“So, back to kids. You like them, so we can check that off the list.”
“We have a list going?” I asked.
Chloe giggled. “There is always a list, Uncle Jonathon.”
This time I did laugh. If I were blessed with a child half this amazing, I’d consider myself the luckiest damn man on Earth.
“I like you, Chloe Parker. You make me laugh.”
Her cheeks blushed. “I like you too, but only as a friend.” Her head tilted with a concerned look.
“Oh, same here. I mean, I’ve given my heart to Waylynn, and only her.”
Chloe gasped and covered her mouth. Then she quickly stood on her chair. “Uncle Jonathon just said he loves Aunt Waylynn!”
Nearly everyone at the table, myself included, cried out, “What?”
My eyes snapped over to Waylynn. “I said I had given my heart to you. That’s all.”
Melanie cleared her throat. “Chloe Lynn Parker, we do not burst out like that at the dinner table. Sit down, please. And we certainly do not spill the beans when someone says they love someone.”
“Mother!” Waylynn gasped.
“I didn’t say that,” I quickly added, taking note of all the death stares I was getting from Waylynn’s brothers.
Melanie raised a brow. “Of course you didn’t, Jonathon. Anyone for dessert?”
The room started to spin, but quickly righted itself when Chloe pulled on my arm. “Sorry, Uncle Jonathon, for outing you. I got a little excited.”
“Chloe, I didn’t say I loved Waylynn.”
Reaching for her glass of water, she half-shrugged. “Oh, you did. You just don’t know it. Momma says boys say things all the time that they don’t know they say ’cause they say ’em in a different way, but what they say is really what they mean, but they just don’t know they mean it yet.”
I stared at her. “I have no clue what you said.”
Chloe took a drink and set her glass down. “That’s another thing Momma says. Boys don’t understand girls. It’s okay, Uncle Jonathon… It took Daddy awhile to figure it out too. You’ll get there.”
When she patted me on the shoulder, I sat back in my seat.
I had just been schooled by a first grader.
Damn, I want to have kids.
I glanced across the table and caught Waylynn’s gaze. I smiled, and she returned it with a smile of her own. We must have sat there a good two minutes, staring at each other.
The doorbell rang, and Chloe jumped up. “I’ll get it!”
“Sit back down, young lady,” Steed ordered.
Trevor stood. “I’ll grab it.”
“Chloe, are you talking Jonathon’s ear off?” Waylynn asked, folding her hands and resting her chin on them.
“No, ma’am. I’m just asking him some questions for Aunt Meli’s list.”
“Oh crap,” Amelia said as Waylynn turned to look at her.
“List? What list, Meli?”
“Huh? A list?”
“Yeah, the list you’re having our niece ask Jonathon about.” Waylynn stated.
Amelia’s eyes bounced back and forth from me, to Waylynn, to Chloe.
“I know of no such list. Chloe? Do you know of a list?”
Chloe looked confused. “The list we made earlier. Remember? I’m supposed to keep it a secret!”
“This is when Amelia will swear, then Chloe will jump up and run around the room cursing as well.” Wade chuckled as he raised his drink to me.
“No, she will not!” Paxton said, pointing to Chloe who covered her mouth and giggled.
“I’m so lost,” I admitted.
Waylynn shook her head. “Don’t worry about it, Jonathon. The less you know, the better.”
“Ah, Waylynn, can I speak with you for a second.” Trevor asked.
Glancing at Trevor, Waylynn asked, “Why?”
“I need to talk to you in private.”
I could tell Trevor was hiding something.
“Seriously, Trev, what is it and why can’t you just tell me now?”
He rubbed the back of his neck. “You need to follow me to the library.”
“The library?”
“Trevor, who was at the door?” John asked. By now, everyone’s attention was on Trevor.
He blew out a deep breath and looked at the floor. “Jack’s here. He’s waiting for Waylynn in the library.”
The air from my lungs whooshed out in one quick breath. What did Jack want with Waylynn? Maybe to tell her he’d changed his mind about starting a family.
Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.
Slowly standing, Waylynn stared at me, a look of complete darkness in her eyes. I had no idea how to read her in that moment. Was she angry? Scared of her feelings for him? The thought that she might still have feelings for him made me sick to my stomach.
“If you all will excuse me.”
She forced a smile, but it didn’t come anywhere near her eyes. They were void of any emotion at all.
Sitting back in my chair, I blew out a frustrated breath. Cord hit my side, and I looked at him.
“Dude, don’t even worry. I know Waylynn has no feelings whatsoever for that asshole.”
I nodded.
John tossed his napkin on the table. “That sonofabitch had the nerve to show up at my house? I’ll rip him apart piece by piece.”