The foyer is quiet as I head out of the kitchen, but Ican hear voices in the common room. I quickly jog in that direction, swinging open the door and stepping inside.
Against one wall, Asher and Theo are sitting at a table, playing with a deck of cards. Marco’s missing—probably working out in the gym. Ryan’s leaning against the end of the couch, arms and ankles crossed as he faces a woman who has her back to me. I already know she’s not Gracie—her long hair too red, and the body all wrong.
“Here he is,” Ryan announces, tipping his chin toward me, and she turns to me, her lips curved.
“Paisley? What’re you doing here?”
She doesn’t answer straight away, her brown eyes locked on my face, the smile never slipping. Ryan’s eyes are filled with curiosity as they bounce between us, and something uncomfortable creeps into my gut.
“Hi, Braxton,” she chirps happily, her arms tucked in front of her, and I realize she’s holding onto an old wicker basket, a bright pink ribbon twisted around the handle. She steps closer to me, and the aroma of melted chocolate and warm bread wafts up to my nose.
“Nick told me you were pulling an extra shift today. I’m glad I caught you at a”—she gives me a wink—“peacefultime.” She throws a look over her shoulder, smiling at the others. “Don’t worry. My dad was a firefighter. I know not to say the other word.”
Theo quietly shuffles the deck of cards, neither she nor Asher saying a word. The corners of Ryan’s mouth lift in a smile, but when Paisley turns back to me, he flicks me a questioning look. I shake my head with a shrug.
“Mom and I were baking this morning.” Paisley jiggles the basket, unfazed by the lack of response. “And she sent me down here to give some to Nick, but I couldn’t forget about you, could I?” Her smile is easy, unexpectant, and my shoulders sink.
“Not sure about your timing,” I tease good-naturedly. “We just finished lunch.”
“That’s perfect. I bet everyone has room for something sweet.” She looks at the others. “How about if I set everything out in the kitchen? You can all just help yourselves when you want.”
“Thank you,” Theo murmurs quietly, and Asher grunts. Paisley’s grin widens, and she steps around me, heading for the door.
“Come on, Brax. You can show me where everything is.”
I don’t move straight away, tucking my hands into the pockets of my sweats. Ryan’s staring at me, his expression unreadable. “She seems nice.”
“Paisley is Nick’s sister,” I explain.
“Yeah, she said.” Ryan’s eyes drift to the door behind me and back. “Better go keep Nick’s sister company.”
I shake my head at him, leaving without another word. Paisley has found a serving plate, setting it out on the kitchen table. I watch as she turns it a quarter-inch, her brow furrowed, before she starts pulling a selection of baked goods out of her basket.
I lean my shoulder against the doorframe. “How is Nick today?” I ask conversationally.
“Busy.” Paisley doesn’t look up from what she’s doing. “I think they’ve got him working on something important. He barely even had time to say boo to me, let alone eat anything.” She glances at me out of the corner of her eye. “More for you guys, I guess.”
My eyebrows climb my forehead as she keeps piling food onto the plate. “How much did you make?” I ask. “Looks like there’s enough for an army.”
Paisley lifts a shoulder. “I have some time on my hands,” she murmurs. “Shall we go outside? I loved coming here for family days when we were younger, andsitting under the red maple. It’s got to be the prettiest tree in town.”
“Yeah, okay,” I agree easily, scrubbing a hand through my hair. “I could use the fresh air.” I grab my jacket hanging up next to the back door as she comes to stand next to me, basket in her hands. I frown, realizing she’s only wearing a thin sweatshirt and jeans. “Where’s your coat?”
“I forgot it.”
My brows lift. “It’s December,” I say pointlessly, eyeing her outfit dubiously. “Whatever. Here, take mine.”
Paisley laughs as she takes it. “It’s not even that cold today. I’ve forgotten how mild Sterling Creek winters are. You’ve never experienced winter until you’ve lived in the Twin Cities.” She eyes my hoodie. “Will you be okay?”
“I’ll be fine. Come on.”
The grass isn’t quite frozen, but it still crunches loudly under our feet as we head toward the barren red maple. There are already tiny red buds starting to form on the branch tips, and Paisley tips her head back, staring at it.
“I can’t wait to see the flowers bloom,” she says wistfully.
“You’ll be here in spring, then,” I surmise.
“That’s the plan.” Paisley kneels under the tree, clearly not worried about the damp grass on her jeans. I watch for a beat before sitting next to her, leaning my back against the trunk with my legs stretched out in front of me.
