Because one by one, they pull me in. A smile. A question. A plate nudged closer.
Like this isn’t the first time I’ve sat at this table.
Like they’ve known me forever.
“So, Lexy…” Ethan leans forward, smirking. “You moved in with Dex?”
I glance at Dex as he drags a hand down his face. What do I say? What does he want me to say?
Before I can spiral, Dex answers.
“Can we not do this today?”
“We’re just curious…” Cas says.
“Very curious,” Ethan adds.
Lily clears her throat.
“Prayer.”
She gives her sons a look, then smiles at me.
Prayer? Oh.
I haven’t prayed in years.
I glance at Dex.
He’s already looking at me. Not just looking, watching. A slow smirk pulling at his mouth like he knows exactly what he’s doing to me.
My stomach flips, but I can’t look away.
“Father in heaven…”
Josh’s voice pulls me out of it, and only then do I realize I’ve been staring at Dex the whole time.
He hasn’t looked away once.
Bastard.
As soon as the prayer ends, the table comes alive again.
Plates pass from hand to hand, voices overlapping, laughter rising around me.
I don’t know how to act or what to say, and when I glance at Dex for some kind of direction, he simply reaches for the bread basket and slides it toward me.
It’s such a small thing.
But it steadies me.
He leans closer, his lips brushing my ear, making me shiver.
“You okay?” he murmurs.
I nod. “Yeah.”
Ethan leans forward again. “So.”
