I chuckled to myself as a little girl with a head of white-blonde ringlets wobbled up to Brody and held her arms up.

“Becca!” He cheered as he reached down and scooped her up in his other arm, covering her tiny face with kisses as she squirmed and giggled.

“Figures the first thing you’d do when you get here is make the kids wild.” A soothing voice from behind me called out.

A distinguished looking man, dressed in what I imagined was an expensive jet-black suit, appeared from the back of the house. I was shocked by his resemblance to Logan, who was an exact replica of him, just a smaller version. Same sandy blonde hair, same bright blue eyes.

He walked over and offered his hand, which Brody awkwardly shook around Becca, pulling him in for one of those man hugs where they don’t really embrace each other, more like back slapping.

“Glad you made it, I wasn’t so sure you’d actually show.” He reached for Becca who eagerly dove for her father’s chest, laying her head on his shoulder while she eyed me cautiously.

“Trust me, I didn’t want to, but Kacie here was dying to try Blaire’s cooking.” He joked sarcastically as he draped his arm over my shoulder.

“Hi Kacie, I’m Andy.” His smile was warm and familiar as he gently took my hand in his.

“Hi Andy, thanks for inviting me.” I couldn’t resist the cute little thing clinging to his neck any longer. “You must be Becca. Aren’t you the cutest little thing I’ve ever seen. Is that your baby?” I pointed at the floppy doll tucked under her arm.

She sat up straight, her eyes lighting up as she lunged for me.

“Becca, sit nice, honey. Not everyone wants to hold you.” Andy kissed her cheek.

“It’s okay, I’d like to … if you don’t mind.”

“Of course not,” he said as he handed her over to me. “I have to attempt to pry Logan off of Brody anyway. That’s a task in and of itself.” He reached over and tickled under Logan’s arms in an attempt to get him to loosen his grip around Brody’s neck, but Brody squeezed Logan tight and defiantly ran the other direction. Andy looked back at me and sighed. “As you can see, they have the same mental capacity. It’s why they get along so well.”

Becca held her baby up to me, pointing at its face. “Nose.”

“Is that the baby’s nose?” I cooed at her. “Where’s your nose?”

She giggled and shoved her chubby little finger in her nostril. Andy reached over, quickly plucking it out. “She probably learned that from Uncle Brody, too.”

I laughed, feeling instantly relaxed with Andy and wondering how such a nice guy could be married to the witch Brody had described. Clearly he must have exaggerated. Andy held his hands out to Becca, but she swatted them away and laid her head on my shoulder.

“Wow, looks like I’ve been replaced,” he teased.

“Fine by me,” I said. “She’s cuddly.” The smell of baby shampoo in her hair made me ache for my girls. I’d been so distracted with Brody today that I thought I was handling being away from them just fine, until this little reminder hit me square in the face.

“Oh, I’m so sorry!” A woman bellowed as she came into the room. She looked like a supermodel. Tall, ultra-thin and dressed like she just walked out of a magazine, her large, platinum curls swayed like a pendulum when she moved. I was sure there was a dentist somewhere who was putting his kid through college, thanks to all she’d spent on teeth whitening.

“Becca, come here. Stop bothering people.” She roughly took Becca from me, while Becca fussed in protest. “Gloria, could you come here, please?” She yelled toward the back of the house, sounding annoyed as her turquoise earring violently swung back and forth.

“Coming.” A young lady briskly walked to the foyer. Her hands were folded neatly in front of her while her eyes were plastered to the floor like a child who had just been reprimanded.

“Gloria, what am I paying you for? You’re supposed to be watching the children!” She scolded as she pushed Becca into Gloria’s arms. In the hand off, Becca dropped her baby on the floor and I bent down and picked it up, quickly handing it to Blaire, who rolled her eyes. “Here. Don’t forget her stupid doll.”

She looked over at Brody and Logan and snapped her fingers. “Logan. Go. Now.”

Brody glared at Blaire and gently pulled Logan off his shoulders, setting him on the ground. “We’ll catch up before you go to bed, okay?” Brody high-fived Logan as he walked off with Gloria and Becca, his shoulders slumped in disappointment.

“I’m so sorry about that.” She locked eyes with me, grabbing my hand in hers. “I’m Blaire, so nice to meet you.”

“I’m Kacie, nice to meet you too.”

Brody walked up behind me and put his arm around my shoulders again. “Kacie is my date,” he taunted proudly.

She looked him up and down, scrunching her nose in disgust. “I’m sorry for that too,” she said, leaning in close to me. “You guys wanna come in or what?” With that she turned and disappeared as quickly as she’d entered.

Andy sighed at us, holding up his glass. “I’m gonna go refill this with something much stronger. You guys want one?”

“Absolutely,” Brody answered for both of us, noticing I was still too speechless to talk. “Nice tie choice, big shot.” He reached over and flicked the sky blue tie on Andy’s chest that was decorated with little yellow Angry Birds all over it.

“Hey, lay off man, Logan picked it out.” He looked at me and winked. “Plus it really pisses her off when I wear it.”

We followed Andy to the back of the house, Brody groping my butt the whole way. In shock of his brazen behavior, I turned and stared at him in disbelief. He grabbed my hand and stopped walking, allowing Andy to go on without us as he pulled me in for a tight hug.

“Don’t look at me like that, I can’t help it. This dress, my God,” he growled into my neck.

Twice today Brody had a moment of animalistic intensity, and holy shit, I loved it. If he could turn me on like that with just his words, I was dying to see what he could do with his body … or his tongue.

I bit my lip as he sucked on my ear lobe. “Maybe if you play your cards right, it’ll be in a heap on your bedroom floor tonight.”

He groaned as he kissed his way down my jawline.

“Hey, you two need to borrow the guest room, or can you hold off until after dinner?” Andy grinned, teasing from the kitchen doorway. I pulled back from Brody and straightened my dress, following him into the kitchen.

“Sorry,” I apologized half-sincerely as we passed him.

“Don’t apologize, I was just kidding.” Andy leaned in close to my ear. “Besides, I’ve never seen him like this, it’s kinda nice.” He smiled, squeezing my hand as he walked away.

From across the kitchen Blaire narrowed her eyes, glaring in my direction. I swung around to see if there was anyone behind me but no one was there.

“You okay?” Brody’s brows were crinkled, concern in his voice.

“Yeah, I just thought … nothing. Yes, I’m good.” I shook my head, laughing nervously, thankful when someone called his name and distracted him with hockey talk.