***

She’s avoided me all damn day.

I’m standing in Steven and Gail’s backyard while children run around, my sisters laugh, and Jax and Logan are newly married.

The happy couple are feeding each other cupcakes, smashing the frosting in each other’s noses.

“I’ve never understood the whole let’s punish the cake by smearing it all over each other thing,” Will says with a frown.

“I don’t understand why you’re not over there trying to snatch some cake,” I reply dryly.

“Holy shit, you’re right!” He runs across the lawn to the patio as if a linebacker is on his heels.

“I think he already stole one from the back earlier,” Caleb says with a shake of the head. “How is he not fat?”

“Because he works out six hours a day,” Leo says as he pulls his wife into his arms and kisses her head.

“This is the man section,” Sam says with a frown. “Where are the girls?”

“I didn’t realize we had sections,” Steven says as he joins us, handing me a beer.

Alecia walks by, completely ignoring me, just as she’s done all damn day.

“Excuse me,” I murmur and follow her.

“Trouble in paradise?” I hear Sam ask.

“Alecia,” I say and hurry to catch up to her. “Stop.”

“I don’t have time.” She presses on her ear, and speaks into her sleeve. “I need more champagne out here, and Logan’s mother is drinking out of a plastic glass, Em. That’s not okay. Get her a glass flute.”

“I’d really like to speak to you, cara.”

She stops and turns to me, finally looking at me for the first time today, and she takes my damn breath away. Her hair is up in its usual knot, her brown eyes are wide, but unsmiling. She looks like she may have lost a few pounds from the way her green dress hangs on her sweet little body.

But rather than answer me, she simply shakes her head and stomps away, talking briskly to Emily in her sleeve.

What the fuck am I doing? Why am I chasing her?

“Wanna talk about it?”

Natalie has joined me, Keaton on her shoulder sleeping peacefully, watching Alecia walk away.

“Not particularly.”

“She looks sad.”

I haven’t taken my eyes off of her. “I don’t see sad.”

“Then you aren’t looking hard enough,” Nat replies and kisses her son’s head. “What did you do?”

“Why does it have to be me?”

She just raises a brow. “Because if she’d been the one to screw up, you wouldn’t be chasing her the way you are.”

“I’m not chasing her,” I reply with frustration. “I’m simply trying to have a conversation with her.”

Nat nods. “Try harder.”

I glance down at her. “Thanks a lot.”

“You’re welcome.” She smiles widely and walks away, like the smart ass that she is.

Try harder.

I sigh and then follow the way Alecia just went, into the house, and find her in the kitchen.

“Alecia,” I say calmly. “I’d like a moment, please.”

Emily smiles at me and nods, then hastily walks out of the room, leaving us alone.

Alecia shakes her head and turns her back on me, uncorking more champagne.

“Alecia,” I try again.

“No!” She spins back to me, her eyes narrowed. “I. Don’t. Have. Time. I’m working, Dominic. Just leave it be.”

I study her eyes, and now I can see it. The sad. But I also see a new resolve that wasn’t there a few weeks ago.

And that’s what scares the fuck out of me. Is she resolved to live without me?

“I’ll leave you be for now, tesoro.” She starts to argue, but I lean in and make her look me in the eyes. “For now. But we will talk.”

“Fine.” She turns away again and resumes her work.

Jesus, everything in me wants to pull her into my arms and bury my nose in her hair, breathe her in, feel her against me.

I’m longing for her.

But I know I wouldn’t be welcome now. Not only that, I’m not sure that I welcome it. Not until I know what in the hell is going on.

I turn and leave the kitchen, running into Jules as I return to the backyard.

“Hey, big brother.” She smiles sweetly, and I have the distinct feeling I’m about to be set up.

“Hello, bella,” I reply. “What do you want?”

“I just want to talk.” She loops her arm through mine and walks with me to join Meg, Will, and Nate standing by Steven’s newest koi pond.

“What are we talking about?” I ask.

“We’d like to do a fund raiser for the hospital,” Meg says with a soft smile. “Nate thought it would be a good idea to have a dinner, dance, and silent auction, which they already do every year, but…”

“But rather than have it in downtown Seattle this year, we were thinking of asking if we can book the vineyard. Include packages in the silent auction of wines, and maybe a stay out there. Stuff like that.”

“Of course. The vineyard is always open to you. You know that.”

“Awesome!” Meg hugs me hard, then presses her hand on my chest. “You’re my favorite brother-in-law.”

“I was your favorite ten minutes ago when I suggested it,” Nate says with a smile.

“Shh,” Meg says, holding her hand over Nate’s lips. “Don’t ruin it.”