Virtue by Deborah Bladon

Author:Deborah Bladon [Bladon, Deborah]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Deborah Bladon
Published: 2024-02-21T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

Gaines

Another family dinner equals another opportunity for me to stare at Eloise, this time from across a much more crowded room.

The last time we were in this brownstone together, there were only five us present.

This dining room feels stifling now, with all these extra bodies separating me from the one body I want my hands on.

“Do you want some green beans?” Stevie asks from where she’s sitting next to me. “You keep looking at those beans over there by Eloise. Spoiler alert. They’re not my favorite.”

A chorus of laughter fills the dining room.

Sinclair plucks the bowl from the table and sends it down the row of people between us.

Keats gets his hands on it before Berk does, and then finally Stevie hands it off to me.

“Mom says if I eat ten that’s good enough,” she whispers. “I’ll create a distraction so you only need to shove five into your mouth. Are you ready?”

Letting that sink in, I chuckle. “Sure. Go for it.”

She clears her throat and stands. “A poem by Stevie Morgan.”

Keats shoots her a look. “So, you’re using Morgan again? What happened to you being just Stevie?”

Her hands drop to her hips. “What happened to you being polite when someone is sharing a poem?”

Their back and forth bickering is legendary. I may have earned a slice of that little girl’s heart, but her uncle will always own the majority of it.

“Ready, set, go,” Keats volleys back. “Let’s hear it.”

Stevie steals a glance my way so I fork a small bean and slide it between my lips, before I lie to the little one, “That’s five.”

“I need more time to perfect my poem.” She drops back into her chair. “Carry on with dinner, folks.”

Another round of laughter carries through the room.

I look at Eloise to find her smiling, but her gaze quickly shifts to Sinclair.

“Do you have a girlfriend?” Stevie pushes the bowl of beans away from both of us.

“He doesn’t,” her dad answers for me. “Gaines is married to his work.”

That sends all eyes on the table in my direction.

“What fun is that?” Maren asks. “Even doctors need love in their lives.”

“He doesn’t need love,” Keats scoffs. “I’d bet good money on the fact that he’s having as much fun as he can handle.”

“Like playing games fun?” Stevie questions with a perked brow. “Do you still play basketball at the park?”

“Sometimes. When I find the time.”

It’s a pick up game with a bunch of people from the hospital at a community court not far from there. I’m part of a group chat that keeps us all updated on when a game is about to begin. If I have an hour or two to spare, I’m always there.

“You should find the time with Dad.” Stevie jerks her thumb toward Berk. “I’ve been playing with him. If I can beat him, I know you can.”

The sound of a phone ringing fills the air.

Almost everyone at the table drops their gaze to search for their device.

“It’s me.” Eloise is already halfway out of her chair.

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