“Thank you,” Emma told him. “Be sure to come back later for a bit of cake.”

“Will do.” Howard smiled a farewell at Caitlyn, then lumbered from the room.

“Let me introduce you to everyone.” Emma began calling their names, but there were too many for Caitlyn to keep up with at once. She smiled and waved as they all greeted her.

“And this is your niece.” Emma moved behind a chair where a little girl was sitting. “Sofia, this is your Aunt Caitlyn.”

“I’m happy to meet you, Sofia.” Caitlyn’s heart squeezed in her chest as the little girl gazed at her with wide blue eyes. She was beautiful. Her eyes were like Shanna’s, but she must have inherited her black, wavy hair from her father.

“Hi,” Sofia said softly, then glanced over her shoulder at Emma. “I thought you were my aunt.”

Emma smiled and brushed the girl’s hair over her shoulder. “I’m a pretend aunt. Caitlyn is your real aunt.”

“I don’t have any aunts,” one of the other little girls muttered. “They were all killed.”

Caitlyn’s breath caught. She tried to recall the girl’s name. She was one of Tino’s classmates.

Emma moved over to the little girl and touched her shoulder. “Coco, I would love to be your aunt.”

“Me, too.” The woman seated next to Coco gave her a hug.

All the women echoed a desire to be Coco’s aunt.

“Me, too!” Sofia cried. “I want to be an aunt.”

Caitlyn smiled. Shanna was fortunate to have such caring friends. From the loving way they interacted with each other, it was obvious they were a close-knit group.

With a small jolt, Caitlyn realized these people were Shanna’s family. They knew Shanna better than she did.

A twinge of annoyance needled her. She’d only been nine years old when Shanna had turned fifteen and taken off to a boarding school across the world. Caitlyn had sorely missed her only sister. She’d written letters, but never received a response. Shanna had simply left her family behind. And she’d acquired a new one.