And he didn’t know why, suddenly, he cared. Why he longed to sit in the old den with her, sharing popcorn, his arm stretched out over the top of the sofa so she could snuggle against him.
The thought, however, seeped in and took possession. Please?
“Fine. One movie,” Sierra said. “And I’ll even let you pick the popcorn flavor.”
“Yes!” Huck pumped his fist in victory, and Rowan had to hide his own smile. Yes!
Twenty minutes later, they were settled in the den with a bowl of buttered popcorn between them. Sierra had chosen The Princess Bride, and a jolt of memory hit Rowan so strong it nearly stole his breath. They’d watched this movie together in high school, curled up on this same couch while rain drummed against the windows. As you wish, Sierra.
Rowan claimed the far end of the couch, his spot. Huck sat in the middle, Sierra across from them. So, no snuggling, and hello, he probably needed to shut down that kind of thinking.
She hadn’t exactly made any moves to suggest rekindling the past.
But she hadn’t kicked him out either.
“This is old,” Huck announced as the opening credits rolled.
“This is classic,” Sierra said.
“Same thing.”
“Watch and learn, kid,” Rowan said. “This movie has everything. Sword fights, pirates, true love, revenge?—”
“Rodents of unusual size,” Sierra added, glancing at him. The easy way she fell into their old banter made his chest tight.
“I don’t believe they exist,” Rowan quoted automatically, earning Sierra’s laugh, the sound pure and bright and exactly as he remembered.
As the movie progressed, Rowan found himself watching Sierra more than the screen. She looked relaxed for the first time since he’d been back, some of the constant tension finally easing from her shoulders. When Westley revealed his identity to Buttercup, she mouthed along with the dialogue.
“As you wish,” Rowan murmured, remembering another night, another version of themselves who’d thought they had forever.
Sierra’s eyes flicked to his. She remembered too. The knowledge passed between them like an electric current, dangerous and impossible to ignore.
“Mom, can I have more popcorn?” Huck’s voice cut through the moment.
“There’s plenty in the bowl.”
“It’s all the way over there.” Huck gestured dramatically toward the coffee table like it was miles away instead of three feet.
“Then get up and get it.”
“But I’m comfortable.”
“Tragedy,” Sierra said dryly, and Rowan bit back a grin. Some things never changed.
Huck sighed heavily and hauled himself off the sofa with theatrical suffering. He grabbed the bowl of popcorn and settled back on the sofa.
In doing so, he leaned against Rowan.
Oh. He looked at the kid, feeling the weight, the warmth, and something shifted inside. He couldn’t move.
“This is actually pretty good,” Huck said as Inigo Montoya began his sword fight with the Man in Black.
“Told you,” Rowan said, but his voice emerged funny.
Calm down. It didn’t mean anything.
By the time the credits rolled, Huck was fighting sleep despite his insistence that he wasn’t tired. His eyes had gone heavy, and he was curled against his mother.
