Sydney laughed. “Channeling Beckett already, and you’ve spent less than two weeks with him.”
The past two weeks were giving her one week in Mexico a run for its money in the massive-life-changes department. After their X-rated sleepover, Beckett had told Sydney about his plans to resign as sheriff of Walkins Glen and move to D.C.
McKenna would be able to go to school with her best friend, and Miles would be there with her since their private school covered kindergarten through twelfth grade.
Sydney had been worried about all he’d be giving up just to be with her, but Beckett reassured her that he was gaining everything instead.
A.J. and his wife had a second house near Quantico, where she taught a few times a year, so Beckett and the kids spent the last two weeks there.
And now we’re all going on a family trip together. She almost had to pinch herself to believe it all.
They’d had dinner with her parents a few nights ago to warm them up to each other, but her dad was stubborn, which made her wonder how the trip would go. Fortunately, her parents were only staying the first week. Her dad was too much of a workaholic to take more time off.
“Must be him now,” Levi said at the sound of the doorbell. “But why is he ringing the bell?”
Sydney followed Levi to the door and checked the security app on her phone because no, Beckett wouldn’t ring. She’d given him a key. Not that they’d spent the night together when Levi was at her house, but during the school days, he’d popped in for some good-morning and good-afternoon sex.
“Oh. It’s Elaina,” Sydney said once the feed loaded.
McKenna joined them with Miles glued to her side. “She must want to say bye before we leave.”
Levi opened the door at Sydney’s okay and froze, blocking everyone’s view of Elaina. What was that all about?
“I’m Elaina. I think I saw you at Savanna and Griffin’s wedding, but we didn’t officially meet.”
Sydney peeked over her son’s shoulder—due to a recent growth spurt, he was now a head taller than her—to see Elaina offering her hand while Levi stood speechlessly staring. Maybe Levi wasn’t as “in love” with Lucy as Sydney had thought.
McKenna nudged him in the back and muttered, “Dude.” Sydney grinned, happy to see how quickly McKenna was adapting to the role of sister to two brothers. “Elaina.” McKenna maneuvered around Levi and hugged her friend since Levi was still in a trance.
“I wanted to see you before you left.” Elaina tossed a thumb over her shoulder where Emily was walking up behind her, holding her son Jackson’s hand.
“Liam and A.J. had to spin up this morning, as I’m sure Beckett told you, so it’s just us,” Emily shared.
“Hey, nice to see you as always.” They’d hung out a few times since Chile, and Sydney had a feeling she’d become fast friends with Emily. It’d be nice to have another close friend besides Mya.
Sydney gestured for everyone to gather inside, and the kids all hung out in the living room while she and Emily found space to chat alone in the kitchen. Jackson was younger than Miles, but when they’d introduced the boys last week, they quickly took a liking to each other. Miles was doing surprisingly well, given everything that had happened, but she’d suggested counseling when they returned from their trip, and Beckett had agreed.
“Beckett should be here soon. Not sure what the hold-up is. He said he only had to run an errand first before we left for the airport.” Sydney went to her Nespresso machine and popped in a capsule, assuming they were both in need of caffeine.
“I just can’t tell you enough how happy I am that Elaina will now have McKenna here,” Emily said with a sigh. “Have you two thought about where you might live? Together or wait a bit?”
“Levi’s okay with us all living together. I know that seems super-fast, but he likes Beckett and the kids. And he wants me happy.” Thank God for that. She couldn’t begin to imagine Levi not liking Beckett. Then again, the chance she’d fall for a man Levi wouldn’t approve of now that he was “so wise” at thirteen was slim. “Maybe we’ll have something built somewhere between Arlington and D.C.”
“And that’s not fast, by the way.” Emily shrugged. “Liam and I drunk-married in Vegas. So we skipped right past all the dating parts. Who accidentally gets married like that?” She pointed a finger at her chest. “Me, that’s who. But it more than worked out. It will for you two as well.”
“Beckett’s here!” Levi announced, walking into the room, spinning his finger in the air like the blade of a helo. “Time to roll out.”
Sydney caught Beckett’s eyes when he showed up behind Levi. He hooked his sunglasses in the collar of his black tee as she spoke her thoughts aloud, “You have a mischievous look there, Sheriff.”
“Not a sheriff anymore,” he reminded her before drawing her in for a hug, then winked. “And mischievous? No clue what you’re talking about, Miss Archer.”
WILTSHIRE, ENGLAND – ONE WEEK LATER
“Now that they’re gone, we can loosen up. Relax a little.” Levi turned up the music the second his grandparents’ limo pulled away from the sprawling castle-like estate. They were all gathered at the back of the property, and she was pretty sure her parents leaving was about to become a celebratory party for the kids.
Meeee too. Not that she didn’t love her parents, but they were a lot to handle. And they didn’t see eye to eye on much. But overall, the trip had been amazing. She’d always loved Castle Combe, the village and parish within the Cotswolds area where they were staying.
McKenna had also adored the English countryside. They’d spent most of the week traveling around, and Sydney had loved showing Beckett and his kids everything the Cotswolds had to offer, from the honey-hued stone architecture to the quaint pubs.
But now, Sydney had her own plans for the day. She had the archery targets set up and a custom-made bow for McKenna inside a large gift box tucked under her arm. She wasn’t sure if McKenna was interested in learning, but she was about to find out.
Beckett began throwing the football with Levi, and Sydney spied Miles tuckered out, fast asleep on the hammock, shielded from the afternoon sun by an umbrella overhead. He was curled up with one of their staff’s cats, a chubby, gray, and surprisingly vocal cat with a round, flat face and the softest fur she’d ever felt.
Raising a five-year-old hadn’t been on her agenda at this stage in her life, but she’d quickly grown attached to him, and she knew Beckett had as well. Miles didn’t need to share blood to become a son. Family didn’t work like that.
Sydney paused for a moment, her nerves getting to her, and she lifted her eyes to the sky, wondering if Matt was watching over them now. Savanna believed her husband, who’d died in the line of duty in 2015, had guided Griffin to her as a second chance at love and life, and maybe Levi’s father, Matt, had been pulling a few “fate strings” to work Beckett her way?
She smiled at the idea and found her confidence renewed in her mission to share her passion for archery with McKenna.
“Hey, uh, Mom?” Levi stopped her on her way to McKenna. “Question.” He tossed the ball back to Beckett and held up a finger, requesting a second. At that, Beckett went over to check on Miles in the hammock.