My heart swells so hard it might burst out of my chest. “Just like you and Santi,” I say, bopping her nose, shooting back up when she grabs my hand, yanking me in a run toward Chase and Santi.
“Uncle Chase, Violet said you’rejustfriends,” she says at full volume, her announcement echoing across the entire trampoline park.
Chase’s grin is instant, a wicked gleam lighting up his eyes. “I see—I’m being friend-zoned already, huh?” He quirks a brow, clearly savoring every second of my mortification.
“I think she’ll still marry you, though,” Lillie adds, her forehead furrowed in thought. “Maybe if you buy her some more ice cream.” Her earnestness is so sincere, I can’t help but laugh.
“Yeah, try the monster four-scoop,” Santi adds in his matter-of-fact way. “Although it might make her sick.”
“I’ve got something else in mind that may persuade her,” Chase says, the promise in his tone doing nothing to dissolve the sexual tension that’s been fizzling between us all afternoon.
“Stop,” I mouth at him.
“What?” he mouths back, batting his eyes like butter wouldn’t melt
“Anyway, kids,” Chase says, steering the conversation to safer ground. “We should get home before your mom calls out a search party.”
Their matching groans melt into excitement when he adds, “And since you’ve been so good today, there might be some gifts from Tokyo in the car.”
Lillie throws her arms up, demanding to be carried, and Chase obliges without hesitation. The girl has him wrapped around her little finger—I should be taking notes. Santi falls into step beside me, shaking his head.
“Mom says Lillie’s too old to be carried, but I guess Uncle Chase is too scared of her to stop.”
Chuckling, I ruffle his hair. “I can tell you and I are going to get along just fine.”
“Okay, jump in your seats, and you’ll get your gifts.” Chase opens the back door, lifting them up so they can climb in.
They scramble in eagerly as I help to buckle them up while Chase goes to the trunk. He returns with two shiny toy shop gift bags. They both squeal with delight when they look inside. Lillie has a cute baby doll and Santi, an action figure with about a million buttons.
“Thank you, Uncle Chase,” they chorus with matching grins.
As I make my way to the passenger seat, Chase catches my wrist. “Hey,” he murmurs, his voice rougher, more intimate. “You didn’t think I’d forget you, did you?”
I blink in surprise as he leads me to the trunk, placing a small, elegantly wrapped box into my hands. For a moment, I’m speechless, just staring down at it. “Oh—thank you,” I finally manage, a little breathless. “I wasn’t expecting anything.”
Tearing off the paper, I reveal a cream box withVan Cleef & Arpelsembossed in silver. My heart stutters when I open it to find a delicate white gold diamond pendant necklace—one that probably costs a lot more than a few months' salary.
“I love it. Thank you.” My words are quiet but genuine.
He lifts it from the box and fastens it around my neck, the brief contact setting my skin ablaze. Then he pivots me around and claims my lips with a soft kiss, his tongue flicking out with a gentle tease.
I try not to smile too hard as my fingers toy with the pendant as we commence the journey back to Austen’s house in Greenwich.
“Look at you doing grown-up things like driving your own car,” I tease as Chase pulls onto the highway.
“Yeah, I have to give Albert a day off once a year.”
I shake my head with a soft laugh. “It’s slightly concerning that I’m not sure whether you’re joking.”
“Come on,” he flashes me a grin. “I’m notthatbad. Sometimes, I even let him have two.”
The backseat hums with excited chatter, broken only by bursts of laughter. But after a stretch of silence, I glance over at Chase. “It’s gone very quiet back there.”
I twist in my seat to check on the kids, and my heart melts. Lillie is curled against Santi’s shoulder, both fast asleep, their gifts still clutched tightly in their hands.
“Aw, they’re sweet,” I say, turning back around.
“Yeah, especially when they’re asleep.” He winks. “No, but they’re good kids.
