I slumped in relief, my shoulders aching after driving for two days.
“You must be worn out. Come on in. We’ll get you set up with some drinks and show you your rooms.”
“Rooms? You mean we don’t have to share?” Jasper asked in awe.
“He’s a character, isn’t he?” Evie smiled sweetly.
“That he is. Also, the closest thing I had to a sibling growing up...” I realized too late how that sounded. Evie’s lips flattened and a sadness shuttered across her pretty features. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean anything by that. It’s just having sisters is new and...”
Evie placed her hand on my shoulder. “Relax. It’s okay. Jasper is your family. I get that. I just hope during the time we have while you’re here, we’ll be able to build our own relationship.”
“Definitely,” I agreed readily.
“While we’re here?” Jasper snorted and trounced to the other side of the porch, probably trying to see whatever he could through the dark and the forest beyond.
“How long are you staying?” Evie asked as we took the steps.
I shrugged. “Honestly, we don’t know.”
Milo opened the front door and gestured us all inside. The room was enormous with a giant wall of windows to one side boasting a view of the lake and mountains beyond, and a larger-than-life fireplace already lit with a crackling fire that warmed the room perfectly.
“Wow.” I gazed at my surroundings. The comfortable environment looked ideal for lounging, with a U-shaped cushy sectional, big, fluffy blankets and pillows everywhere and sturdy wood trimmings surrounding the space. I could see a huge dining room table that would probably be super fun to sit at during Thanksgiving dinner, everyone passing around plate after plate of mouthwatering dishes. I could almost taste the turkey and stuffing now. Which was also when my stomach growled loudly.
“Sounds like someone is hungry. I shall make a meal for you and a dessert for my beloved.” Milo’s deep voice was soothing as well as direct. The perfect balance of manly yet charming.
“Oh, no, it’s okay. We ate.” I frowned, trying to remember when we last had a meal.
“We ate at noon, girl. It’s nine thirty now. Food from the hands of a Native American god sounds right up my alley.” Jasper nudged my shoulder playfully. “Don’t ruin my fun. I wonder if they have fry bread.” He licked his lips.
“There will definitely be fry bread if Milo is putting something together. We had goulash and fry bread for dinner, which is likely what he’s heating up,” Evie offered.
“Mmm,” Jasper hummed and headed for the kitchen.
Evie grabbed my wrist, holding me back before I started to follow. “Hey, you said before that you didn’t know how long you were staying. Is everything okay at home?”
I smiled at her. “Yeah. It’s just there’s this whole new world I don’t know about. Family I didn’t know I had. Sisters I barely know and I...” I took a breath and let it out. “Jasper and I finished school and were going to apply for jobs in the city. But after meeting you, getting that huge inheritance from your dad, I don’t know. I felt like I needed to be here. To spend some time getting to know you and Suda Kaye. Meeting Milo and Camden and anyone else that is important to you.”
“Well, Toko, obviously,” she said immediately as though I knew who or what that was.
I frowned. “Toko?”
Her eyes widened and she put a hand over her chest as she swallowed. “Oh, my. I didn’t realize we never told you about Toko.”
“What does that mean? Who is that?” I frowned.
“Toko means grandfather in Comanche. Tahsuda is his name and he’s your maternal grandfather.”
My tongue almost fell out of my mouth as my jaw dropped open. My hands shook and I clenched them into fists as Evie’s admission hit my body first and my heart second.
“I have a living grandparent?” I could barely get the words out, or even believe them.
She smiled wide. “He is going to be beside himself with joy. Well, as much as a stout, traditional elder of the Comanche tribe on our home reservation can be.” She wrapped her arm around my shoulders and led me toward their open kitchen. Jasper was on a stool chatting up Milo, who maneuvered his large form around the open kitchen with extreme grace.
“Jas,” I said the second I saw him.
He turned and his eyebrows arched high onto his forehead before concern flashed across his face.
“I have a grandfather. His name is Tahsuda.”
His eyes widened and his mouth dropped open. “Holy shit. That’s huge.”
I nodded as his expression morphed from surprise to happiness. “You have a grandpa! This is so cool! Man, this move to Colorado keeps getting better and better. I can’t wait to meet my new grandpa.” He wiggled in his chair. “Hope he likes pseudo-adopted grandkids.”
“Moving to Colorado?” Evie gasped and pressed her hands to the counter. Her body language was stiff as though she was holding her breath.
“Um, we... Well, yeah. Maybe. I mean, we think so. We don’t really have any set plans.”
“You’re moving to Colorado.” The words left her as though they were a prayer. “I’m going to have both of my sisters in the same place.” Slowly, tears filled her eyes and she smiled wide. The woman was already beautiful but when she smiled like that, with such unfiltered joy, she was stunning.
“Yeah. We think we might stay, make a life of our own here,” I admitted finally.
“Adinidiin.” Milo stepped up behind Evie and wrapped his arms around her, pressing his face against her neck. Something silent moved between the two lovers as she closed her eyes.
“Did you hear what she said?” Her voice was small and filled with unchecked emotion. “My sister is going to stay.”
“I did hear that and am very pleased.” He had eyes only for her.
She sniffed and let a tear fall that she quickly wiped away. “Me, too.”
Jasper and I exchanged a look. He shook his head to say I should comment on what just occurred because whatever happened had meant something to Evie. A whole heck of a lot but I didn’t want to intrude on such a private moment.
“No more of that.” She wiped at both of her eyes, cupped her man’s cheeks and laid a fast and hard kiss to his mouth. He barely reached her hips with his massive hands when she moved out of his arms. “Time to celebrate. My sister Isabeau is home. Now we can all start to heal.”
I smiled but let her words soak in. Now we can all start to heal... As though she and Suda Kaye faced just as much uncertainty and emotional turmoil as I had these past couple months.