“Cara.” Dillon lets me go, and her face lights up as he moves toward her and pulls her into a hug.
“I told your brother that we should call to make sure you would be home, but he insisted we surprise you,” she murmurs, hugging him back.
“You never have to call,” Dillon says softly, letting her go as she smiles studying him, then leans up touching his cheek.
“You cut your hair.”
“I did.” He grins, wrapping his hand around mine and pulling me back to his side.
“Maybe you could have a talk with that one,” she nods toward Parker, “about chopping his off.”
“Never gonna happen, baby,” Parker says, dropping his arm around her shoulder, and she rolls her eyes skyward then moves them to me for a brief second before going back to Dillon.
“Is this your wife?” she asks him quietly, and I don’t see his reaction, I just watch her face soften before she looks at me once more.
“Cara this is Ashlyn, Ashlyn this is Cara, Parkers wife,” Dillon introduces us as she steps away from Parker.
“Nice to finally meet you.” I stick out my hand and she shakes her head, wrapping her slim arms around me.
“I’ve heard so much about you, I’m so happy to finally meet you.” She leans back enough to see my face and shakes her head again before hugging me once more, this time tighter.
“Dad, Uncle Dillon has like five bathrooms!” is shouted a second later, and she pulls away just in time for me to watch two adorable little boys in matching outfits bound down the steps into the garage.
“Did you use all of them?” Dillon asks, and the boys each look at him, grinning widely. “Uncle Dillon!” they shout, launching themselves at him. Stepping back, I smile as he scoops up both boys into his arms and swings them around. I’ve seen Dillon numerous times with my niece, Hope, but now it’s different. I can actually picture him holding a little boy who looks like him and me in my head. My heart does a little flip inside my chest at the idea and my breath catches when his eyes meet mine and soften, like he knows what I’m thinking.
“Jordan,” he lifts his right arm holding one little boy, “Kenyon,” he lifts his left holding the other, “I want you to meet your aunt Ashlyn.”
“Hi,” they chime in unison, studying me with curious looks on their faces.
“It’s nice to finally meet you both, your uncle talks about you guys all the time,” I say, wondering how long it will take before I can tell them apart, since they look identical and are dressed exactly the same.
“You do?” Jordan asks, and Dillon turns his eyes to him and smiles.
“Of course I talk about two of my favorite guys.”
“But you haven’t come to visit us in forever.” He pouts and Dillon’s smile fades away.
“I came to visit you guys three months ago.”
“Yeah, and that was forever ago,” Kenyon says, making me smile. I’m sure that at five, three months does seem like forever.
“Well, you’re here now.”
“Yeah, and we brought cupcakes from Mimi’s,” Kenyon says as Parker takes him from Dillon, tickling him.
“Did you really?” Dillon asks and Jordan nods.
“Yeah, we got your favorite strawberry ones,” he says proudly and Dillon smiles, lifting him high above his head.
“Too bad it’s your bedtime, now I get to eat all of them.”
“It’s not my bed time,” Jordan shouts, laughing as Dillon drops him to his feet and turns to look at Cara.
“How many cupcakes did you bring?”
“A dozen.” She smiles.
“So just enough for me.” He grins, looking between the boys.
“Not if we eat them all first,” Kenyon yells, wiggling himself free from his father then tugging his brother along with him, and they run back into the house.
“I should leave them with you tonight after they’ve eaten those cupcakes,” Cara mutters, and Dillon smiles.
“How long are you guys staying for?” he asks, and Parker answers.
“We’re here until next week. The boys are on fall break, so we figured it was the perfect time for a visit.”
“So you guys will be here Saturday?” I question and Cara nods.
“Yes, but if you have plans or need us to find a hotel, that’s totally okay with us. I know us showing up is unexpected.”
“No, that’s not necessary. You guys are welcome here anytime.” I wave her off. “Really, your timing is perfect. My family is throwing us a kind of after-the-fact reception type dinner Saturday, then my cousins are taking me out for a bachelorette party afterwards, in Nashville.”
“I’m in.” Cara grins, and Parker frowns at her.
“You are not in.”
“Oh yes, I’m totally in.” She smiles. “It’s been far too long since I’ve been out, and I’ve always wanted to experience Nashville’s nightlife.”
“Perfect.” I smile at her and she wiggles her brows, leaning closer.
“Are there going to be male dancers at your party?”
“No!” Dillon barks, and Parker’s frown turns into narrowed eyes on his wife.
“No, no strippers.” I smile. “I’m actually not sure what my cousins have planed but it will be fun, and there will be a party bus so we can drink.”
“Drinking and a girls night out works for me.” She grins as Parker grumbles,
“I don’t like your wife anymore,” to Dillon, making me laugh.
Wrapping her arm around mine Cara starts to lead me inside, mumbling, “Ignore him, he’s crazy.”
“Dillon is the same way,” I mumble back, listening to her laugh as we head toward the sound of the boys and find them in the kitchen sitting on top of the island, each with a cupcake and icing covered faces.
“After you eat those it’s time to shower then bed,” Cara says in a motherly tone, and both boys pout and look at their dad and uncle.
“Do we really have to go to bed, we just got here.”
“Sorry boys.” Parker shrugs as Dillon walks to where they are sitting and picks up a cupcake out the box on the counter and takes a huge bite. Going to the fridge, I grab the gallon of milk and take it over to them then head across the kitchen for glasses.
“Uncle Dillon, isn’t it your house and your rules?” I think Jordan asks, but I could be wrong, it could be Kenyon.
“Yep, my house, my rules. And the number one rule is listening to your mom and dad.”
“That will be a change,” Cara mutters as Parker pulls her into his side, kissing her temple.
“Bite.” Dillon instructs, holding his half eaten cupcake out toward me as I set the glasses down on the island. Leaning forward, I place my hand on the back of his and take as much cupcake as I can into my mouth, listening to him laugh as I close my eyes, chew, and swallow the delicious cake.
“It seems I’ve been missing out my whole life,” I say, opening my eyes. He grins down at me then leans forward, kissing me softly.
“Gross!” the boys shout, making me giggle.
Stepping away from him, I pour milk for the boys then lean against the counter and watch them talk animatedly with Dillon about what they have been up to for the last couple of months, and what they want to do during their visit. They are so adorable and so full of energy; I forgot how different little boys and little girls are.