His place at the vineyard is big enough for all of us.
He’s thinking about moving in together? Have we even established what it is we’re doing?
“Lia?” Eli asks.
It sounds like he’s trying to talk to me underwater.
“Just… give me a second,” I say.
I don’t like how breathless my voice sounds.
I hear Amber whisper, “Daddy, are we moving?”
Eli starts coughing and it makes me turn my head toward him. He’s dabbing at his lips with his napkin. Everything goessilent around me. I can feel Walker’s gaze burning a hole in the profile of my face.
“I’m sorry,” he offers.
“No, no,” I say as I shake my head, turning my attention back to him. “I just… didn’t realize something like that was being considered?”
“Me neither,” Knox says. “Though, I have to admit, it’s the first thing I thought when I saw Walker’s villa. That place has a lot of room.”
“It does,” Walker agrees. “Many generations of my family have been raised on that land. It’s not built for just one person.”
My palms grow sweaty. Nervousness shakes me to my core. All of this has been fun, sure. They’ve left their mark in my life, that’s for certain. But moving in together?
That’s such a big step.
All eyes are on me, and I hate that. It makes me think they’re all on the same page and they’re just waiting for me to catch up.
“Have you guys been talking about this or something?” I ask.
“No,” Eli says as he reaches behind Amber’s chair and rubs my shoulder. “But it’s not like we haven’t been considering what might happen if all of this stops being casual.”
Casual.
What we’ve been doing is casual?
Why does that word hurt?
“Lia,” Walker says as I feel his hand overtake mine beneath the table, “look at me.”
It’s not his command that makes me look at him, though. It’s the quivering of his hand. He’s shaking like a leaf, and that pulls my attention up to him.
My poor Alpha.
“I’m here,” I whisper softly.
“I didn’t mean to scare you. I’m sorry.”
I shake my head. “Just… it’s a lot. Give me a moment to sit with it.”
“It’s not something I’ve discussed with anyone. I shouldn’t have just blurted it out like that.”
“I mean, I like Walker’s place,” Amber says.
I can’t help but smile as I look over at her, watching her nestle into Eli’s side. “Yeah?”
“Yeah,” she says with a nod of her head. “Do you think Pickles would like it?”
