She studied my face, really seeing it now. “You really don’t do holidays. Do you?”
“Not in a long time.”
Her expression softened, and it made my throat tighten again.
“I’m sorry,” she murmured. “I should’ve stepped in. I should’ve stopped her.”
“You didn’t know,” I said. “Besides, your mom is… unstoppable.”
She snorted. “She is.”
“But,” I continued, “I don’t want you thinking I’m avoiding… all of this.”
Her eyes lifted to mine. “All of what?”
“You. Your family. The lodge.” My voice felt too rough, too honest. “I don’t want to step back unless… unless you want me to.”
Something flickered in her expression.
She opened her mouth, but nothing came out, and before she could figure out a reply, the screen door banged open again.
Beck popped his head out and shouted, “Carson! Tomorrow at three! Wear something with buttons!”
Then he vanished.
Sienna closed her eyes. “I hate everything.”
I laughed under my breath. “Your family is… a lot.”
“You have no idea,” she muttered.
“But…” I hesitated. “I’ll come.”
Her head snapped up. “You will?”
“That seems to be the expectation.”
“Carson, you don’t have to.”
“I want to.” The words came out before I knew I meant them.
But I did.
And the way her mouth parted made something warm unfold in my chest.
She took one step closer, barely a breath’s length. “Why?”
I swallowed. “Because I don’t want to pretend what happened didn’t happen. I like you.”
Her breath caught.
But before she could respond, before either of us could take another step into whatever that almost-moment was—
A striped blur slid into the shed.
Barcode.
The zebra trotted directly between us like a four-legged chaperone, swishing her tail judgmentally.
