“What?” I ask, raising a brow.
“You’re quiet today.”
I shrug. “Just tired.”
She steps closer and slides her arms around my waist from behind, resting her cheek between my shoulder blades.
“Try again,” she murmurs.
I freeze for a heartbeat.
Rowan always sees right through me. Doesn’t matter if I’m being stoic or stubborn; she knows the difference between me being quiet and me beingquiet.
I turn and cup her cheek. “Eat first,” I say softly. “Then… we’ll talk.”
Her eyes widen a little, but she nods. “Okay.”
I make her something to eat, and she devours it quickly. My heart is racing as I prepare what I want to say, and I’ve just about worked up the nerve when the front door opens, and Devon and Suri come strolling in, their kids taking off toward Lily.
Lily squeals when she sees them, reaching out with grabby hands toward Suri like she’s seeing a celebrity.
“Good morning, my little love muffin,” Suri coos, kissing her cheek before handing her a small Tupperware of blueberry mini-muffins. “Don’t tell your dad I brought sugar.”
“I can hear you,” I call over my shoulder.
“Good,” she sings back.
Devon drops a bag of fresh coffee beans on the counter and grunts. “You look like hell, Bennett.”
“I’ve been awake since before dawn.”
“Ah,” he says knowingly. “Toddler time.”
Lily waves dramatically at him.
“Hi, Devvy!”
He melts instantly. “Hey, kiddo.”
Rowan chuckles and pours herself another coffee. “God help us when she starts stringing whole sentences together.”
“She’s already bossy,” Suri agrees proudly. “Just like her mom.”
Rowan narrows her eyes. “I heard that.”
Lily demands to be put down, and then the kids are off, playing noisily in the living room while the adults sit in the kitchen, watching them. It’s loud, warm, and messy—the best kind of morning. The kind I didn’t even know I secretly wanted ten years ago. Back then, the only future I could picture was getting cleared for duty and going back to my team. Now?
Now I can’t imagine leaving this.
Devon and Suri stay for an hour, long enough for Lily to smear yogurt in Devon’s hair, for the kids to burn off some energy, and for Suri to talk Rowan into a spa date tomorrow.
When they duck out, with promises to meet for dinner later, Rowan shuts the door and leans back against it, exhaling.
“Okay,” she says. “Talk.”
I swallow.
I hadn’t meant to bring it up today. I wasn’t even sure I’d bring it up this week. But when she looks at me like that—steady and calm, giving me space without letting me run from myself—it knocks my walls down in one clean hit.
