Page 18 of Finding Hayes
“Would you like to come inside and have this conversation? It’s much warmer in here.”
“Stop telling me what to do. I’m fine out here.” Her lips trembled as the lie left her mouth. She wore a white hat with an oversized pom-pom on the top of her head. Her white coat and white mittens matched, and she looked cute as hell, even if she was being a stubborn ass.
“Okay. Well, I’m cold standing by the door, so either you come in or you can call me—if you want to unblock me.” My voice was all tease, because damn, I was enjoying myself.
There was a peace that came over me, knowing that Savannah was here.
Home.
My world had always been better with her in it.
Maybe hers was worse with me in it.
“Unblock you? That’s your big concern?”
“Well, if you want to discuss the car, and you won’t come inside, yeah, that’s my concern.” My tongue slid across my bottom lip as she started bouncing up and down and rubbing her hands together.
“Look who’s here, Uncle Hayes.” Beefcake sauntered over from behind me.
I had to bite back a laugh when I turned around to see him standing there in his gray joggers, but he was no longer wearing his hoodie. He had a bare chest, which he didn’t have five minutes ago, so clearly, he’d heard a woman’s voice and decided to take off his sweatshirt.
It was a very Beefcake move to do that.
The kid had more swagger than all of us put together.
“Hey, Beefcake.” Savannah’s entire disposition changed as she took him in. They’d met at the funeral this morning, and of course, she was already putty in his hands.
Cutler moved forward, took her hand, and led her inside.
Just like that.
He walked her straight toward the family room, where the fire was blazing, and motioned for her to sit down.
Which she did.
This kid was everybody’s kryptonite.
“Let’s get you warmed up. How about some hot cocoa for our girl, Uncle Hayes?”
Was he for real?
She chuckled and then glanced over at me. “I could go for some cocoa.”
For fuck’s sake.
I moved to the kitchen and heated the milk before adding in the chocolate and listened to Beefcake fill her in on the dangers of being outside in this cold weather for too long.
I could barely drag the kid inside after we built that snowman. But he knew what to say, and I admired his game.
I came out with the mug and set it on the coffee table. “We’re about to eat. Do you want a bowl of chili?”
“Uncle Hayes makes the best chili. And we don’t even have to eat at a table like I do at home. We eat down here, and we talk shop.”
“I guess you can twist my arm into a bowl of chili.” She raised her brows as she tugged her mittens, hat, and coat off and set them beside her. “You talk shop? Like firefighter stuff?”
I continued to listen as I moved to the kitchen and ladled us each a bowl of chili and carried them out and set them on the coffee table before grabbing the cornbread that Emerson had sent over for us to have tonight. I was thankful that Nash’s fiancée loved to bake, because she was always sending treats over.
“Yep. But my uncle does lots of medical stuff, too, just like my Sunny. She’s a doctor. Uncle Hayes has to take care of sick people, too. When I grow up, I want to be like all my uncles.”
