“Are you going to?” Andy asked, his voice small.
He pulled the car over. Andy’s last year had been hell. He needed some stability, and Will had been the only stable thing through all of that.
“Andy,” Will said, studying him. His heart was cracked in half, and his gut churned with acid. And yet, what he was about to say was true. “As far as I’m concerned, you’re mine. You’ve been a part of my family from the moment I brought you into my house. You’re one of the two best things that have ever happened to me. And no matter what happens from here, that won’t change.”
“Do you really want me?” Andy asked. He looked so much younger than eleven. In that moment, he was a small, lost child who was desperate for love and a place to belong.
Will did what he’d always done and gave him the truth. “Right now, you’re the one thing I’ve got that I want most. As far as I’m concerned, we’re peanut butter and jelly.”
Andy made a face. “No nuts. Ham and cheese.”
Will chuckled. “Yes, exactly. No nuts. We’re ham and cheese.”
“Even if she never wants to come back?” Andy swallowed and looked out the windshield.
That thought caused the crack down the center of Will’s heart to widen. He didn’t want to consider that, not yet. But for Andy, he had to. “Even if she doesn’t. But,” he said, eyeing the boy who’d turned back and was watching him carefully, “it might take me longer to accept that she won’t come back than it will take you.”
Andy nodded. “Because you love her. I just wish she’d never come in the first place. I hate her.”
Although he didn’t believe Andy meant that, Will understood. “Let’s focus on having a good Christmas, okay?”
“Together?” Andy asked.
“Always,” Will agreed.
Neither of them said anything else for the last fifteen minutes of the ride. Grant’s gravel driveway was already full of cars when they crested the hill that led to the white farmhouse. They were the last ones here.
“They’re going to ask,” Will murmured.
Andy nodded. “They’re going to worry about you again. Like when Genni broke up with you.”
Will smiled softly. “They’ll worry about us both. You’re part of this family now too, dude.”
He smiled. “That’s kinda cool.”
“It is.” Will had to agree.
He and Andy climbed out and headed up the steps to the large wraparound porch. They’d barely set foot in the open great room when Luke watched Will with an intensity he didn’t expect. Especially since he hadn’t told them yet, but…twin thing. Luke’s eyes went hard, and he frowned.
“Hey, Andy, Aunt Taran and I are taking the kids out to the barn. Do you want to come?” Trish asked.
Maybe Luke had known before they’d arrived, because Grant’s wife never took the kids out to the barn. It was something Grant liked to do with them.
Andy scratched his forehead, using a signal they’d come up with long ago that meantdon’t make me. Will crouched low and took a deep breath. “Dude, you can stay here with me. I won’t mind. But I guarantee you’ll have more fun with Steve and Nate.”
Taran wandered over. “I did a story on your favorite swimmer. Thought I’d tell you about it if you want to walk with me.”
Andy looked from Taran back to Will. “Once they know we’re fine, they’ll leave us alone about it, right?”
He couldn’t vocalize the lie, so he nodded instead.
“Fine, I’ll let you guys talk about it.”
Will gave his shoulder a squeeze, and once the women had herded the kids outside, he turned back to the farmhouse table that sat sixteen. Even without Nick and Clayton, there were too many eyes focused on him.
“How’d you know something was up?” he asked Luke as he sat next to him.
“I’ve had chest pain for hours,” Luke said with a sad smile.