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The two of them entered the garage and had a kind of three-way hug with Maya, which he got pulled into.
Once they broke it up, Liv gave him a separate cuddle. “All right, bro?”
Sam gave her a squeeze. “Great, thanks.”
Even in the last few days, he’d felt the sibling bond strengthening. Not that he’d ever considered it weak, but now he could see it had been under strain from the weight of his issues with Cat. At the time he’d been oblivious, and he couldn’t believe he’d not sensed it before. Though perhaps he had, albeit subconsciously.
He and Liv had spoken on the phone every night since the split, and Sam had told her everything that had been happening with Maya. Although most of the time she’d already known, because Maya often got in there first, and he loved that about them.
Liv released him, and he gave Elise a kiss on the cheek. He could see what Maya meant when she’d confided to him that she was worried about Elise. Her eyes were tired, and he was sure she looked thinner than she’d been the last time he’d had a proper conversation with her. With a jolt, he realized that had been when her husband was still alive.
“How are you?” he asked.
Elise smiled, but her blue eyes seemed dull. “I’m fine, thank you. You look well.” She gave him a nudge. “Your new woman suits you.”
He rubbed the back of his neck. “I’m a lucky man.”
A very brief flash of sadness passed over her face, but then it was gone. “You both are.”
Sam opened his mouth to reply, but then Arran’s voice sounded from the driveway. “Ladies and gentleman . . .”
Sam turned, and Arran was standing at the end of the driveway, arms raised. “The muscle has arrived.”
He moved his arms to the side to point at Nico as he rounded the corner. Nico rolled his eyes and gave Arran a shove, which Arran utilized to comic effect by throwing himself off to the side, into a pile of snow that Sam had shoveled off the drive earlier.
Everyone laughed, though Sam couldn’t help but notice Elise’s laugh died down as she locked eyes with Nico.
Nico pulled Arran out of the snow. “There’s plenty of muscle here already. And that’s just Liv.” He came over to kiss Liv’s cheek. “How’s my favorite black belt?”
Liv shifted fluidly into a karate stance. “Good, thanks.”
Nico hugged Sam and Maya, then gave Elise a nod. “Right,” he said, rubbing his hands together. “Who’s in charge of this outfit?”
Sam pointed at Maya. “This gorgeous specimen right here is the project manager.”
“Too right,” she replied, coming over to give him a kiss. “About the project manager bit, I mean.” She pouted. “I’d describe myself as more striking than gorgeous.”
Smiling, Sam kissed the top of her head.
“Okay,” she continued. “I’ve got a plan in mind. But . . . we’ll need to try all the different permutations to make sure it’s the best one.”
There was a chorus of groans and eye-rolling.
“What?” she asked, eyes wide and palms up.
“The accountant strikes again,” Liv muttered, shooting Maya a grin.
“Ah, you bloody love it,” Maya said. “Right, team, let’s go.”
Sam handed out mugs of hot drinks to Liv and Arran, who were sitting on the garden bench. Arran took his, blowing out a deep breath that puffed into condensation.
Liv accepted her mug from Sam. Sighing, she rubbed her shoulder.
Sam frowned. “What’s up with your shoulder?”
“I think I was too gung ho with that big box,” she said, stretching it.
“Here,” Arran said, putting his mug onto the arm of the bench and then massaging the back of her shoulder.
