"Everyone knows I don't follow the rules so chicken spaghetti sounds great to me. If you can spare a bowl I'm game." Jordan had never pictured his aunt as a domestic goddess. Hell, he didn't even know the woman could cook. All she'd ever made him when he'd been growing up were peanut butter, jelly, and potato chip sandwiches.
"You're such a sweet boy."
"I'd appreciate it if you wouldn't say that in front of my brothers."
"Wouldn't dream of it." His aunt laughed. "Although seeing you boys all wrestling might be more fun than watching the distance that's grown between you."
The truth hit him like a wicked cross-­check. The reminder that he had a lot of work to do to make things up to his family stung. But he acknowledged it and intended to keep the promise he'd made as he followed his aunt toward the kitchen. The heartbreak that had stolen his breath moments ago moved aside for an onslaught of nerves. Spaghetti that clucked was nothing compared to the baby dragon that roared.
The murmurings and giggles stopped as soon as he entered the room, and Nicki's head snapped up. The smile on her face dissolved into a scowl.
Great.
Looked like he was in for another fun evening.
Yippee.
"What are you girls up to?" He headed toward the long farm table where they sat, heads together, concentrating on the task at hand. Well, except for the why-­do-­you-­care? glare Nicki shot his way.
"Hi, Uncle Jordy." Riley's bright blue eyes sparkled as she smiled. "Nicki's helping me with my diorama."
At least Riley knew his name. That was a start. He smiled as he leaned over their heads to get a better look.
The shoebox had been covered in blue paper. On the front of the box a sign read "Ocean Habitat." Inside, the girls had carefully positioned seashells and colored cutouts of fish and coral.
"That's pretty clever to hang the fish from the top with string," he said. "It looks like they're swimming."
"That was Nicki's idea," Riley said, scrunching up her little button nose. "She's a genius."
Nicki remained silent as she glued a tiger shark onto the string.
"I think she's pretty smart too." For that comment he received a scoff that came out sounding more like a snort. "In fact," he said, "I think she's brilliant. Did you ever hear her story about Taffy Tickles?"
Nicki's head came up so fast he heard her neck crack. Her eyes narrowed as she shot another death glare in his direction.
Oh good. At least now he had her attention.
"How do you know about that?" she asked.
"I read it."
Somehow she spoke through a clenched jaw. "Ms. Diamond isn't supposed to share students' work with anyone but a parent."
Losing your parents when you were a thirty-­three-­year-­old adult was hard enough. Losing your parents when you were only seventeen and vulnerable to the world had to be ten times worse. Jordan settled his hand over Nicki's shoulder. "We don't have that luxury anymore, sis."
"Don't call me that." Nicole jumped up and dashed from the room.
Aunt Pippy and Riley gave him sympathetic puppy eyes.
Wise beyond her years, Riley said, "Give her some time, Uncle Jordy. She's sad and she feels all alone. It took me a while after my mama left to figure things out, but I'm okay now. Nicki will be too."
A million emotions flooded Jordan's heart. With the exception of Ryan, he and his brothers liked to poke fun at the former Laura Kincade-­now Laura Landau-­toilet paper commercial queen. The one thing they often forgot was how Laura's abandoning her family for Hollywood affected little Riley.
Jordan leaned down and kissed the top of Riley's silky hair. "Thank you, sweetheart. I'll keep that in mind." He tossed a look to his aunt. "Can you hold off dishing up that spaghetti for a few more minutes?"
"Take as long as you need."
"Might take a while." He pushed a breath of clogged air from his lungs. "I don't have all this figured out. But I'm working on it."
"Don't forget," Pippy said. "You've got four brothers who are all pretty smart. So don't go thinking you have to do everything on your own."
His brothers already had their hands full. And lucky for him, Lucy would be by his side.
"I know you believe you've got some making up to do," Aunt Pippy said. "But that's only from your side of seeing things."
He glanced up the stairs. "Pretty sure it's the way Nicki sees things too."