Wade
What about "6 Pack" since there's six of us?
Kipp
That sounds like we're beer or abs. We're neither.
Sage
Speak for yourself. I do yoga twice a week.
Twice a WEEK? Sage, that's not...never mind.
Phiny
"The Fostest with the Mostest"
Everyone
NO.
42
Lila
By the time I locked the shop door behind us, the wet pavement had turned slick with slushy piles forming into ruts, making me think about the drive in the morning and the subsequent prep I’d have to do when it came to the sidewalks.
“We’re going to have some decent snow tonight, huh?” I dug my hands into my pockets. The street was already getting quiet, and the skies were dark. I was glad East had come in, for a lot of reasons, but one of them was for sure that I wouldn’t be on my own out here in the darkened streets.
“Come on,” he said, his hand brushing the small of my back as he guided me toward his truck. “You’ve been on your feet all day. Let’s get you home.”
The word stuck in my chest like a fragile promise. I hadn’t been able to go home for weeks.
I glanced up at him as he opened the door for me, the soft yellow light from the shop spilling across his shoulders. He looked like a romance novel lumberjack — hair curling at his temples, flannel half untucked, and five o’clock shadow. I’d told myself a dozen times not to fall for that look, that voice, that solid warmth that somehow always made me feel like everything might be okay again. But it was clearly too late for that now.
I was in love with the grumpy Holt. When it had happened was a mystery. Maybe it was in between the barn picnic and him buckling my seatbelt. It could have been the way he’d looked at me that first day when I’d climbed out of my inflatable dinosaur suit. Of course, I couldn’t even claim that he was all that grumpy. I was the one who’d been out of sorts and all kinds of prickly.
The drive was quiet, but I could feel his gaze flicking toward me now and then, checking on me. He was probably waiting for me to ask what he meant by the word ‘home’. I wasn’t sure if he meant he was taking me to the farmhouse, Sage’s, or the cottage. I wouldn’t object to any of those. East could take me anywhere, and I’d say yes. After the last couple of days, I was on edge. I just wanted to go somewhere where he could hold me, and I didn’t have to worry about what the next hour would bring. I just wanted him to sleep next to me, where I could curl up next to him and rest.
When he turned into my driveway, I blinked in surprise. The last couple of days, there’d been a pit oflonging in my belly when I’d been looking over at my cottage, not because it was my house, but because I knew East was over there. It made me angry that I’d been afraid to come back. The sanctuary that it had been for me growing up with my Grams felt tainted now.
“East…” My voice caught.
“Just hang on.” His grin was slow and just a little smug. “I might’ve been keeping busy.”
He put the truck in park and came around to open my door before I could even move. The air bit at my cheeks as I stepped out, and I stared at the house. I didn’t bother to tell him that I knew well and good that he’d been keeping busy. I knew all about the late nights because I’d been watching from the guest room window like an obsessed stalker.
“Come on. I want to show you,” he said, taking my hand as he led me up the front steps. “First, you’ll see there’s an improved security system. Briggs was upset about what happened. This one has facial recognition. It’s linked up to Redhawk. It records and uploads all the data. There are cameras and sensors at all doors and windows. It’s all wired up.” He winked at me. “I also upgraded your door, because it was shit, and your locks.”
I wasn’t sure what to think of all of that, but let him pull me into the house as he shut and locked the door. He rattled off a passcode as he showed me how to activate the alarm. “We’ll practice some more.” I nodded as he nudged me towards the kitchen, where I about lost my mind.
“Oh my God.” My hand flew to my mouth. “It’s finished?”
His voice was low behind me. “Mostly. There’s still a tiny bit of trim work to do.”
The mess that had been created from fighting the fire was gone; any hint of damage or curled cabinet faces from the heat couldn’t be spotted against the brand-new kitchen. In fact, everything was new—new appliances. Fancy ones. All gorgeous modern farmhouse vibes. The top cabinets were done in a cream color, and the bottom cabinets in a dark jade green, with a mix of butcher-block counters and granite.
When I turned around, East was watching me with that cautious look he sometimes gave, like he was afraid to hope for too much. Or as if I were going to disappear any second, and I felt that sharp pang of guilt about giving him any room to doubt. While I’d been spinning and stewing in my feelings, East had been over here at my house, putting in the work. I was a brat.
