Cassie grins. “Well then, let them know who the hell you are, Havie baby.” She’s still laughing when she sets her empty cup in the sink. “You better be ready for your entire Discord to combust. People are trying to figure out how to respectfully thirst after all three of you at once.”
“I mean, they’re not wrong,” I tease, walking her to the door. “You’re just lucky I didn’t postyourspicy texts to James from last week.”
She gasps, mock-offended. “Low blow.”
We hug tight in the doorway, the kind of hold that says I’m proud of you, without needing to say the words. She squeezes me one last time before pulling back. “You need anything, you text me.”
“Love you, Cass.”
She smiles, stepping out onto the front steps. “Love you more, chaos queen.”
And then I’m alone again. Well, sort of. The door clicks open a while later, quiet at first like they’re trying not to bother me, then not quiet at all when Tate kicks it shut with his foot.
“We’re back,” he calls.
“In the kitchen,” I answer.
They come in loaded with bags, Carter heads straight for the counter while Tate drops everything a little less carefully.
“You bought the entire store?” I ask.
“Only the good parts,” Carter says.
Tate nods toward the hallway. “We’re packing most of our stuff back into the car tonight after we get this a;; put away.”
I blink. “Why?”
“So we don’t have to do it in the morning,” he says. “Makes it easier to just leave.”
Leave. The word sits weird in my chest, but I ignore it. “Efficient I guess.”
“Smart,” Carter corrects gently, brushing past me to start putting things away. “That way we get more time with you tonight instead of dealing with bags.”
That helps. I move with them, falling into an easy rhythm, putting things in cabinets. Tate disappears and reappears a few times, carrying stuff back out to their car.
The twins are still passed out in my bed tangled up in each other and my throw blanket, despite the amount of time’s Tate refused to get that close to Carter while we cuddled. They needed the nap. We all did.
I close the door quietly behind me, the weight of the last few days pressing into my skin like gravity itself is heavier lately.
And right now I need a reset.
I strip off my hoodie and leggings on the way to the bathroom, kicking them toward the hamper and twisting the shower knob until steam starts to rise against the glass door.
Five minutes to exist without beingseenby anyone.
I step in and let the heat soak into my shoulders, the steam curling around me like a second skin. My muscles unclench one knot at a time.
A few moments I hear it. A soft knock before the door creaks open.
Carter’s voice cuts through the hiss of the water. “You didn’t think we were gonna let you hog the afterglow all to yourself, did you?”
I smile without turning. “Thought you two were dead to the world.”
“Power nap,” Tate grumbles from somewhere behind him. “Now we’re recharged. And nosy.”
Carter steps in first—not into the shower, just into the bathroom. He sits on the closed toilet seat like he’s done this a thousand times, reaching for my shampoo without asking. “Tilt your head back, baby.”
I do as I’m told, my eyes fluttering closed as his fingers slide into my hair, slow and gentle, massaging my scalp with that golden retriever devotion.
