“I brought orange juice,” Eleanor announced, holding up a large pitcher. “Freshly squeezed.”
“And we brought pastries,” Hannah said, lifting a bakery box while Lucy and Aria hovered beside her.
“Because apparently breakfast can’t happen in this family without enough food for twenty,” Tessa said dryly.
“Correct,” Matt said cheerfully. “That is exactly how breakfast works.”
Leo watched Estelle carefully, alert for signs of overwhelm. She stood slightly apart, her posture tense and her expression wary, as if she didn’t know how she was meant to behave. Yet when Eleanor approached her directly, something in her eyes flickered with unmistakable longing.
She wants this,his bear said softly.Even though it terrifies her.
“It’s lovely to meet you,” Eleanor was saying, taking Estelle’s hand between both of hers. “Leo has been absolutely impossible to pin down lately, and now I see why.”
The gentle teasing made Estelle’s cheeks flush, but Leo noticed her shoulders relax slightly.
“It’s so nice to meet you,” she replied, her voice steadier than he’d expected.
“And you,” Eleanor echoed with a smile. “It can’t be easy starting over in a new town when you have a little one.”
Estelle half turned, searching the room for Adara. Leo followed her gaze and smiled despite himself. Lucy and Aria were already making friends with the little girl, while Snuggles had settled himself nearby as if supervising the entire exchange.
“That dragon’s really pretty,” Lucy said, peering at Fizz with admiration.
“Does she have a name?” Aria asked.
“Fizz,” Adara said proudly, holding her up. “She flies and likes chocolate.”
“Then she’ll fit right in,” Percy said, stepping forward at last with more confidence now.
“There’s a fairy garden at our house,” Lucy said. “Maybe you and Fizz can come and see it.”
Adara’s eyes widened. “A real fairy garden?”
“It’s the best,” Lucy said importantly. “We made tiny paths and little houses.”
“And there’s a treehouse too,” Aria added. “And fairy steps.”
Percy nodded. “I helped with some of it. We can show you.”
They’re already making her part of the family,his bear said with satisfaction.
It’s all going better than I’d hoped,Leo agreed.
It would be even better if you fed them all,his bear added.
It would.
“Shall we go and eat?” Leo suggested, guiding everyone toward the kitchen where the table was already laid. “While everything is still hot.”
As his family bustled around, adding their contributions to the spread, Leo moved to Estelle’s side.
“Doing okay?” he asked quietly.
She nodded, her eyes following Adara, who was now deep in conversation with Lucy, Aria, and Percy about whether fairies liked dragons or only tolerated them.
“She’s so... happy,” Estelle said softly.
The wonder in her voice made his heart ache.
