LUCKY GUESS
BRIAR
I wake to an empty bed.
“Rem?”
“Remi?” I say with increasing panic, as I tear through the covers on the bed, like maybe she’s just tucked under them.
She’s not.
I practically fall out of the bed, checking the room for any sign of her. Fear paralyzes me when I see the hall door isopen.
I bolt through it, anxiety rising when there’s no sign of my daughter in the hallway.
“Remi?” I whisper-shout. It’s still early, and with any luck, everyone is still asleep. We’ve been out and about in the house, but I’ve always been with her. I don’t even want to think what kind of trouble she could get into on her own.
The sound of her laugh sends me running down the hall, relief ebbing through me when I find her sitting atop one of the stools, her feet swinging under her as she stuffs her mouth full of—are those pancakes?
The relief is short-lived when my eyes slide to the guy sitting beside her.
“Mommy!” Remi waves wildly, and I look between the two of them. “We made pancakes! They’re chocolate chip!” She stuffs another huge bite into her mouth.
Koen.
Koen’s eyes find me over the rim of his coffee cup as he takes a sip. He leans back in his seat as I search the kitchen, looking for Liam, Aidan, Rory… desperate for the presence ofliterally anyone else.
“You made her pancakes?” I ask, stunned.
“Wemade pancakes, Mom.” Remi rolls her eyes, not to be ignored. “He flipped, and I chipped,” she announces proudly.
I look to Koen for confirmation, but he just shrugs. “You should try some.” I follow his fork to a breakfast spread that could put a five-star restaurant to shame. Plates of pancakes stacked high, along with omelettes and a bowl of fresh-cut fruit.
“I—um.” I’m frozen where I stand. Unsure what to do—how to act—especially after what hesaidto me last night.
“Coffee?” I manage to get out.
“Behind you.” Koen lifts his chin, and I back slowly over to the coffeemaker, not wanting to take my eyes off of the two of them.
She was out here. Alone. With him…
I find a mug, and pour myself a cup of coffee with shaking hands.
I’m saved from the awkward moment with Koen by the arrival of his brothers.
“Princess Remi!” Liam exclaims, throwing out his arms as if in complete surprise to see her here.
Remi giggles, “I’m not a princess!”
“Debatable.” Liam breezes by, winking at me on his way to the pancakes.
“Briar.” Aidan dips his chin as he trails in after his brother.
“Hi,” I clip out, sliding over a few steps so he can get to the coffeepot, immediately overwhelmed by the two brothers towering over me, both north of six feet.
“Make sure you eat something,” Koen calls after Aidan, who’s already retreating out of the kitchen with two cups of coffee.
“I’m on my way to right now,” Aidan smirks over the rim of his cup, disappearing up the stairs to the bedrooms, and I blush on his behalf.
