Page 172 of Pucking Daddy

I shake my head. “Impressive recovery time.”

“I’m hungry,” Lily says, like that explains everything.

“You usually are, bug.”

We head into the kitchen together, the energy already shifting.

Zara starts pulling things together, moving easily through the space. Lily climbs onto a stool, swinging her legs like nothing out of the ordinary happened today.

“Can I have the crusts off?” she asks.

Zara glances at me. “Of course you can.”

I lean back against the counter, watching them, and it hits me how quickly Lily settles again.

Later, the three of us end up back on the couch.

Lily wedges herself between Zara and me, fitting perfectly into the space like it was made for her.

She leans against me, her hand reaching out blindly for Zara’s.

Zara takes it without hesitation, her fingers curling gently around Lily’s.

“I like when we’re all together,” Lily murmurs, already half-asleep.

I glance at Zara.

She looks back at me.

And something settles deep in my chest.

“Me too,” I say.

Lily shifts closer, her breathing evening out.

Zara leans into my shoulder.

I wrap an arm around both of them, pulling them in just slightly.

Holding them there.

Safe.

Epilogue - ZARA

Blanket Fort

Afew months later

The first thing I hear when I wake up in warm sheets that smell like Jaxon is the soft clink of dishes.

And underneath that—Lily’s voice.

Bright. Awake. Animated. Sometimes I wonder where she gets all that energy from.

Listening to her now, something warm spreads through me, slow and deep.

I push myself up, pulling one of Jaxon’s shirts over my head, the fabric falling loose against my thighs.