Once and Again
Page 6

“You were a few grades down from me. I was in Nancy’s class.”
Olivia sent a raised brow to Tate, who laughed. “It’s okay, Lily knows what her sister is.” Tate turned back to Lily as they moved to put all the bags of food on the counter. “Give me an update. What’s going on with things?”
She told them a little, just the basics. If Nathan was still close to his sister—and she knew he would be—he’d tell her himself. He valued family; it was one of the things she’d admired about him, and he and Tate were especially tight.
“Well, I’m glad to have you back.” Tate held the curve of the baby in the sling as she leaned down to kiss the toddler in Cassie’s arms. “Beth’s been so happy to have you around. I’m glad you’re back for good.”
“I need to call her. I’ve been meaning to, but things keep getting in the way. I haven’t spoken to her in a week.”
“She’ll understand. Sounds like you’ve had a lot to do.”
“Yeah. Speaking of that, I have to get going. I need to pick Chris up from school and I want to drop some stuff off first. Cassie, it was nice meeting you. Nice seeing you again, Liv. Tate, when you see Beth, please tell her I’ll be calling.” She paid for the books and said her goodbyes once more before heading out to her car.
“Lily.”
She looked up to see Tate coming out of the store.
“Nathan would like to see you too, I’m sure.”
“I’ve been over to the high school already. He’s one of Chris’s teachers.”
“He’s single.”
“Not surprised. But it has nothing to do with me.”
“I know he did you wrong. He knows he did you wrong. But you two were good together.”
It was impossible not to love Tate Chase. “Subtlety is not your strong point.”
Tate laughed and hugged Lily again. “I fully expect you to be at Shane and Cassie’s house for Martini Friday. All my sisters will be there. All the Chase wives. We’ve got a great group of friends and I know you’d fit in like you never left.”
She paused. It had been hard…after the breakup. She’d had to distance herself from the Murphys and it had felt as if she lost part of her family. They hadn’t made her feel bad or anything, but just being around them made her think of Nathan and she couldn’t do it. It would be a good thing to have a group of close women friends again. “All right. Thank you for asking.”
Tate scribbled down an address and handed it back.
The baby in the carrier squealed and kicked her legs. Her smile was as easy and charming as Matt’s had been back in the day.
“You and Matt sure do make some sweet kids.”
“This is Elizabeth, but we call her Lil Beth. She’s pretty much all about her daddy except when she’s hungry.”
“Can’t blame her. She’s clearly got good taste.”
Tate’s already wide smile brightened. “I’m glad you’re back, Lily. I’ve missed having you around.”
Maybe, just maybe—she mused as she drove slowly through town, calling out her hellos through the open windows—she missed being around too.
Nathan walked into his sister’s house and grinned at the sight. He didn’t bother knocking or using the bell. No one would have heard it anyway.
This was his life. Filled with all these people he loved. Not a bad way to end a day.
Tate and Matt’s house was the chief gathering place for the Murphy siblings. Wall-to-wall adults, kids out in the spacious backyard playing and running. It was normal. Nice and normal. And totally noisy.
Nathan and his siblings didn’t have much normal when they were growing up in that tiny, suffocating trailer. But Tate had raised them, had given them all as much love as they’d needed and more. And now she was an amazing mother to her two children and her husband adored her. No one deserved it more.
Tate returned his smile when she looked up, waving him toward the kitchen where she stirred a series of pots on the stove. “Nathan Murphy! You’re late.”
“Hi there, hon.” He bent to kiss the top of her head. “Sorry. I have a problem kid in my class and I met with his sister today. I wanted to check in with some of his other teachers.”
“You didn’t miss anything. Other than mentioning the problem kid’s sister was none other than Lily Travis.” She paused, turning her head. “Meg! You give that back to Lise right now.”
He laughed at his niece, who gaped at her mother’s seemingly superhuman ability to know exactly when she was up to trouble. “Deal with it, kiddo. She has eyes in the back of her head.”
Her brow furrowed, just like her mother’s did. “Daddy!” she howled as she tore out of the room.
“Always runs to daddy.” Tate snorted.
“Matt’s a smart guy, not like he’s going to overrule you.”
Tate grinned. “Well, he’s smitten with all the women in his life.”
“Where’s the littlest of his women anyway?” He looked toward the swing, which was empty, and the little saucer thing Lil Beth jumped in and spun around while squealing.
“Matt’s doing a diaper check. So back to the subject. I ran into the most gorgeous woman today in Cassie’s bookstore. Like she stepped out of a magazine ad from 1958. Cute pants and shirt. Matching jewelry. Really just a whole package.”
He groaned. “Chris is in trouble. She’s come back to Petal to straighten him out. He needs it, Lord knows. But she’s got a big job ahead of her. I don’t envy it.”