“Three bowls is ambitious,” Ethan said, but he crouched to help her pick the sturdiest ones anyway.
The manager behind the counter gave us a knowing look as she stacked our growing pile. Toys squeaked. Packaging crackled. The puppy kept trying to nose the giant bag of kibble Adrian insisted on hauling around like a trophy. And the kids? They buzzed around the space with the kind of joy that made the whole place brighter without even trying.
“You okay?” I stood close enough to Ethan for our fingers to brush without anyone seeing.
He gave a small, half-smile, eyes still on the kids. “Yeah,” he said, voice low. “It’s just… I always hate this part. Everything’s so quiet after they’re gone.”
“I know.” I gave his hand a squeeze. “But think about how great that first morning of sleeping in will be.”
This made him tear his gaze from the kids to look at me. And said nothing.
“What? Why are you looking at me like that?” My laugh fizzled out, but something resembling a nervous smile stayed on my lips.
And where I’d been careful about our closeness, he seemingly didn’t care who saw the way he grazed his thumb along my jaw. “We haven’t really talked about it, but I’d really like it if you were there when I woke up. From sleeping in, I mean.”
Now it was my turn to not say anything. Not by choice, but because it came out of nowhere and shocked my brain off its hinges.
A flash of doubt moved in his eyes. “All I mean— With the kids g—”
“I’d like it too.”
Ethan’s shoulders eased, as if my answer let something unclench inside him.
It hit me then how strangely perfect my life had become. Every big change usually left me seized with anxiety, scrambling to hold onto things the way they were. Now I was here, saying yes to waking up beside a man who made my pulse trip in the best way, with two others who filled the rest of the empty spaces I didn’t know I had. And instead of fear, all I felt was this quiet, steady rightness that settled deep and refused to move.
“Look at this one, Uncle Ethan.” Sadie brandished a leash studded with pink plastic gemstones.
Emma stalked up next to her. “Tell her she can’t have pink for a boy dog.”
“She can pick any color she likes,” Ethan said, going over to mediate the situation.
I stayed back, watching the men attempt some semblance of authority and supervision over the kids, laughing softly as they lost almost every stand-off. At one point, Ethan whispered something to Miles that made him look over. I stood a little straighter, holding his gaze, and he gave me a smirk, winking at me. Probably in response to the news that I’d be changing bedrooms.
Something about the look in his eye told me that he and Adrian wouldn’t be neighbors for much longer either. There were five bedrooms in Ethan’s place, after all.
*
We rolled up to the brownstone, snow crunching under the tires, and I spotted Gabe and Sissy waiting on the front steps, bundled up against the chill. Their faces lit up as soon as they saw the car.
“There’s my crew!” Gabe called, his voice booming with relief and joy.
“Mom! Dad!” Emma squealed, sprinting ahead with Sadie and Will right behind her, all of them practically tumbling into their parents’ arms. Sprinkles McFluff yipped, nestled safely in Sadie’s arms, ears twitching as if he knew this was a big moment.
“A puppy?” Sissy said, shooting Ethan a look that was equal parts delighted and dismayed.
“Maybe now she’ll stop dragging random animals into the house.”
We all laughed, but I could feel the lump in my throat already. The kids bounced with excitement, but there was that bittersweet edge to it. The inevitable goodbye. We moved into the house in a large bundle of hugs, kisses, in-person intros, and rushed updates on life.
“Okay, guys, let’s get moving.” Gabe didn’t bother to sit down. He and Sissy hung around on the threshold between the living room and entrance hall. “We’ve been traveling for thirty hours and the doggo probably needs a nap as much as we do.”
“Do we have to go right now?” Emma clung to her mom’s arm, her voice wobbling. “Can’t we stay for hot chocolate or something?”
“Or a sleepover?” Sadie nuzzled the puppy’s head.
“Sleepover?” Gabe started laughing, which didn’t improve his daughters’ moods. “You’ve been sleeping over for more than a month. Uncle Ethan needs a break.”
Sissy took a more gentle approach, smoothing Emma’s hair. “We’ll visit again soon. I promise.”
