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RHEA KNEW SOMETHING was up with one of her boys. A mother always did. Since Levi was in Hollywood, of all places, she’d passed Joel driving the squad truck on her way into town, and Matt was right there in the diner with that sweet little wife of his, that left only one option.
Nate. She sighed. Of course. It had always been Nate who had given her trouble. From the time her third son had made his somewhat difficult appearance in this world, he’d been fighting everything.
He should have married that girl months ago. It took Rhea some checking with her sources—social media was great for meddling mothers, which was exactly what she aspired to be. Before she found out something that shocked her.
But it also gave her hope. And a little bit of a tender feeling inside to know her boy was going above and beyond to do the right thing.
She had raised him right, contrary, though, he could be.
She just had to swing by and see how the two were getting along—and check on that precious little one for herself.
Nate’s truck was parked in front of the house he shared with his brother. Rhea didn’t bother knocking, but she made certain to be quiet in case the child was sleeping.
She was. Curled up on the couch with another chair pushed up like a rail and a quilt Rhea’s own mother had made when the boys were babies. Rhea studied the toddler for a moment, first as a doctor, and then as a temporary grandmama. There were bruises that would never belong there, but they would heal. The girl looked like a little angel right there. Rhea’s heart melted.
Her arms ached to hold. As soon as that little one woke, she’d be doing exactly that.
Perci slept curled up in a big recliner nearby. Nate worked at the table in the kitchen. Rhea studied him for a long moment, that rush of motherly pride no longer shocking her when she looked at the boys she’d raised.
Nate had always done her and his father proud.
He was the one who looked the most like and acted the most like his father, and had grown to be as big as his father, too. She missed that man every single day. Nate was a living look into the past, though he had her eyes and hair.
The pain was finally starting to not stab through her, though. The love she and her husband shared had been deep and lasting.
She wanted the same thing for her sons. Three had that.
This stubborn holdout was being ridiculous. He really was just like his father. Daniel had fought her like wildfire all those years ago, too. He’d said she was too young, had too much of a future ahead of her with med school, and hadn’t needed to get distracted by him.
Fooey on that. She’d seduced him the first month she’d known him. Six months later, they had been expecting Joel, and she’d been about to enter med school—and they’d been married two months. A year after Joel had come Matt. Fourteen months after that had been Nate. Twenty months after Nate had come Levi.
Her boys.
“Well, there you are. Heard about the excitement.”
“Mom, have you eaten lunch?” He barely reacted to her comment, just giving her that dark look his father had perfected long before this version of him had been born. Rhea smirked. She’d had decades of experience dealing with that look. Nate didn’t stand a chance.
“Not yet.”
He grabbed her a bowl and spooned out some soup from the pot on the stove. “Pan froze some soup when she was here last. That girl can cook.”
“I’d like to meet her again. The last time I saw her she was covered in amniotic fluid.” She’d delivered all three of her daughters-in-law. Beautiful babies, the lot of them. The twins had been a difficult birth, but their mother had pulled through. And gone on to have a bunch more. Unfortunately, they’d switched physicians after Pan’s birth, to one closer to their ranch.
Rhea hadn’t thought of that particular branch of the Tylers in years until she’d hired Perci.
“You will. As soon as Rowland Bowles is finished with her.”
“I can’t imagine seeing three of my daughters-in-law and my own son in a movie. I’m sorry I missed it.” There was a lot she’d missed.
Grief had been what had mostly sent her running. Everywhere she’d turned, she’d seen her husband. To the point where she hadn’t wanted to look at the boys they’d created together.
She’d had to get away before she lost herself. Leaving so Nate could find his way was just her convenient excuse. Rhea had had to find her purpose in life without Daniel. She had made a difference out there, helping those in need.
She was back now. It was time to move on to the next stage in life. Grandmother-hood. And there was a little one starting to fuss in the living room that she could start with. She knew Ivy North’s history—and she’d call in every favor she could to ensure that child remained safe.
Right where she was.
Nate stood. “I’d better get her before she wakes Perci. I don’t think either of them slept well.”
Nate would have known if that girl had been in his bed where she belonged. Rhea bit back a sigh.
He was as stubborn as his father.
She’d had to seduce Nate’s father thirty-eight years ago, too.
Maybe she needed to give Perci some pointers. That girl really needed to pick up the pace. It was best to just blitz Nate. Not let him know what’s hit him. Otherwise, her son would snail-pace everything to death.
Just like his father.
Her other three took after her in that regard: when they knew what they wanted, they went with it. But Nate? Nate had to analyze and ponder everything to the nth degree.
Infuriating.
A tear touched her eye. Damn it, she really missed him. Daniel would be so proud of those boys they’d raised. Just like she was. The fifteen months she’d been without him had seemed like a lifetime.