Adrian kissed Rennie’s head and moved toward Marti, kissing the top of her head too.

“I see you, ma’am. Do you think I’d ignore you?”

She calmed right away, placated for the time being.

“Doesn’t matter their age, if it’s a woman, you’ll charm her.” Brody shook his head. “Just made a fresh pot of coffee, if you’d like. You staying for dinner, since your woman and your boy aren’t around tonight?”

“He’s got a test tomorrow and she’s practicing with her partner for the show. I’ll stop by after school to see how it went.”

“All right then. How was your day?”

“Managed to meet with Erin to work on some songs, so my day was productive too. Yes to dinner, thanks.”

Elise wandered in with an armful of clean laundry. “Hey, it’s my brother-in-law.” She paused to turn her cheek up to receive a kiss.

“Pizza for dinner, I think.”

Rennie jumped for joy at that one, and seeing it, Martine squealed and clapped her hands.

“There’s your answer to that question, eh?” Adrian grinned. “I’ll do it. The usual?”

“Yeah, and then you can tell me what’s up.” Brody looked back to Marti. “You have more food on your face than in your stomach, baby girl.”

She grinned. “No, no, no!”

“You’re growing up, all right.” He wiped her face and she laughed.

“Out.” She pointed to the ground.

“All right. You can free range awhile in the living room.”

They’d gated the entire living room, putting most of what they didn’t want her to touch outside it. She crawled like a flash to keep up with Rennie, so he and Elise knew it would only be a matter of time before she figured out a way to get over, under or through the gates.

But parenting was a day-by-day venture anyway.

He cleaned up her messy face until she started to get grumpy. She was off like a shot once he put her down and she caught sight of her big sister, who was busily pulling open the box of Marti’s toys.

Rennie played with Martine, both girls laughing as they made a great big farm with chunky horses and cows.

Elise came out and took a look toward Adrian and then back to Brody. “I’ll hang with the girls until dinner arrives. Go see what he needs.”

He reached out to slide a fingertip over her lips. “You’re one of a kind, you know that? I love you.”

She smiled and he grinned down at her. His woman. In their house with his children. Life didn’t get any better than that.

“I love you too.”

He kissed her and turned to head back into the kitchen where Adrian was.

“Half an hour. I’m passing on the coffee. I need to sleep well tonight. Topped you up, though.”

“Thanks.” He sat and pushed a chair out with his foot. “Sit and tell me.”

“Am I so predictable?”

“I know you, Adrian. Like I know Erin. Like I know the people I love. You’re happy. Happier than I’ve seen you . . . well, ever, I suppose. But there’s something else. Something’s bugging you.”

“I asked Gillian to move in with me. To bring Miles and make my house theirs. I want this, Brody. I want feeding babies in high chairs. I want to wake up with her every day. I want to be with my son the night before a test and to eat breakfast with him while I quiz him.”

“Why aren’t you there, then? Why are you here in my kitchen instead of there, in hers?”

“I have stuff to do. I need to work and my studio is here. Why isn’t she here?”

“Because your son is in middle school in another city. That’s where the life she built for him is. Christ, Adrian, you know this. What is it really?”

His brother sighed.

“You know you can tell me anything. Right? I’m not going to judge you for having feelings. But I will kick your ass if I think that’s what you need. And I will tell you you have spinach in your teeth too. You’d do the same for me. Now, what is it really?”

“She holds back. Okay? Haven’t you noticed that?”

Brody sat back and sipped his coffee.

“What I’ve noticed is that she likes us. She comes to our events. Listens to stories about stuff she wasn’t there for and people she doesn’t know. She does this with a great sense of humor. And she does it for you and for Miles.”

“Do you think she just puts up with it then?”

“Just tell me straight, Adrian. Are you looking for a way to f**k this up or are you looking for a way to make it work?”

This was why Adrian had ended up on Brody’s doorstep instead of Erin’s. Erin was perfectly capable of kicking his butt when he was wrong, but it was Brody who would sort him out in a more unflinching way. Brody, who was his mentor, his father figure and the person he looked to more than anyone else for advice and an example.

“I love her. She loves me. This is not in doubt. I’m good with that. More than good with it, actually. It’s the best thing in my life. I have a son and he’s a great kid. He and I are building a relationship and I’m not f**king up too very much, I hope. Gillian would tell me if I was.” He laughed.

“She’s a warm, lovely woman. But she’s shy and it’s going to take time. What makes Gillian the perfect woman for you is the fact that she’s unique. Right? There’s no one like her and she gets you.”