“Do you see it?” Evie asked, gesturing to the photo.
“See what?” I narrowed my gaze and focused on the image of a happy family.
She pointed at the wrist that was tucked around the baby’s middle. On it was the very bracelet that I now had in my hand. I held the piece up to the picture, taking in even the tiniest detail and nuance. “It’s an exact match.” I had to agree.
Evie smiled. “Looks like Mom left you a piece of her, after all.”
It definitely seemed that way and I had no earthly idea how I felt about that fact.
I added calling my fathers later this evening to my to-do list to get to the bottom of this conundrum.
Evie grabbed my and Jasper’s plates. “How about you two check out the property with Milo while I get dressed? Then I’ll take you to see Suda Kaye. Oh, and I almost forgot.” She walked over to a box of envelopes that was sitting on the counter. She rifled through them and pulled one out and then handed it to me.
“An invitation to our wedding. We’re doing it at the reservation. Very small and intimate. Only family and a few very close friends.” She beamed.
“Wow, thank you. I’d love to attend.”
Jasper hooked his elbow with mine. “And I’ll be your plus-one. Wedding on a Native American reservation with men who hopefully look like him.” He pointed to Milo sipping his coffee. “Yes, please. Sign me up for one of those!”
Milo coughed and set his coffee down, shaking his head.
“Do you know of any gay or bisexual Native American hotties?” Jasper asked point-blank.
Evie chuckled. “I’m gonna leave you guys to it.”
Milo’s eyes widened and he stared holes through her, which I interpreted as him not wanting to be left alone with my gregarious bestie.
Jasper went right over to Milo, gripped his biceps, then petted them like a cat. “Don’t worry, I don’t bite...” He winked at Milo. “Much.”
“Evie, you leave me with him, and I cut off all my hair,” Milo stated flatly.
“You do that, and you will find yourself with no sex for the first year of your marriage while you’re growing it back!” she tossed over her shoulder while laughing and taking the stairs up to the bedrooms.
“Jas, leave Milo alone. He’s not used to your brazen brand of crazy just yet. You have to work that in slowly, like watching a soufflé rise to the perfect height. You don’t go whole hog with the heat, or you’ll burn it and that sucker will fall flat.”
Jasper petted Milo’s bulging biceps once more and tsked. “Pity. So, so pretty.” He looked up at Milo, who had a straight face and a stern expression plastered across it. “Back to the Native American hotties at the reservation. Know any?” He beamed.
“No,” was Milo’s one-word reply.
“Would you tell me if you did?” he hedged.
“No,” Milo repeated again, and I burst out laughing.
* * *
Milo and Evie’s property was magical. There wasn’t another word that could be used to describe it. Nothing but trees, mountains, animals scurrying around and the crystal-clear lake lapping at the shore. The entire place was a natural oasis of colors, fresh air and sunlight sprinkling through the trees.
I rested my head against Serenity’s leather passenger seat while Jasper drove, thinking about the beauty we’d witnessed. Milo chose to stay behind to work on a few things around the house while Evie jumped in the back of my Ford Explorer and directed us to Pueblo. I think he’d had enough of Jasper’s shenanigans.
“Your home is amazing and the land absolutely magnificent,” I shared while watching the landscape go by.
“We’ll have Milo build a bonfire tonight and we can make s’mores while sitting by the lake. The water is pretty cold but it’s fun to go stargazing at night. We have a paddleboat you can use, too.”
“Sounds awesome. At some point, though, Jasper and I need to find a place of our own.”
Evie nodded. “We’ll check the local listings. You’ll have to decide whether Colorado Springs or Pueblo or any of the areas in between are to your liking. In the meantime you are welcome to stay with us as long as you want.”
“I think Milo might have a few words to say about that.” I glanced at my best friend.
“What? He’s insanely hot. His muscles were just asking to be petted. I can’t be held responsible when I see a man that gorgeous just standing there being all broody hot and not touch. It’s not in my nature to let an experience pass me by.” He shrugged.
Evie leaned toward the front seat from the center spot where she was buckled in and set her hand on his shoulder. “I forgive you. If you think he’s beautiful with his clothes on, you’d be struck stupid if you saw him naked. The man’s body is a work of art.”
Jasper sighed heavily. “All the good ones are either taken or straight. Colorado better show up with the homosexuals or I’m going to be disappointed. I’m almost twenty-five years old and I want a man who will be just as crazy as me, love my Izzy like a sister—because we don’t do separate for long periods of time—have some cushion for pushin’ and love to eat. Oh, and to fuck. I want a man that’s got it going on like Donkey Kong. And I am not referring to the game.” Jas snapped his fingers to accentuate his point.
Evie cracked up and I snort-laughed.
“You guys have been together for a long time?” she asked.
“Since we were five. And he’s right. We don’t like to be apart for too long. Hence our ultimate plan of owning a shop together. This way no matter where our future lives take us, we’ll be a part of one another’s lives every day. Or most days anyway.”
“That’s what I’ve always wanted with Suda Kaye. For her to be around all the time, just a short drive away. All I’ve ever wished for was a family of my own. To set roots down and live a happy, beautiful life filled with my family—my sisters, husband and children. Lots of them.”
“I don’t know a lot about what happened, but you mentioned briefly that Suda Kaye had been gone for a decade until somewhat recently?” I asked.
She nodded and then sighed. “Yeah, but we can talk more about that another time. Can I tell you a secret?” Evie blurted dramatically and rather unlike her cool and calm demeanor. I started to believe that side of her was only for people she didn’t know. The ones she did know—or at least me and Jasper—she’d been warm to. Quite a difference from the woman who showed up on my doorstep with Suda Kaye in tow, all badass business ice princess.
“You can tell us anything.”