“Yeah, to be saved by love,” Mrs. Adler says softly, and I’m sure I am reading into their words, but nonetheless, I agree. I know that’s how I got through a lot of my trauma, with Aviva’s love. Then it took Nico’s love to heal my sister. I want to think I am one of the many reasons Evan is doing so well, but there is no reason to get ahead of myself. I mean, I know how I feel, not that I’ve said anything. But it’s serious, and I know it’s special.
I leave his parents and sit on the couch as he holds Fitz in his lap, rubbing his little head and somehow still playing with Zac. Zac sits beside him with his plush hockey stick, and Evan shows him how to hold it. Zac laughs happily as Evan makes funny faces and noises at him.
“You’re really good with kids.”
He shrugs. “The Assassins unit is huge, and there is always a baby or a kid somewhere at all the events. I enjoy playing with them and being around them. Owen is really good with kids too, probably ’cause he’s still a kid.”
I laugh. “Speaking of Owen, you talk about me to him?”
His lips quirk. “All the time.”
I lean into him as we share a smile, but then Fitz starts to cry. Evan picks him up, trying to comfort him until he tries to eat Evan’s face. “Shel, bring a boob! Fitzy’s hungry!”
“I’ve got two. I’m coming,” she calls through the house, and then on cue, Zac starts to cry.
“Pose, I think your kid wants a boob too,” he calls out, and his sisters come quickly to get their kiddos. I giggle as the kids are collected, and then Evan cleans up the toys. I ignore the pain that reminds me I’ll never be able to breastfeed, but then, I don’t even know if I’ll have kids.
“Do you want kids?”
Evan throws a bunch of toys into a box in the corner. “Yeah. I want a big family. You?”
“Me too.” He gives me a sly smile, but I don’t return it. “Just throwing this out here, but you know, with the gene I have—”
“We’d cross that bridge together,” he says simply, falling into the seat beside me as my heart vibrates in my chest. “Just as I have your back, together, we’d have our kids’. Just like my parents have mine and Aviva has yours.”
Why am I about to cry? I wrap my arms around his neck, burying my face against his chest. “Are you good?”
I agree very aggressively. “God yes, I’m having a blast.”
He laughs at my quick answer as he pulls back to look at me. His eyes search mine before he kisses my lips softly, sweetly. “I know my family is a lot.”
“They’re awesome.”
“They’re something, for sure,” he says, leaning into the couch. “My brothers-in-law have learned to just let us be. They used to try to defend their wives, but the girls shut that down.”
“That’s incredible,” I snicker, pushing away my tears.
“Yeah, now we make fun of them too. Which was a lot of fun when we’d get together for holidays. But now we have games against each other, us being IceCats and them as Assassins. Owen will deliberately hit Aiden, just to fuck with him.”
“I can’t with you guys,” I laugh, and he grins. “I was thinking I was jealous earlier. I wish Aviva could have been just my sister instead of my mom and my dad.”
He slides his hand into mine. “Yeah, that’s hard, but I think she did a great job. She needs a trophy. We buy them for my mom.”
I laugh. “I’ll look on Amazon.”
“I’ll send you the link.”
I lean into him, kissing his shoulder as he kisses my forehead. I take in the huge living room as I put my head on his shoulder. It has a massive sitting area with an even bigger TV, while the walls remind me of a museum. Family photos are the art on display. A room with a door that leads outside is decorated with a whole bunch of Shea Adler’s memorabilia, and then there’s a hallway connected to the kitchen. To the side, in an alcove surrounded by windows, is a large, pristine black piano. I swear it sparkles, it’s so shiny.
“Who plays that the most?”
He smiles. “Used to be me.”
“Really?”
“Yeah, it’s my great-great-grandma’s piano that my dad got when she passed. My grandma and grandpa drove it in from Boston, which was a thing ’cause they took Owen and me. We were like six, but I had to go ’cause I wanted it, and Owen went ’cause I went.”
“Two peas in a pod.”
He smirks. “That's what my grandma called us.”
Evan looks down at me, and the smirk turns to a grin. He leans in, kissing my nose before getting up and heading to the piano. I rest against the arm of the couch, setting my chin in my hands to watch him better. He opens the piano, cracks his knuckles, and then the most gorgeous melody comes from the instrument. I’m in awe as he moves his fingers along the keys, producing what I think is a Bruno Mars song.
Soon, the living room fills with his family, and I notice that his mom is wide-eyed. Even Mr. Adler looks surprised, which is confusing to me. Quinn leans into the wall as Posey sits on the arm of the chair her dad sat in, holding Zac to her chest. Shelli leans into Aiden, holding Fitz, as Boon walks in, sitting beside me. I look at him, and he seems just as confused as everyone else.
Hell, as confused as I am.
In a whisper, so I don’t disturb all his family members who are completely enraptured by Evan, I ask, “What’s wrong with everyone?”
“Evan hasn’t played that piano since he came home from South Carolina.”
My heart stops dead in my chest as I whip my head back to see him playing as if he is the only one in the room. It’s him and the piano. It’s so beautifully tragic to think he hasn’t played. When he finishes the last note, he goes right into another song so effortlessly.
He looks up to Shelli. “Satine?”
Her eyes widen as she asks, “Really?”
“Really,” he says with a nod, and I look at Boon, my information source.
“Moulin Rouge,” Boon supplies, and I nod, looking back just as Evan starts to sing.
And boy, can he sing.
I’ve heard him before, but maybe with the piano it’s different. His voice is strong, so smooth, leaving me breathless. He looks lost in the words, in the keys, as Shelli makes her way to the piano. As his voice carries through the room, Shelli rocks back and forth with Fitz still on her boob. My breathing is labored, and I’m in awe of him. I’m blown away.
And then Shelli starts to sing,
I mean, fuck, give that girl a Tony or nine! Her voice is classic, gorgeous, and so complementary to Evan’s. Together, they give me chills.
“This is Aiden and Shelli’s wedding song,” Boon says beside me, but I can’t even acknowledge him, I’m so floored. Shelli hits a note that shakes me to my core and obviously scares Fitz, so she pulls him off her chest, rearranging her shirt, not missing a beat as Aiden comes over. He takes Fitz before kissing her temple, and then together, Evan and Shelli sing with all their might. I hold my breath, wide-eyed as I listen, completely swept away by the performance. Shelli hits the high notes, but Evan is right there, singing with her like he could be onstage too. When his eyes fall in line with mine, he sings the three words that rattle my soul. I don’t know if he is only singing or saying them, but they leave me quivering everywhere.