name, but no matter what I bribed them with, they reverted to Ki Ki.
“Come here and I’ll flip you.” Avery swam the couple of feet to me, and I cradled her in my arms. “Ready, pretty girl? Hold your nose closed and squeeze your eyes tight.”
“Am I really pretty, Ki Ki?” she asked. Her bright green eyes, which looked like little gemstones and were exactly like her mom’s, stared up at me. I scoffed. “The prettiest girl in all the world.”
Her mouth dropped open. “Not prettier than my mama.”
“Even prettier,” I whispered and made my eyes really big. “Well, just as pretty. Just ask your daddy.”
She giggled and clapped her hands. “Flip!”
“Close your nose and squeeze your eyes tight,” I reminded her. She screwed her eyes shut and held her nose between two fingers. I flipped her backward over my arm and brought her back into the position she’d started in.
“Again,” she cried. I flipped her twice more before Caden demanded for it to be his turn. After three flips Roman strode to the edge of their backyard pool, crossing his arms over his chest, and smiled at Caden’s happy grin. Today was his actual birthday, and it was being celebrated just with our group. Tomorrow this backyard would be filled with bounce houses and kids’ games. Avery and Caden’s entire daycare class would be here.
“Food’s ready,” Roman said. I snagged Avery around the waist and carried Caden and Avery to the edge of the pool, lifting them one by one into the air so Roman could grab them. He nabbed the towels on the loungers and wrapped them around their shoulders as I pulled myself onto dry ground. I took the remaining towel, drying off my chest before wrapping it around my hips.
“Carry me!” Avery jumped up and down pulling on my arm. I crouched down and lowered my head as she scampered up my back and onto my shoulders. It was her favorite way to travel. And I knew in a few years she’d either be too big to carry or too old to want to do this with her dad or me. None of the kids here were mine, but I loved them all the same.