7. Will
CHAPTER SEVEN
Will
I blink several times, trying to make sense of the staffing calendar for the coming week. It’s already after six and my brain is fried.
With a sigh, I push back from my desk. I’m not going to get any more work completed in the next hour, so I might as well finish it in the morning.
I spare a quick glance at the accumulating pile on the edge of my desk of things that need to be done for the charity work my family funds around Aspen Springs.
Our family is definitely not hurting financially, but my siblings and I were all raised to work for what we have and to give back as much as possible.
Spearheading this work was always something my mom and Olivia did together. Mom is still involved, but since Liv’s passing she’s taken a step back.
Owen and Miles help too, but it leaves a lot of it on my shoulders on top of running the store. I’m really not complaining, though, because the people in this community, specifically the kids, deserve everything we help to make happen.
Deciding that I’ll focus on that pile right after finishing the schedule in the morning, I walk out of my office. I swear I yawn more on my drive home than I ever have. I’m not sure why I’m so drained right now.
Maybe because of the errant thoughts of a certain raven-haired beauty who happens to be living in the guesthouse that keep me from sleeping every damn night.
I groan, trying to push the thought away, even if it is the truth. My mind wandering to thoughts of Avery happens more often than I would like to admit, even to myself.
I’m way too old for her, and I’m her boss. It can’t and won’t happen. I just wish my brain could fully comprehend this and stop daydreaming about her.
Fuck me.
Walking into the house, I’m immediately hit by the smell of sugar and vanilla. It’s quickly followed by a mix of girly giggles that tug at the corners of my mouth.
Avery and Lyla are leaning over the kitchen counter with their backs to me. Lyla’s reaching up on her tiptoes, peeking into the bowl they’re mixing something in.
They must not have heard me come in because they carry on their conversation like no one else in the world exists. Not wanting to spoil the moment, I lean my hip against the counter, content to just watch them.
There were many months after Liv passed that I didn’t know how we were going to provide a normal life for Lyla or if she was ever going to be fully happy again. I know she misses her mom, but in moments like this, I know she’s happy.
We must be doing something right.
Seeing Avery interact with Lyla makes me happy, but it also festers the ache of what she’ll never have again with her mom. My mind wanders back to the day Olivia asked us to take care of Lyla when she was gone.
Liv marches onto the back deck, wavy brown hair whipping around her as she pulls a reluctant-looking Owen behind her. She literally shoves him into one of the chairs she has situated in a circle.
Miles and I have been sitting here quietly since she dragged us out her in a similar fashion a few minutes ago.
She plops down the final chair, pulling her feet up underneath her like she always does. “I need to talk to you guys,” she says. Her voice is firm.
“Obviously,” Miles says, laughing quietly even if it sounds a bit forced.
“Liv,” Owen says, side-eyeing her. “I can’t do this.”
She draws in a deep breath. “We have to… for her.”
Owen leans forward, burying his face in his hands. I don’t know if she’s already talked to him about whatever this conversation will entail, or if he knows because of their weird twin telepathy shit I swear is real after growing up with the two of them.
Liv sits up a little straighter, squaring her shoulders. “I want all of you to raise Lyla when I’m gone.”
Her words are a punch straight to the gut. Realistically, I know cancer is going to take her from us, but hearing her talk about a world in which she no longer exists leaves me breathless.
She quickly continues, like she needs to get out all the words before she loses the courage to do so. “I want all of you to do it together. I know it’s a big ask, but it’s what I want. All of you living together, raising her together.”
We are all silent for a minute while we process.
Miles finally speaks up. “What about Mom and Dad?”
“They know,” she says. “I want them to be a big part of her life, but I want them to be her grandparents.”
Miles nods, running his hands over his jeans.
“I think the three of you together are what she’s going to need to get through this.” Her voice cracks for the first time, and a single tear falls down her cheek. “I also think that little girl is going to be what all three of you need.”
More tears fall as she drops her head to her chest.
I can’t even imagine what she’s feeling right now. She’s a mom who has to leave, trusting others to take care of her entire world when she no longer can. It’s unfathomable.
In two steps, I’m kneeling before her, pulling my little sister into my arms. Her forehead falls against my shoulder as she starts to sob.
“Of course we will,” I tell her. I don’t need to talk to Owen and Miles to know this is happening. None of us have ever been good at denying Olivia much of anything. With something this life-altering, it’s just a forgone conclusion. Done.
I pull back, cupping the sides of her face. “We will take care of her. I promise.” I try to fight the tears welling in my own eyes, but it’s a losing battle.
Liv looks over my shoulder as Miles crouches beside her chair. He reaches for her hand.
“We’ll love on her and drive her crazy for you, sis,” he says, emotion heavy on each word.
She gives him a watery smile before turning to look to her other side, where Owen is still sitting with his head in his hands. Liv steps over me, kneeling in front of Owen.
She wraps her much smaller hands around his wrists. “Owen, look at me.”
His hands fall to his lap, and the look on his face is enough to slice my heart clean in half.
“Liv, I can’t talk about this,” he says, shaking his head.
Her hands move to hold both of his. “I need to know Lyla’s going to be okay.” More tears fall as she gives his hands a firm squeeze. “I also need to know you’re going to be okay.”
“I’m never going to be okay without you,” Owen says as he starts to cry. I think I’ve seen him cry twice since he was ten, but here he is letting his heart bleed freely for all of us to see.
“I think you and Lyla will be okay if you have each other,” Liv gets out between quiet sobs.
