Sassy padded after them, nails clicking against the floor, tail wagging like bedtime was her favorite event of the day. I smiled to myself, leaning against the doorway and watching the three of them move together like this had always been the plan. Milesclimbed into bed with a sigh that felt far too grown-up for a kid his age, clutching his stuffed dinosaur to his chest while Noah tucked the blanket around him.
“Ms. Em?” Miles called softly, already half-asleep.
“I’m here,” I said, stepping closer so he could see me.
He smiled, eyes heavy. “Are we gonna watch Uncle Noah play tomorrow?”
“You bet. We can watch here or at the shop. Whatever you want.”
Miles nodded. “Oh the shop!” he murmured, then yawned so hard his whole body curled. Noah brushed a hand through his hair and kissed his forehead, lingering for a second longer than necessary.
“Sleep, buddy,” Noah said quietly. “I’ll see you in the morning.”
When we stepped back into the living room, Daniel was already stuffing his jacket into his bag, trying—and failing—to look casual about it. “Okay,” he said, clearing his throat. “I am officially removing myself from the building so whatever secret emotional things you two do can happen in peace.”
I snorted. “Thank you for your service.”
Daniel grinned and pointed at me. “You’re killing it, Em. Like—actually killing it. I’ll be back early tomorrow, okay? My buddy from college is downtown, and there’s a huge party tonight. I wanna let loose and crash there.” Then he looked at Noah, expression shifting a little. “You good?”
Noah nodded once. “Yeah. Thanks for today.”
Daniel hesitated, then clapped Noah on the shoulder. “She’s worth it,” he said simply, before slinging his bag over his shoulder and heading for the door.
Ugh. I loved my brother. He was so sweet.
Noah locked the door behind Daniel and leaned back against it for a second, exhaling like the day had finally caughtup to him. When he turned around, his eyes landed on me and softened instantly.
“You okay?” he asked again, quieter this time.
I nodded, even though my body protested the movement. “Tired,” I admitted. “But… good.”
He crossed the room and took my hands, turning them over gently, thumbs tracing the faint red marks across my palms and fingers. His jaw tightened a little.
“Yeah,” he murmured. “I figured.”
He didn’t say anything else. He then led me down the hall toward his bedroom.
The lights were dimmer in there, softer. The bed was already turned down, fresh sheets pulled tight and smooth, like he’d planned ahead. But it wasn’t the bed that made me stop short—it was the bathroom door, cracked open enough for steam to spill out into the hallway.
Warm air brushed my face. “Noah…” I started.
He smiled, the nervous kind—the one he got when he wanted something to be perfect and wasn’t sure it could be. “You’ve been on your feet for five days straight,” he said. “Your hands hurt. Your shoulders hurt. And you’re too stubborn to stop unless someone forces you.”
“I prefer ‘committed,’” I said, my eyes filling with moisture again.
“Mm,” he replied, completely unconvinced. “I prefer ‘overworked.’”
He nudged the bathroom door open with his foot. The tub was already filled, bubbles rising high, candles set safely along the counter instead of anywhere dramatic. A folded towel waited on the sink, and beside it, a single glass of chilled white wine.
I stared. “This is not—” I stopped, blinking hard. “You did all this?”
He shrugged, suddenly shy. “We were studying at the library one day, I think you had a stats class. And you were going on about how annoyed you were at the pain in your neck from leaning over a book, and I… remember you saying so clearly, ‘all I want is a cold glass of white wine, a bubble bath, and someone to tell me I’m pretty.’”
I laughed, emotion catching unexpectedly in my throat. “Noah, you didn’t…”
“I wanted to,” he said, steady now. “Tonight isn’t about productivity or planning or what comes next. Let me take care of you. Please.”
My chest tightened as my little heart beat even harder, desperate to be closer to him. God, my feelings for Noah were so intense, so strong.
