“You did?” Her eyes widen, a carbon copy of her mother, and my heart squeezes. She races toward me and wraps me in a bear hug before I can think twice about it. “Thank you!”
My throat constricts, clogged with emotions I’m not prepared for. Something unclenches in my chest as she does a little happy dance. This wasn’t the plan when I came over here, but I’ve noticed my plans seem to shift on a dime around Chloe.
“You’re welcome,” I say, swallowing around the lump in my throat.
“Are you going to stay and help make them?”
She pulls away enough to gaze up at me with green eyes and dark lashes, and I realize there’s no way I can tell her no. I hardly know this kid, and I’m already putty in her hands.
I feel sorry for the men who encounter her later in life.
I drop into a squat so I can talk on her level. “I’m staying for dinner, but I’ll only stay to make cookies if it’s okay with your mom.”
“It’s okay with me,” Chloe replies from behind her, folding her arms, a faint smile on her lips.
I glance around her kitchen, trying to find some footing in the midst of this shift. My eyes snag on a lone ‘Welcome to Enchanted Hollow, Texas’ magnet that holds a disguised turkey on the fridge.
My throat tightens on a truth I still owe her.
“Do you even like spaghetti?” Phoebe asks, wrinkling her nose at my bags.
Chloe clears her throat. “Sit,” she says, tilting her head—slightly less annoyed now. “Eat. Then cookies.”
I nod. Then I dig out my phone and ignore every notification except the one from Owen.
Me
This will take longer than I thought. Sorry. This is where I need to be.
And then I turn on Do Not Disturb.
twelve
CHLOE
I slipout of the kitchen and to my room to grab my camera from my bag. Laughter floats through our small space, like a soothing spell on my frayed nerves.
The last few days have been a nightmare, so this moment feels like a gift. Aiden’s programming has always been “find a solution first, ask questions later”, and I didn’t realize how much I needed that until he showed up on my porch, arms full.
In college, we lost power during a cold snap. I called him in tears, sure I’d fail finals. He arrived with camping lanterns, my favorite highlighters, and snacks.
Where I saw darkness, he saw light—and a plan I never considered. Just like today.
I switch to a wide-angle lens to catch the whole scene in our tiny kitchen, half-distracted by their joy. I hear Phoebe laugh all the time, but there’s never been a male laugh twining with hers.
Not ever.
Phoebe’s dad exited the picture early enough that she’s never known anything different. In some ways, that’s simpler—nofighting, no arguing, no competition. Just me, stretching myself as thin as possible to make sure she wants for nothing.
This time, I’m not sure I can fix it alone. But the warmth in my chest says maybe I don’t have to.
I let my mind drift back to that quiet moment in the kitchen with Aiden earlier tonight, not ready to squash it quite yet.
I’m almost certain he was going to kiss me.
Honestly? If he’d tried, I think I would’ve let him—and that terrifies me more than wanting him.
Maybe it’s nostalgia. Maybe it’s how badly I want to slip out of the superhero cape I wear twenty-four seven. Maybe it’s just the old, simple pull of him.
