Evie smiled and it was like the sun coming out on a dark day. Effervescent. “Izzy, Toko knows about you. He’s always known about you. I’ve spoken with him. He would have been here the very next day after you arrived had I not told him to hold off.”
My eyes widened and I shrank in on myself.
She smiled softly once more. “And that is why I told him to wait. That reaction right there. You were just getting your footing. Getting to know us. Finding your path. Building your business with Jasper. I didn’t think it was a good idea to add another family member on top of all that change.”
I nodded. “You were right. I would have freaked out, made Jasper get back in the car and we would have headed to Mexico.”
“Hey, Mexico was an option? When? Where was I?” he teased, wrapping his arm around my back. “Izzy, you are the kindest, sweetest, most easygoing woman I’ve ever met. You are the epitome of all the good your fathers instilled in you. Then I look at your stunning sisters and I’ve never seen you more at peace. It’s like a part of you opened up and is shining so brightly it’s hard to look at you for fear I’ll go blind.”
“Jas,” I choked out.
“Everyone sees it, honey. You glow all on your own here. I think that’s what your grandfather will see. It’s what I see in all three of you. Not to mention, girl, your wild, crazy hair.” He pointed a finger at Suda Kaye and then at Evie. “Bingo! It may not be brown or gold or black like the other women in your blood, but, baby, it’s fire red and all you while still being a part of them.”
Evie reached up and held a lock of my hair. “It’s soft and silky just like Mom’s.”
“And you have her smile. The exact same smile. And the cheekbones, girlie, all three of us got them direct from Mom who got them from our Toko,” Suda Kaye added. “Besides, he’s an elder and a very spiritual man. He will know his blood granddaughter on sight. I swear. You’re going to make his year. Maybe even his decade.”
I sniffed as a tear fell down my cheek. “You think?”
Suda Kaye took my hand and held it. “I don’t think, I know. Toko will absolutely adore you the same way we do. More so because you’re of Catori.”
I smiled.
Evie squeezed my thigh. “Just tell him you’re excited to learn Comanche and you’re in like Flynn.” She crossed her fingers over her heart and grinned.
Suda Kaye burst out in laughter. “That’s not a bad idea. He’s super proud of his heritage.”
“And that’s another thing. I don’t know anything about being Native American. I didn’t even know I was Native American until you ladies showed up. It wasn’t ever something my fathers talked about.”
Evie shrugged. “So we’ll bring you up to speed on the basics. The rest you’ll experience in real time. No one is expecting you to all of a sudden be this long-lost member of the tribe. And besides, there are other tribes living on the reservation that Toko’s on. And technically, our grandmother was Navajo and Comanche, but somehow Toko likes to pretend we’re all a hundred percent his descendant.” She shook her head. “It’s pretty funny.”
“And besides, I’ll be there. Remember our pact?” Jasper held up his pinky finger.
I hooked mine with his.
“We’re never alone as long as we have each other,” we said at the same time.
He pulled me into a hug, and I held on to my best friend in the whole world and knew, no matter what happened, I had him. He’d be there through it all because he already had been, and he always would be.
“Aw, man, now I want a secret pinky pact,” Suda Kaye pouted.
Evie chuckled and reached her hand out, pinky extended. Suda Kaye linked hers around Evie’s.
“What’s the pact?” she asked eagerly.
Evie pursed her lips. “Uh, sisters for life?”
Suda Kaye scowled. “Lame. We’re already sisters by birth.”
Jasper leaned over and linked his over theirs. “Izzy?”
I followed his gesture and linked mine over all three.
Jasper looked at each one of us. “Friends till the end...” he said.
Suda Kaye smiled and called out. “Yay! Friends till the end!”
Each one of us called out the phrase and we lifted our arms up into the air and then let them go, all of us giggling and falling backward.
“I think we need to drink to that,” Jasper suggested.
“Good idea, friend.” I grabbed my glass and each one of us held them aloft.
“To the family we choose. And to Evie and Milo getting married!” I squealed with Evie, Suda Kaye and Jas as each of us clinked our glasses. We shifted the conversation to Kyson and Hope, to Toko, to the details surrounding Evie’s small wedding.
The night was perfect. Pizza arrived and we chowed down while we did some serious damage to Cam and Suda Kaye’s wine storage. She didn’t care. She said her hubby was über rich and to drink up...so we did.
Eighteen
Hope poured fresh-cut basil into the sauce pot. She was the cutest thing ever, pushing her little tongue into the side of her cheek while putting all of her focus on spreading the basil around the pot.
“Excellent work, little miss. Now you can pour in the oregano.” I pointed to the small bowl that held the cut-up herb.
“Maybe our little Hope will be a chef like Uncle Jasper and Izzy.” Jasper set the parsley he’d just chopped in front of her on the counter before kissing the crown of her head.
She gifted him the biggest smile. “Will you let me work in your bakery when it’s done, Uncle Jasper?” she asked him.
He nodded. “I’m having Uncle Linc build you a step stool just for the job. I’m going to teach you how to expertly swirl frosting on a perfect cupcake.” Jasper winked.
Hope grinned and reached for the parsley. “Do I put it in now, Izzy?” she asked, her excitement filling the room. I had her set up at the counter closest to the stove so I could work and watch her at the same time. Jasper fluttered around the kitchen doing bits and bobs here and there. Filling drinks, adding more snacks to the overflowing counter of food we already had out, playing the perfect host when it was Kyson and I who’d invited everyone over. It was his way. He always made himself useful, wanting everyone in his environment to be happy and feel welcome.
Across from us, Evie, Milo, Suda Kaye, Camden, Lincoln and Kyson were playing a round of Left, Right, Center with some poker chips at Kyson’s six-seater kitchen table. Suda Kaye introduced us to the game and because it didn’t take a lot of thought, especially when imbibing, everyone enjoyed it thoroughly.