By early afternoon, Zinnia’s getting tired. The excitement of the morning catching up to her.
“Why don’t you rest for a bit?” Tiger suggests.
“I’m not tired.”
“You’re falling asleep on Jax’s shoulder.”
I look down. She is. Her head’s drooping, eyes half-closed.
“Come on,” Tiger says gently. “Just for a little while.”
Zinnia reluctantly gets up and follows Tiger down the hall.
As soon as they’re gone, Callum says, “She’s obsessed with you.”
“She’s ten.”
Zephyr adds, “She asked you twice as many questions as she asked us.”
“Maybe I’m more interesting.”
“Or maybe kids can sense who needs the ego boost,” Callum mutters.
I flip him off.
But he’s not wrong. Having Zinnia look at me like I matter—like I’m someone worth paying attention to—does something to the knot in my chest.
Loosens it. Just a little.
Tiger comes back out twenty minutes later. “She’s asleep.”
“Already?” Callum asks.
“Yeah, maybe she wasn’t getting any sleep at the foster home. I don’t know.”
“It’s been a big couple of days for her,” I add.
Tigerlily walks to the kitchen and starts cleaning up from breakfast.
I follow her, grab a dish towel, and start drying what she’s washing.
We work in silence for a few minutes. The sounds of Zephyr and Callum talking in the living room drift over.
“You’re her favorite,” Tiger says quietly.
“Maybe, maybe not. Maybe she’ll choose Cal or Zeff tomorrow and then change her mind the next day.”
Tiger stills and puts a hand on her hips. “That’s not fair.”
I set the plate down. “Tiger—”
“It’s fine. I get it. You’re mad. You don’t understand it. You think I’m weird.”
“I’m not—” I stop and start again. “That’s not what it is. I want you and only you.” I lean in and whisper, “How would you feel if I told you I want you and two other women? Hmm?”
She inhales, watching me.
“Do you want to see me fuck anyone else, Tiger?”
