Trystan narrowed his eyes at Logan’s tone.
“Because it needed weeding.” He popped the beer he held and took a couple of gulps. “Then Nolan brought Biyen home. Biyen got stung by a wasp. He’s fine.” Trystan waved off Logan’s frown of concern. “Sophie thinks he knew the kids were back and he wanted to see them. They’re still getting cleaned up. They’ll be over soon.”
“That’s good. Mom was worried she wasn’t going to see Biyen this trip.” He glanced toward the trail to Sophie’s house. “Is—” He hesitated, not sure he wanted an answer to this question. “Is Sophie bringing… What’s his name?”
He knew damned well what it was. Trystan had just said it, but Logan would be damned if he would let it pass his lips. It was like saying Beetlejuice three times. He didn’t want to summon the bastard.
“Nolan,” Trystan provided with a twitch at the corner of his mouth. “I don’t know if she has a choice. That guy is like a bear. He can smell a free meal from a mile away. You might find him sleeping in your bed when you get back there tonight.”
As long as he wasn’t sleeping in hers, Logan thought with more acrid dislike than he was entitled to.
“I told her I could help pull weeds after work this week.” Logan was annoyed she had asked Trystan for help. He hadn’t found the right time or place to apologize and had thought the garden while Biyen was away camping might give him the chance he needed to clear the air with her.
“She wanted to get it done before Glenda got into it. On that topic…”
“No.” Logan forestalled the sparkle that had come into Trystan’s eye. “Before you start riding me about Mom being here, she insisted on coming. Even with her here, it’s been really busy with Storm and covering for Reid. Sophie has been run off her feet so I was doing it as much for her as anyone else.”
“Uh-huh. Keep telling yourself that.”
“She’s been asking for you, by the way.”
“Storm? I figured I’d let Em have first crack at her.”
“Hilarious. Storm could care less about anyone but Em. She’s taken root on her hip.”
“There’s my favorite skunk cabbage,” Trystan said, handing Logan his beer and breaking out one of his rarely used wide smiles. “Are you going to come see me?”
Storm kicked and grinned and buried her face in Emma’s neck, making Emma wince as she grabbed a handful of Em’s hair, but she was chuckling at how excited Storm was.
“Say hi to Trystan, you silly goose,” Emma urged the baby.
Storm abruptly twisted to reach for Trystan, making a tsking noise against her teeth.
“Are you trying to say my name, you little ball of yarn?” He lifted her over his head, making her chortle, then he brought her down for growly kisses against her neck.
“I’m going to hit the toilet while she’s distracted,” Emma said under her breath and hurried inside.
While Trystan cruised Storm around the yard like an airplane, Logan stuck his brother’s beer back on ice and let himself be drawn into playing ringtoss with the kids.
Sophie arrived a short while later and she did bring What’s-his-name. She wore cut-off jeans and a pale-pink T-shirt. Her hair was still drying from her shower so it was falling around her face in red-gold curlicues that he hardly ever saw loose like that. He found them extra fascinating and really wanted to touch them.
“Delta, this is Biyen’s dad, Nolan.” She stopped where Delta had joined Art in the shade.
Logan would have listened more closely, but Biyen ran up to him. “Logan, look. I got stung by a wasp.”
“You sure did.” He touched under the boy’s chin to tilt his face and examine his puffy cheek. “Does it hurt?”
“Not anymore. Dad put ice on it, but I wanted to see Mom. She said I’ll live. Gramps said we can camp on the yard instead, since Auntie Glenda is visiting and needs my bed.”
“That all works out, doesn’t it?”
“Yup. Hey, Dad. Do you want to play ringtoss with us?”
“Sure, dude. Hey, man. I’m Nolan,” he drawled with a heavy vocal fry as he came across and offered his hand to Logan.
“Logan. I think we met at my mother’s wedding a few years ago.” He offered the toy rings he held rather than a handshake.
“Yeah, that was a fun night.” Nolan’s clothes gave off a vague aroma of campfire, but his hair was wet and combed off his tanned, bearded face. A face that bore a distinct resemblance to Biyen’s.
“Let me get you a beer,” Logan said as an excuse to walk away. “Sophie?”
“I’ll find a glass of water first.” She went up the outside stairs to the kitchen.
Logan relayed the beer to Biyen’s father and checked in with Delta and Art who didn’t need refreshing yet.
“Uncle Reid,” Cooper called up to where Reid was cleaning the barbecue on the deck off the kitchen. “Will you be on my team? Immy doesn’t want to play anymore.”
Imogen had fallen for the Trystan Effect. She was following him and Storm around the yard, asking questions about sea otters and orcas and owl pellets.
“Sure thing, buddy.” Reid looked to Logan. “Will you finish this for me?”
Logan nodded and passed him on the stairs.
“Oh, you want to be on our team, too?” Reid asked as he walked by Trystan and Storm reached for him. “That might be an unfair advantage, but sure.”
Trystan gave her up and crouched beside Imogen, pointing up to the treetops, then down at the ground as he explained some wonder of nature to her.
Reid looked like the quintessential dad, cradling Storm in one arm while he helped Cooper hone his ringtoss technique, giving Biyen and his father a run for their money.
