Her eyes flicked to mine, curious and kind. “You have something, too, don’t you?”
I hesitated, then nodded. “Yeah. They’ve called it a bunch of different things. It’s hard to explain, but it’s like my brain gets stuck. I try to let go of things, but I can’t. It loops and loops until it feels like I’m going to crawl out of my skin.”
Riley was quiet for a second, then she smiled softly, understanding, not pitying. “I used to hate myself,” she said. “And then I met Jace, and he made me realize maybe I’m not broken. Maybe I’m just wired differently. And that’s okay.”
Her voice softened, warm as the steam rising from the pot. “He doesn’t try to fix me. He just…shows up. Even when I’m at my worst. Especially then.”
I swallowed hard, an ache in my chest because that’s what Matty did for me, too. “He sounds like he really loves you.”
She nodded, eyes shining. “He does. And it helps. Having someone who sees all your cracks and decides to love youbecauseof them, not despite them.”
I stared down at the soup, watching the noodles swirl in the golden broth. “Yeah,” I whispered. “It really does.”
Riley leaned her shoulder into mine, her voice teasing now. “So, what you’re saying is…we both hit the jackpot and lucked out with hot guys that worship us.”
That made me laugh, a real one, light and unguarded. “Something like that.”
“Perfect,” she said, bumping me again. “Although, I’ll state for the record that they lucked out, too. Not everyone could handle their crazy asses.”
I blushed, thinking of exactly how crazy Matty could be.
She side-eyed me knowingly and held out a hand. “Now, pass me a spoon before I start drinking this straight from the pot. It’s not chicken noodle soup if it’s not burning your tongue. Or at least I think that’s what they say.”
Riley and I both turned as the front door swung open and the new security system beeped.
Matty appeared first, hair damp from a quick shower at the facility. Jace trailed behind him, grinning like he’d just gotten away with something.
“Hey—that’s mine,” Matty said, pointing accusingly at Riley, who was midway through a second bite of soup.
She froze, spoon halfway to her mouth, her eyes wide with mock guilt. “Oh no,” she said solemnly. “I’ve been caught red-handed.”
Matty stalked closer, sniffing the air like a bloodhound. “That’smychicken noodle soup. My favorite. Ophelia made that forme.”
I rolled my eyes, smiling as I stirred the pot. “I made plenty,” I said.
“Yeah, forme,” he said, already leaning down to steal a quick kiss before swiping a spoon from the counter.
“Unbelievable,” Jace said, slipping between them and reaching for a bowl. “I’mbestilicious number one. Riley literally saved your ass with a fire extinguisher! That means, by association, I get soup privileges. Not to mention all the other times I’ve saved you lately.”
Riley giggled. “He’s got a point.”
Matty huffed but relented, ladling out a bowl and handing it to him with exaggerated reluctance. “Fine. But you better thank your girlfriend for your continued existence.”
Jace grinned, clinking his spoon against Riley’s. “Already do every fucking day.”
I watched them, Matty pretending to scowl, Jace stealing another piece of bread, Riley laughing into her bowl…and something soft unfurled inside me.
The kitchen was warm, alive with small sounds—spoons clinking, Matty’s low laugh rumbling through the air, Riley humming under her breath.
And I just stood there for a second, taking it all in.
The noise, the warmth, the way Matty looked at me every few seconds.
Looking back now, it was obvious to me that it had been a long time since I’d had a real family, people who lifted me up rather than tearing me down.
But that’s what Matty had given me.
He’d given me people who accepted me for who I was.
