I stared at Graham, watching the firelight flicker in his eyes.
As if he sensed me looking, he glanced at me. “What?” He arched a brow.
“Nothing.” I shook my head, falling back in my chair and cuddling the warm cup close to my chest.
He gave me a doubtful look. “Liar.”
I pursed my lips, hesitating. I wasn’t used to this, wanting to share things with someone.
“I was just—” I cleared my throat. “I was just enjoying myself.”
A wicked smile curled at the corner of his mouth. He leaned toward me; his chair was close enough to mine that he could almost whisper into my ear. “Are you enjoying looking at me, little lynx?”
My entire face burned hotter than the flames before us. “Yeah, well,” I said, flustered, but refusing to look away. “You have pretty eyes.”
His grin widened and he opened his mouth, but whatever he was going to say was drowned out when Warner grabbed a wooden paddle and banged it against the cast-iron cauldron. The loud clang made everyone’s heads snap toward him.
Warner’s grin was almost as mischievous as Graham’s.
“I’ve been informed that someone needs to make an announcement tonight.” He lifted the paddle, pointing it straight at August and Emersyn.
They were curled up together around the fire—Emersyn perched in August’s lap, his arms wrapped around her. They both blinked as everyone turned their way. August gave her an encouraging smile. She bit her lip.
After a beat of silence, August spoke. “We have something to tell everyone.”
He shared one last look with Emersyn before adding, “We’re—well, I guess it’s really just Emersyn, but I helped—”
Emersyn smacked him on the shoulder, and he chuckled. “Emersyn is pregnant.”
Excited cheers erupted around the fire.
Raleigh instantly burst into tears, letting her half-cooked marshmallow drop off her stick as she launched herself forward to gather them both into a hug. Hailey shrieked with excitement from where she’d been sitting cross-legged at her dad’s feet, her face smeared with chocolate and marshmallow goo.
“Yes!! Another cousin! Oh my goodness, he’s going to be SO cute!”
Graham huffed a laugh under his breath. “He? What if it’s a girl?”
Hailey shrugged. “I already have a girl cousin.”
Roman frowned at her. “That’s not how that works, baby girl.”
Hailey licked her lips—completely missing the glob of marshmallow stuck to the corner of her mouth. “I just think it’s gonna be a boy. And I’m usually right about these kinds of things.”
No one corrected her, but Fox snorted quietly. Graham shook his head, amusement softening his features.
For a moment, I let myself feel the warmth of it all. The fire. The laughter. The way this family wrapped around each other so easily and completely.
It was all almost perfect. Too perfect.
As the excitement over the announcement started to die down, Lark and Emersyn fell into conversation about motherhood. Raleigh went back to roasting marshmallows, happy tears glistening in her eyes.
I stayed quiet beside Graham, clutching my hot chocolate. A sudden coldness that had nothing to do with the weather slithered down my spine. Fear wrapped around my insides like serpents.
At first, I didn’t know what was wrong. The feeling of anxiety was so unexpected.
Raleigh turned toward me. “Quinn, do you want a s’more?”
I blinked at her like she’d spoken another language. “Oh—I…no. Thank you.”
