I blinked. “Honeymoon stories?”
Elyna grinned like she’d been waiting all night for someone to ask. “Well, we were supposed to have a very peaceful, very romantic trip through Europe…”
Phoenix groaned. “Elyna, don’t?—”
“She’s telling them,” Asher said, propping his feet on the chair rung like he was settling in for a show. “I can feel it.”
Elyna pointed a finger at Asher. “You weren’t even there.”
“As your devoted brother-in-law,” Asher said solemnly, “it is my sacred duty to enjoy any story where Phoenix embarrasses himself.”
Elyna snorted. “Fine. Florence first.”
Phoenix dropped his forehead to the table. “Please, no.”
She ignored him. “So picture Phoenix, very confident, very sure he understands Italian train schedules.”
“That part is true,” Phoenix mumbled miserably.
“Except he left both of our passports in a gelato shop,” she cackled.
Asher barked a laugh. Braden echoed him, clapping, “Ge-lah!” likegelatowas the funniest word he’d ever heard.
“And Venice?” Asher added, eyes gleaming.
Phoenix groaned. “I swear, I didn’t fall.”
“You fell,” Elyna said lovingly, “into the canal. While trying to take a picture of us.”
Sandy covered her mouth, shoulders shaking. Pierre’s lips twitched. Eric nearly choked on his own breath trying not to laugh too loudly.
And I…
I laughed too.
There was just this room with this amazing family who invited me into their circle. Braden dropped Maurice the moose into my lap again and leaned back against me, trusting and warm. Elyna nudged her shoulder against mine. Phoenix offered me a smile that was half apology, half big-brother energy. For a real moment I felt safe.
The room slowly settled. Plates were passed. Pierre insisted I take the biggest serving. Sandy tucked a blanket around myshoulders, even though I insisted I wasn’t cold. Asher made faces at Braden until he giggled so hard he hiccupped. And Eric stayed beside me the whole time. Even though we hadn’t said the word love to each other, I felt his love and strength beating through every fiber of his being, and I hoped he felt that from me.
After we enjoyed stories and good food, the night quieted. The dishes were washed. Braden fell asleep drooling on Phoenix’s shoulder. Elyna kissed my temple goodbye and whispered, “You call me if you need anything. I mean it.”
The front door closed behind them. Silence settled again but it was a softer kind this time.
Eric touched my hand. “Let’s go upstairs.”
He took me by the hand and led me upstairs to his room. When we reached his room he closed the door and turned on his bedside lamp. Then his thumb brushed slow circles between my shoulder blades. The fire from downstairs crackled faintly through the floorboards. For the first time since the ridge…my muscles unwound. My breath eased and something inside my chest loosened.
“Eric?” I whispered.
“Yeah?”
“Thank you… for tonight. For all of it.”
His lips brushed the top of my head.
“There’s nowhere else I’d rather be.”
We slipped into bed together and I shivered from the cold sheets, but Eric lay behind me, one arm banded around my waist, his chest warm against my back. He didn’t hover. He didn’t tiptoe around me like I was fragile. He just held me the way he always did, solid and steady, like he knew every line of my body and exactly how to calm each trembling breath. He felt like safety and warmth. My fingers slipped over his forearm, tracing the veins there. I could feel his pulse under my touch;strong, alive, and anchoring me more than the quiet house ever could.
