I slapped his chest. “Stop talking.”
“Can’t.” He grinned down at me. “I’m thriving.”
Briggs pressed both hands to the side of his face. “I hate when emotionally unavailable people discover happiness. They become unbearable.”
Ryan nodded. “He was easier when he just glared at everyone.”
Charm leaned toward me like she was narrating a nature documentary. “Notice how hockey boy here has entered full mate-for-life behavior.”
Cade shrugged casually. “She bought me a marble. I’ve been unwell ever since.”
That shut me up instantly because the way he said it wasn’t entirely a joke.
His eyes flicked toward me afterward, softer now, quieter beneath all the teasing. Like he was still looking at me with disbelief underneath the happiness. Like part of him still couldn’t believe I’d finally stopped running from him long enough to let him have me out loud.
The realization wrapped around my ribs warm and terrifying all at once.
Aura noticed the shift immediately because she noticed everything.
Ryan noticed it too, his teasing easing just enough that his expression softened behind his coffee mug, while Briggs went still in that rare way that meant even he knew not to wreck the moment too hard.
Aura’s expression softened slightly before she pointed toward the toaster. “Okay, but serious question. Did either of you actually sleep?”
Cade snorted. “Absolutely not.”
“That explains the shower round,” Charm muttered.
Briggs’s mouth fell open. “There was a shower round?”
Ryan pointed at him without looking. “Don’t ask questions you don’t want answers to.”
“Is it sick that I want the answers?”
I covered my face again.
Cade moved my hands gently away immediately. “Nope. None of that.”
“You are making this worse.”
“You’re cute when you’re embarrassed.”
“I’m going to pass away.”
“No, you’re not.” He leaned down slightly, voice dropping lower just for me. “You’ve got a hockey game to attend tonight.”
Butterflies exploded violently in my stomach.
Aura looked between us. “Oh, he’s gone-gone.”
“Catastrophically,” Charm agreed.
Ryan hummed into his mug. “Terminal.”
Briggs nodded sadly. “No recovery window.”
Cade grabbed a bagel off the counter finally, completely unbothered by the chaos around him. “You guys done roasting me, or should I call Easton for backup?”
Aura pointed accusingly. “Easton already knows too much.”
