“Besides, I’m just so happy you’re family now.” She squeezed my shoulder, her sincerity bleeding through. “You and your brother have always felt like you were, but this just cements it as fact.”
Her words and the love shining in her eyes hit harder than I was prepared for. Guilt settled on my shoulders, heavy and unrelenting.
Because Iwasn’tactually family.
This whole thing was all a ruse. Nothing more than a lie. And I hadn’t taken into consideration just how many others would be affected by our little farce.
Before I could spiral down the path of Nothing Good This Way Lane, Holly straightened and smiled at someone over my shoulder.
“Hi, honey!”
I glanced over to find Declan headed our way, looking pissed off at the world for existing. Tattoos ran up both of his arms, disappearing beneath the black T-shirt wrapped tightly around his biceps, and his scowl screamedDon’t talk to me. Don’t evenlookat me.
Holly obviously wasn’t deterred because she gave him a quick hug, and my brows flew up when he bent to press a kiss against her cheek. Apparently Declan Steele had a soft side forhis mom. That wasn’t exactly how I remembered him in high school. Then again, neither was Lincoln.
The fact that the Steele brothers all seemed to have different sides than I recalled was kind of dangerous, actually.
“Hey,” he said. “Came by to grab your car keys.”
“I don’t really think all this is necessary,” Holly said, waving a hand through the air. “It’s only making that screechy-grinding noise once in a while.”
Declan pinned her with a stare that would’ve had most people wetting themselves, but not his mother. “Onceis too often for anything you describe as ‘screechy-grinding,’ Mom. Once in a while iswaytoo fucking often. Hand ’em over.”
Holly blew out an aggrieved sigh and glanced around, her smile brightening when she caught sight of something. “Ah! Penelope? Can you please grab my keys from behind the counter for Declan? I’m just in the middle of helping Willa over here.”
That was news to me, but I wasn’t about to interrupt to contradict her. Not when Penelope’s whole body jolted and Declan stiffened like he was headed to face a firing squad.
“Um, sure…” Penelope fumbled a stack of books onto the cart as she glanced at Declan, her brows furrowing all while crimson stained her cheeks. Then she spun on her heel and headed to the checkout counter, not waiting for Declan to follow.
But, to my surprise, he did.
Strode straight toward her, his gait all confident swagger and don’t fuck with me vibes. They didn’t say a single word to each other—barely evenlookedat each other—but the tension between them was thick enough to bottle. Even after Declan strolled out the way he’d come, that tension didn’t wane. Just hung in the air like it was waiting for ignition.
“Okay…what wasthat?” I asked, brows raised as I stared at Penelope.
She was trying to get back to work, but it was clear with the number of times she’d fumbled the books that her mind was elsewhere. My money was on a certain tattooed bad boy she could barely look at.
“Nothing,” Holly said, amusement heavy in her tone. “Yet.”
My back was killingme and my left leg had gone numb a while ago, but I’d finally submitted the application for the grant.
Now, all I could do was wait.
Holly had left me to it about an hour ago and now sat perched on a stool nearby. Penelope had retreated into the stacks, no longer on high alert for a Steele brother to come swooping in.
Apparently,Iwas the one who should’ve been on high alert for that.
I was gathering up my things when the front door to the library opened, and the air shifted.
I glanced up to find Lincoln striding across the space in a worn T-shirt that molded to his chest, jeans that should’ve been illegal, and a grin tilted just enough to make my pulse skip. Especially when his eyes landed on me.
I froze as I stuffed papers into my bag, my entire body going stiff at his approach.
If he noticed my reaction, he hid it well. He didn’t break stride as he headed toward me. Didn’t hesitate when he reached me. Didn’t pause for even a moment as he placed one hand on the table, the other on the back of my chair, and leaned down to kiss me.
Right on the mouth.
It wasn’t lewd or graphic—nothing like our make-out session last night. No, this kiss was warm and steady. Comforting in away it absolutely should not have been. Our lips met and held like we’d been kissing each other for years instead of exactly three times.
