Aiden’s apartment is on the second floor of a newish building near the edge of town. Sleek, modern, dark floors—a kitchen that looks like it belongs in a magazine. And then there’s the living room, which looks exactly like a two-year-old lives there.
There are bright plastic toys shoved under the coffee table, books stacked sideways on the entertainment center, a pink sippy cup lying on its side on the counter like it was abandonedmid-action, a little puddle forming at the spout. I’m pretty sure I see Cheerios scattered on the rug.
And there’s Rose, sitting in the middle of it all, stacking blocks and talking to herself. She’s an adorable kid—dark curls, green eyes, and the tiniest button nose. She can charm a crowd without saying a word. Every time she laughs, the whole room gets a little brighter. And now I get to be a bigger part of her life. I consider her my niece, whether we’re related by blood or not.
“Hey, bug,” I say, crouching down as she looks up and grins so big her dark curls flop into her green eyes.
“Noah!” she shouts triumphantly.
“Yeah, that’s me.” I grin at her. When she goes back to her toys, I walk over to Aiden and speak quietly. “Didn’t think she’d be here today.”
He exhales through his nose, jaw tightening. “Change of plans.”
I don’t ask anything more. Aiden would never bad-mouth Lucy when Rose is around—won’t risk her hearing even a hint of it. Whatever he feels about the situation, he keeps it away from her.
I hold out the bag Gabe gave me, and Aiden takes it, peeking inside. His whole expression lights up instantly, thumb brushing over the ribbon like he knows exactly how much thought went into it.
“He always thinks of her, spoils her any chance he gets,” he mutters, pulling out one of the books.
Rose’s eyes go wide as she spots the bright cover. “Book!” she shouts, reaching for it.
Aiden grins, handing it over. “Yeah, sweetheart. Book. From Uncle Gabe.”
“Gabe,” she repeats excitedly, wobbling to a stand and bouncing on her feet.
Something in my chest goes all tingly. She loves him, that much is obvious, and for some reason, that hits me harder thanI expect. There’s something unbearably sweet about it, about the way his name makes her light up. I wish I hadn’t missed out on seeing their bond grow this last year.
I stay for coffee, long enough to sit on the floor and build block towers that Rose gleefully knocks over. Aiden leans against the counter, sipping from his mug, watching her with hearts in his eyes.
“She’s getting so big,” I say, placing blocks into a pile for another round.
“Too big, too quick,” he mutters, though he’s smiling.
We lapse into silence for a moment before he glances over at me. “So? How’s living with my brother?”
I shrug. “Good. I think I freaked him out a little the first night. I asked him to hang out and catch up. Then we just kinda… sat there. I didn’t want to push him to talk.”
“That’s not a bad thing; he didn’t run off to be alone in his room.”
“Yeah? Felt like I should’ve said more.”
“Nah.” Aiden shakes his head. “He’s getting used to you being there. Trust me when I say, the fact he isn’t avoiding you is good. Just… give him time.”
“I will.”
I just wish Gabe weren’t so tense around me. Conversation used to come easier between us, and while he’s been opening up a bit more, it’s nothing like we were.
“Good.” Aiden smirks over the rim of his mug. “Speaking of time—you think we’re actually gonna be ready for opening day?”
“Of course,” I say instantly, then laugh when he gives me a look. “Okay, mostly. The inspection should be done by this afternoon. Zeke’s dropping by to double-check the floor plan and safety protocols beforehand, so we should be good. Plenty of time before opening, and we’re nearly sorted.”
Aiden nods. “Zeke’s solid. Guy could probably keep the place standing during an earthquake.”
“Yeah, he’s the calm one,” I say with a grin. “Jules is gonna keep us all on our toes. They’ll be amazing with new clients, though—make people actually want to show up. I dropped into some of their classes when we both worked in the city.”
Aiden chuckles. “I’m glad you poached them to Willowrun. Sounds good for business.”
“That’s the hope,” I say, smiling. “Between us, I think we can really make this work.”
