Leaving Aly and Jared all wrapped up in each other, I headed for Ella who was lying on her back on the cushioned play area Aly had set up for her in the family room between their huge ass overstuffed couch and the fireplace.
“There’s my girl,” I sang as I wound around the couch and knelt down in front of her. Her blue eyes were all bugged-out as she watched the lights flashing on the infant play gym set up over her. Five brightly colored stuffed animals hung down from it, teasing her. She didn’t come close to being able to touch them. Yet she had her tiny hands all balled up in fists, her arms flailing and her legs kicking as she stared, fixated, making it clear how badly she wanted to reach out and touch one.
A tiny sound escaped her pursed lips and my heart throbbed a wayward beat.
Yep, man card at the door.
This little girl owned me.
“Don’t worry, angel…give it a few weeks, and that monkey is yours,” I promised as I bent down and maneuvered her from under the play gym and into my arms. “Come give Uncle kisses before your daddy drags me off to a grueling day of work.”
“Grueling my ass,” Jared shot from the other side of the room. “You’re in the air conditioned office while me and the guys are out doing the grunt work. I’d say you have it pretty easy there, my friend.”
Laughing it off because what he said was nothing but true, I brought Ella’s face close to mine. She offered me one of those little grins that I felt right in the center of my chest. She reached out, her nails digging into my bottom lip as she grabbed for me. I kissed them. “You take care of your mommy while we’re gone.”
“She always does,” Aly said, watching us with a soft smile on her face. Something shifted in her expression, and she bit at her lip and quickly turned her face to the floor.
I felt the frown crease my forehead. I knew my sister pretty damned well, and that meant I was pretty damned sure she was holding something back. “What?” I asked, my eyes narrowing as I pinned her with a stare.
She lifted her head, blinked, looked away. “Nothing.”
At the same second, Jared tensed up a little, like he knew exactly what was running through Aly’s mind.
Nothing my ass.
My frown deepened. “Nothing?” I challenged, my brow rising.
Aly shook her head and looked almost repentant. Unease slowly snaked its way through my senses. My gaze darted between the two of them. Something was up. Something they didn’t want me to know. A silent tension filled the room.
“Nothing,” she reaffirmed in what I knew was a lie. “I just…” She shrugged. “Seeing you with Ella like that makes me happy.”
“Come on, man, we need to get a move on,” Jared cut in, obviously putting an end to my questioning. He walked to the kitchen island and grabbed the small cooler he kept stocked with food, water, and sodas. “It’s going to be a busy day and an even busier week. You may just find yourself on the job. Then I’ll let you complain about work being grueling.” He tossed me a mocking wink, then sauntered up behind Aly, hugging her as he whispered something in her ear.
Below her breath, she laughed and nodded her head.