Tend To My Heart

44

Evangeline

"Invite him over for dinner" Jeremy says as soon as walk into the apartment with the goofiest grin on my face. Tristan just dropped me off after kissing me senseless in his car and threatening that if I didn't get out now, he'd drive me back to his place for good.

"What?" I ask, remembering I was home and Jeremy just said something to me.

The apartment was spotless. Jeremy was putting dishes away and my brothers were nowhere in sight.

"Invite Tristan over for dinner on Sunday, mind you, I'm not asking" he says and my cheeks get all hot with embarrassment.

"Uncle J-"

"Vange, this is me in parent mode. My kid is beaming like a damn teenager on prom night and I'd like some time to get to know the man behind that. If you don't invite him, I will make Luke do it, the choice is yours" he cuts me off and my eyes widen.

"Okay...okay fine" I nod and set my bag on the dining table, getting a good look around.

"You guys cleaned" I smile and Jeremy lets out a sigh.

"We did...and by that observation alone, we don't do it enough. I'm going to be apologizing to you for the rest of my life, kid" my uncle frowns, drying his hands with a towel.

"No you aren't, the beef is squashed" I assure him with another goofy grin.

"Man, he did a number on you, huh? You're smiling like an idiot and- are you glowing? I've never seen you glow like that and- oh my god, I'm going to be sick" Jeremy cringes and I join him when I realize that he's just realized what I've done the last two days with Tristan.

"Oh god! Uncle J!" I groan.

"Don't you Uncle J me! You're the one that walked in here with your happy glow and sudden burst of enthusiasm!" He points at me as if I were some kind of diseased animal.

"Stop addressing it! Talk about something else!" I hug myself, feeling every bit of uncomfortable.

"Uh- shit- oh! Luke took Hayden to get stuff for dinner! We already discussed Tristan coming over and he agreed to behave" Jeremy babbles and the small sting of doubt creeps back into my chest, the embarrassment leaving me immediately.

"Wipe that look off of your face. Luke is willing to give him a chance, for you" Jeremy reads my mind and I force a smile, nodding my head.

"When will they be back?" I ask, the ache of missing Hayden sinking into my heart despite it only being a few days.

"They shou-"

Jeremy's cut off when the front door swings open and my brothers waltz in with pizza and board games.

"I thought you were making dinner" Jeremy scolds.

"I was...but then Hayden wanted to play Monopoly" Lucas shrugs.

"And Clue!" Hayden adds cheerfully, my heart swelling at the sight of him grinning, all healthy and whatnot.

Jeremy shakes his head with a laugh before gesturing in my direction.

"V!" Hayden beams, dropping the board games on the dinner table and launching himself into my arms.

"Hey, kid" I mumble into his small shoulder, relief spreading through me at the feel of him.

It really has been a long few weeks if this is how I feel after two days away from him.

"How many hours until you have to head to work? Can you play a round of Monopoly?" My little brother asks, eyes full of hope when we part.