Noelle studies me for a long time, her brows drawn together as uncertainty flickers across her face.
She’s not convinced, not yet at least, but I can see the exhaustion in her and how tired she is of fighting everyone and everything.
Finally, she exhales and gives a tiny nod. “Alright…”
She sets Eli gently down onto his feet.
The boy beams and bounces a little in place, tugging on her sleeve. “Can I show them my new racetrack, Mama? Please?”
Her lips twitch into the faintest smile, brushing a hand through his hair. “Go ahead.”
He takes off instantly, darting toward the racetracks before collapsing onto the floor in the middle of all of them.
Noelle stays where she is for a moment, her shoulders rising and falling with a deep breath before she gestures faintly toward the couch. “Sit wherever you like. I’ll make some more coffee. I’m sure we’ll need it.”
24
NOELLE
I watch from the kitchen doorway with a coffee mug warm between my palms. My heart is still caught somewhere between joy and fear and tangled so tightly I can’t tell which is winning.
They shouldn’t be here. I know that. Imade sureof that. I blocked them, I said goodbye while I told myself it was the only way to protect Eli from the rumors, from the judgment of not just this town but my father too. I promised myself I wouldn’t let him grow up in the shadow of my mistakes.
But seeing them here now, seeingthis, makes that promise harder to keep.
Eli’s laughter fills the space like music, bright and unfiltered. He’s perched on Grant’s lap, his small hands gripping a toy race car while Callum flips through the instruction manual, brow furrowed in exaggerated focus as he reads out what piece goes where. Dean’s on the floor trying to snap two tracks together, muttering under his breath when they won’t lock, which only makes Eli giggle harder.
It’s chaos and comfort all at once—the three men who don’t belong here, thatshouldn’t,but somehow still fit perfectly into our lives.
I lean against the doorway, sipping my coffee and trying to hide the tremor in my breath.
I shouldn’t feel this light, this content that they barged in on what was supposed to be just me and my son.
Not when I know what it will cost to push them out again.
And yet, watching them with Eli, I can’t deny the warmth swelling in my chest.
The hollow ache I’ve been carrying since last night when I told them not to contact me eases just a little.
For the first time in weeks, the house feels alive again.
When noon hits, we bundle up for the yard.
Dean helps Eli tug on his boots while Grant wraps his scarf around his neck three times, teasing him until Eli giggles so hard he falls over.
Callum grabs my gloves on his way out and pulls them over my hands with a small smile that makes my pulse skip.
Outside, the world is white and dazzling.
The snow glitters under the afternoon sun, piled high across the yard. Eli doesn’t even wait for us to start, he just scoops up a handful of snow and packs it tight before letting it fly.
It smacks right into Dean’s leg and the look of pure shock on his face makes me laugh out loud before I can stop myself.
Eli doubles over laughing, taking off before a snowball flies his way.
“You’ve created a monster!” Grant shouts to me right before Eli nails him square in the chest with another.
Callum, ever the strategist, starts building a fort with military precision.
