Here We Come (Aggie's Inheritance) (42 page)

Luke’s
answer
was
swifter
than
anything
Aggie
had
ever
heard.
“Vannie,
don’t
let
your
lack
of
vow
cloud
your
judgment.
You
are
right
to
save
your
affection
for
the
man
who
will
be
your
husband.
Not
kissing
every
boy
you
think
is
the
one
is
a
good
decision—it
just
doesn’t
need
to
be
a
vow
for
you
to
make
a
good
decision,
understand?”

“Self-control
and
discernment
again.”

Luke’s
chuckle
sent
flip-flops
into
Aggie’s
stomach.
“Aggie
has
been
making
you
think
about
things
lately,
eh?
I
remember
my
mother
doing
the
same
thing.”

“Luke?”

“Hmm?”

The
bed
squeaked
again.
Knowing
she’d
see
her
not-so-little
niece
flinging
her
arms
around
her
soon-to-be
uncle’s
neck,
Aggie
peeked
around
the
corner
again.
Her
eyes
caught
the
picture
just
as
Vannie
said,
“I
am
so
glad
you’re
going
to
be
our
uncle.
”

Aggie
hurried
downstairs
and
into
the
kitchen.
She
heard
Luke
follow
a
minute
later
but
was
surprised
to
hear
the
front
door
open
and
close
behind
him.
He
wasn’t
going
to
say
goodbye?
Had
she
said
or
done
something?
When
the
engine
didn’t
start,
she
stopped
the
unnecessary
introspection
and
went
back
to
unloading
the
dishwasher.

Luke
opened
the
door,
shutting
it
quietly
behind
him
.
He
shivered
and
rushed
back
upstairs
two
at
a
time.
In
Tavish’s
room,
he
paused
and
sighed.
His
shoulders
slumped
as
he
placed
the
present
on
the
nightstand
and
adjusted
the
covers.
He
was
too
late.
Tavish,
exhausted
by
the
evening’s
festivities,
was
in
deep
slumber.

In
Ellie
and
Kenzie’s
room,
Luke
listened
for
the
rhythmic
sounds
of
little
girls
sleeping
in
unison
.
Kenzie
had
been
brought
up
by
William
long
before
the
party
ended.
The
memory
brought
a
smile
to
his
face.
Their
deputy
friend
had
a
decided
soft
spot
for
their
little
gap-toothed
Kenzie.

Ellie,
on
the
other
hand,
was
stiff,
her
breathing
coming
in
ragged
bursts.
“Ellie?”

The
child’s
head
whipped
around.
“Luke?”
Before
he
could
answer,
Ellie
flung
herself
from
the
bed
into
his
arms
,
soaking
the
front
of
his
shirt
with
silent
tears
.

“Shh…
what’s
wrong,
sweetheart?”

“I—”
Ellie
choked
back
a
sob,
her
head
turning
to
see
that
she
hadn’t
woken
Kenzie,
and
then
buried
her
head
into
his
chest
again.
“It’s
silly.
I—”

“How
about
you
open
your
birthday
present
and
then
tell
me
about
it.
I’ve
been
waiting
to
see
you
open
this
for
days
now.”

As
she
pulled
the
paper
from
it,
Ellie
confessed,
“I
thought
everyone
forgot
us.
”
Her
voice
dropped
to
a
whisper.
“Is
that
selfish?”