Owen takes in a shaky lungful of air, closing his eyes. When they open, he looks right into Liv’s matching eyes.
“Okay,” he says. His voice is barely above a whisper, but it’s filled with determination.
I have no fucking clue how we are going to do this, but somehow, I know in my heart we will make it work. For Lyla. For Liv.
Avery’s voice jolts me back to where I’m standing in our kitchen.
“Oh, shit… I mean shoot,” Avery stammers when she sees me standing there.
Lyla giggles. “My uncles cuss all the time. I know all the bad words.”
“Way to throw me under the bus, kid,” I say in mock outrage, trying to bring myself back to this reality from where my head’s been for the last few minutes.
Lyla narrows pale blue eyes that are so similar to her mom’s and Owen’s. “I know not to use them, obviously,” she says, like the thought is ridiculous.
“Obviously,” Avery says, smirking at her.
“What are you guys making?” I ask. Stepping closer to them, I try to peek around them to peer into the bowl.
“Back off, Uncle Will,” Lyla says, placing her hand on my chest and giving me a quick but ineffective shove.
“Yeah, back off, Will,” Avery says, placing her hand on my hip and pushing back gently.
A bolt of awareness courses through me at the contact.
Now I’m probably going to have erratic thoughts about that tonight. I’m going to be up half the night with thought of her touching my motherfucking hip. Lovely.
I can’t really find it in me to be mad at the moment because she’s still touching me, and her eyes are intently locked on mine.
“Vanilla cupcakes with cream cheese frosting,” Lyla says.
My niece’s voice snaps me out of the trance Avery sucked me into, and I take a step back. Avery’s hand falls back to her side.
“Sounds yummy,” I say, looking only at Lyla now. I motion over my shoulder, toward the stairs. “I’m going to go get changed, then I’ll get dinner going. Can you guys preheat the over to four hundred?”
I make it halfway to the stairs before Lyla speaks up. “Can Avery stay for dinner?”
Most nights after we get home, Avery has gone back to her place to spend her evenings alone. Rightfully so. “I’m sure Avery has things to do tonight.”
Even from my spot behind the couch, I can see the puppy dog eyes Lyla has turned on Avery. I’m about to say something else, but Avery beats me to it.
“I don’t have much going on tonight. I got all my assignments done earlier.”
Lyla’s head snaps back in my direction. “See? She does want to stay. Please.”
I pause for a beat before answering. “That’s fine with me, but only if Avery wants to.” I look at them both for a few more seconds before making my way up the stairs.
Lyla’s squeal is the all the confirmation I need that Avery will be having dinner with us. And distracting me with the sexiness that I need to become blind to if I’m going to survive this summer without doing something colossally stupid.
“Sorry, if you were looking forward to getting out of here,” I tell Avery while she’s helping me cut up the frozen pizzas that we quickly cooked for dinner.
She shrugs her shoulder that’s closest to me. “It isn’t that much of a hardship,” she says, smiling like her words might mean something else, but I don’t know what.
We both grab the cutting boards loaded with pizzas and carry them to the table.
“Alright, eat up,” I tell everyone.
We’re pretty quiet while we all dish up our plates with pizza and salad.
“Ranch or Italian?” Owen asks Lyla, holding up the two bottles.
She makes a pained face. “I’m not going to have any salad,” she whines.
Yeah, not happening.
Owen gives her a look, conveying my thoughts without the use of words.
Avery bumps her elbow against Lyla’s arm. “I’m eating salad. See?” She stabs her fork into a few leafy green pieces, shoving them in her mouth. She wiggles her eyebrows up and down as she chews.
Lyla fights to keep her scowl in place. “Fine,” she groans. “Ranch, I guess.”
While Lyla gingerly spoons salad onto the corner of her plate, I lock eyes with Avery.
“Thank you,” I mouth.
She nods with a small smile.
Miles speaks up from my right. “Okay. Time for high-low.”
Avery’s face screws up in confusion. “What’s high-low?”
“Every night while we’re eating dinner, we all say the highest or best part of our day. We don’t always say the low parts, but if something’s bothering you then we talk about that, too,” Miles explains.
“Gotcha,” Avery says, picking up a slice of pizza to take a bite.
Miles turns to look at our middle brother. “You have to go first, otherwise you always find a way to sneak off before it’s your turn.”
Owen gives him a look that’s dripping with irritation, but then his eyes lock on Avery and soften ever so slightly. “This,” he says, motioning around the table.
“Pizza?” Lyla asks, giggling.
I don’t know why she’s laughing. I remember many, many times when she said a certain food she ate was the best part of her day.
“No.” Owen pauses for a second before continuing. “People.”
After he says the word, his gaze is locked on Avery. She doesn’t notice, but she freezes at his admission with her eyes on her plate.
“Oh, cool,” Lyla says. “Mine was making cupcakes and pizza.”
See? This kid, always with the food.
“What about you, Avery?” Lyla asks.
She thinks for a minute, running her finger around the rim of her water glass. “Having a family dinner.” She swallows, struggling to finish what she wanted to say. “I didn’t know if I was ever going to have this again.”
My heart clenches painfully in my chest.
“Well, we’re glad you’re here,” Miles says.
“Super happy,” Lyla agrees, laying her head against Avery’s arm. Avery smiles down at her with a tenderness that warms my heart.
When my turn rolls around, I can’t find a single part of my day that surpasses this dinner that I was reluctant to even let happen. Now I’m grateful my niece bullied it into existence.