“Look who’s come back after all these years,” Mom said, pulling Carter into a hug.
He didn’t needhismom. He had mine. Like always.
She wasmorethan happy to welcome him back into the fold, like a long-lost son.
“Hey!” Kieran wandered into the hall, grabbing Carter right after Mom let go of him and clapping him on the back. “Missed having you around the table,” he said, then backed off a pace to look Carter dead in the eyes. “Don’t you hurt my little brother, okay?”
I snorted, but Carter nodded so sincerely it made my heart ache.
Yeah. He was a keeper.
“And you,” Kieran pointed at me. “Don’t you break my best friend’s heart. He’s family, too.”
“You’rethe heartbreaker in this family,” I teased.
Kieran’s serial monogamy had earned him a well-deserved reputation.
“Come over here and say that,” Kieran joked.
“Oh no, if you try anything, I’ll have to stand up for him,” Carter said. “That’s my job. Sorry, man.”
“Oof, split loyalties,” Kieran said, clapping Carter’s shoulder again, making him smile like they were seventeen and not worried about anything more complicated than this week’s biology pop quiz. “That is the correct answer, though.”
The door opened behind us, Devin slipping inside in a ridiculous pair of polarized sunglasses and an oversized beanie.
“Why are we all hovering in the hallway? Hi Carter,” he said, squeezing past without another word, sniffing the air as he walked into the kitchen and making a happy sound.
There was very little in life that Devin loved more than food.
“Aiden’s dating Carter,” Kieran explained as Devin wandered off, moving to follow him as we all started to shuffle inside, Carter shrugging his coat off and hanging it beside my jacket in the hall.
With the badge I’d given him still on it.
“Oh, wow,” Devin said, sitting down in his usual spot. “All that writingMr. Aiden Kowalskiin your notebooks really paid off, huh? You spoke what you wanted into the world.”
Carter turned to look at me, eyes wide, while Devin grinned like the little shit he was.
I scratched the back of my neck as Carter’s face softened, affection shining on it. “Really?” he asked.
“Really,” I admitted, biting my lip.
“I wasnotkidding when I said he had a crush on you. Never told you because I didn’t wanna make family dinners awkward.”
“I still have some of those notebooks,” Mom spoke up, taking a pot off the stove. “I’ll see if I can dig them up after dinner. For old times’ sake.”
I wanted to sink through the floor out of embarrassment, but the way Carter laughed, so soft and happy, made this worth it.
“Nice to knowsomeonehad a crush on me,” he said, reaching out to squeeze my arm. “Ignore them. I won’t look at the notebooks if you don’t want me to.”
“Aww,” Devin mocked.
“Hey,” I said, turning to him. “One day you’ll fall in love with someone who treats you like this.”
“And then I’ll understand and feel bad about making fun of you?” Devin asked, eyebrow raised.
I snorted. “No, I’ll make fun ofyou,” I said. “That’s what brothers are for.”
“I can solve this by never falling in love.” Devin shrugged.
