In the last few months, Blayze had stopped pronouncing his r’s like w’s. It sort of made me a little sad that he was growing up so fast.
“I sorta have a crush on Kaylee too.”
His eyes got big and round. “Really?”
“It’s our secret, though, promise? That means no breaking out into a song and singing about it to anyone, especially to Kaylee.”
Blayze rolled his eyes. “Uncle Ty, I’m almost in first grade, and I’ll be six years old. I don’t sing anymore.”
Yep, I’d blinked and my nephew had grown up before my eyes.
Glancing back down to Morgan, I stilled when I saw those big blue eyes looking up at me. Then she smiled, and my heart melted, nearly leaving me breathless. “She smiled at me!”
Blayze leaned over and looked at his baby sister. “Nah, that’s just her farting face.”
Kaylee stood in the middle of the dance floor with a microphone in her hand as she spoke a few words about my folks and their anniversary. She’d asked if me, Brock, or Tanner wanted to say anything, and we’d all declined. Speaking in front of a crowd didn’t bother me, but speaking about my folks in front of a crowd—hell, I might start to get emotional, and I was not about to do that in front of friends and family. I knew that was why Brock and Tanner had said no as well.
Everyone laughed at something Kaylee had said, causing me to shake myself out of my own head. All eyes were on her, including Channing’s. Dirk, on the other hand, was flirting with the girl at the next table, who didn’t seem to mind that he was clearly there with another woman. Of course, Dirk and Kaylee were acting more like friends than an actual couple on a date, thank God.
“Stella and Ty Senior, would you do us the honor of starting off the next dance?” Kaylee asked. Everyone clapped, including me, as my parents walked onto the dance floor. I loved the way my father looked at my mother, like she was the most important thing in his world. Brock often gave Lincoln the same look. I couldn’t help but wonder if a love like that would ever be blessed upon me.
My gaze drifted to the side of the dance floor, back to where I’d seen Kaylee. She was watching Mom and Dad, a smile on her face. She reached up and quickly wiped a tear away. Then her eyes shifted and locked with mine.
That night we’d spent together a few weeks before came right back. The feel of her under me, her arms and legs wrapped around me, drawing me in closer to her. I’d never experienced such a connection with another person like I had that night. I couldn’t get deep enough inside her.
I could feel the corners of my mouth lift slightly into a smile. She gifted me with a small smile in return; then her attention was pulled from me when Channing asked her to dance. Anger quickly flooded in and replaced the warm feeling that had settled in my chest when she’d smiled.
Watching them made me feel sick to my stomach. His hand on her lower back, pulling her against his body.
“Who in the hell are you looking at, dude? If lasers were coming out of your eyes right now, they’d be dead.”
I let out a gruff laugh and faced Dirk. “If only.”
He laughed and shook his head. “Dude, go cut in.”
A part of me wanted to. An even bigger part of me needed to know if my carelessness that night had had long-term consequences that I wasn’t so sure I would be that upset with. I’d obviously not wanted to come right out and ask her if she was pregnant.
Then Channing leaned down and said something to Kaylee, causing her to laugh. It looked like Channing was about to kiss her when she pulled back from him.
I narrowed my eye and watched them carefully.
“I don’t like him dancin’ with her either, Uncle Ty. He’s no good for her.”
My gaze dropped to Blayze, and I laughed. “Where in the world did you ever hear that?”
Blayze kept his eyes on Kaylee and Channing. “I heard Grams telling Granddaddy that Channing wasn’t nowhere near good enough for Kaylee.”
I looked back out onto the dance floor and found my folks. They were smiling at each other. “Your grams is right about that one.”
“I know! That’s why I said it. But you look mad, and if you wants your secret to stay a secret, you best pretend a little better that her dancing with another boy doesn’t make you angry, Uncle Ty.”
“Being schooled by a five-year-old—ain’t that some shit,” Dirk said, slapping me on the back as he walked away laughing.
“Hey! I’m almost six, Uncle Dirk!”
I stood and straightened my tuxedo jacket. “I’m going to go ask a pretty girl to dance.”