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“They’re fine,” Killian assures me instantly. He places a hand on either side of me, lightly gripping the tops of my arms, and rubbing gentle circles into my skin. “They’re having a great time. They made Landon and his dogs sleep in a fort with them in your parents’ living room last night, and he taught them how to do shadow puppets. The kids, not the dogs.”

His voice is soft, soothing, and I sense no judgment from him that I immediately assumed something was wrong. If anything, he just looks understanding. And it calms me down better than any of my many poor attempts at meditation have.

“Good. That’s … good.”

He reaches for my face and brushes his thumb over the apple of my cheek. “You let yourself have fun for a night, the kids had a great time, and the world didn’t end, love.”

“I suppose that’s true,” I agree. “Why was my mom calling?”

“She wants us to come over for brunch. Something about your dad’s fried potat—”

“If Scott’s fried potato hash is there, I’m there. Give me five minutes to get dressed,” Piper declares, sitting up. “Can you close your eyes, Killian? I’m not wearing pants.”

“Christ.”

Killian not only closes his eyes, but covers them with his hand, and it’s so damn cute that I can’t stop myself from standing up on my tiptoes and kissing him. He jolts in surprise, but wastes no time returning the kiss. I lean in closer to him, and he slides his hands back until they’re tangled in my hair. His tongue brushes along mine, almost teasing. I don’t realize I’m moving backward until my legs hit the edge of Piper’s bed. Killian’s fingers tighten in my hair, and I groan.

“Whoa.”

We break apart as Piper’s voice cuts through our kiss. My skin is blazing, and it has nothing to do with the number on her thermostat.

She narrows her eyes at us. “While I do wholeheartedly support this, and you’re welcome to throw the kids at me day or night so you can have some alone time, I draw the line at it happening in my bedroom.”

“That’s reasonable,” I say, and Killian murmurs his agreement.

“Great. Now let’s go. Fried potatoes are calling my name.”

22

Killian

Mom

I miss you, honey. Hope you’re not working too hard! I think something’s up with your brother. He’s acting like he did that Christmas he broke my snow globe and tried to keep it a secret. Any ideas? Love you!

Piper wasn’t overhyping Scott’s fried potatoes, but I like the company around the Powell family table as much as the food. I like the noise and the chaos as three conversations happen at once. I like the way Piper and Landon are bickering over their favorite characters in some crime show they both watch, and how Piper doesn’t realize Landon is letting her win the argument. I like that I can tell Landon is letting her win, based on the ghost of a smile on his face, because I’ve spent so much time around Scarlett’s family over the past couple of weeks that they feel like my family now.

When we got here, the kids ran out of the farmhouse, down the porch steps and straight into Scarlett’s arms. I thought my heart might burst out of my chest at the sight of them hugging her tightly, telling her they missed her. I’d never seen something so sweet.

Until, a moment later, they did the same to me.

The past twenty-four hours have been full of new favorite moments for me, but that hug, the chorus of: “We missed you, Killian!” will be branded in my mind forever.

Last night was … life changing. Literally. I thought it was going to be hard to leave before I knew Scarlett felt the same way about me as I do about her. Now? I don’t know how, but I’m going to have to find a way to stay. Missing any more time with her, with the kids, isn’t an option.

“Children,” Lanie says, shaking her head at Piper and Landon. “Let’s quit while we’re ahead and before someone’s coffee ends up on the floor.”

Piper glares at Landon, but there’s no anger in it. Heat? Absolutely, but not the angry kind. Interesting.

“They’ve always argued like siblings more than Landon and Scarlett ever did,” Lanie tells me. That’s exactly the opposite of what I’m picking up from them, but I’m not about to say that. “Do you get along with your siblings? You have a brother and sister, right?”

“Yeah, I do. We’ve always been best friends. We have a big family, and we’re all close, so we spend a lot of time together.” It feels shitty to talk about this when I know Scarlett, Caitlin, and James have missed out on said family for so many years. But they’ve had this family, and it seems like a pretty good one to grow up in.

If Scarlett’s parents are mad about their grandkids missing out on their paternal family, they do a good job of hiding it.

“What are your brother and sister like? Do you think they might get over here at some point?”

“They definitely want to.” And I want them to. I miss them like crazy. Back home, we rarely go two days without seeing each other. I swear they spend more time at my flat than their own place. Everything about Clover Pines feels like home, except for the absence of them. And my mom. “Ronan is quiet—he loves books, and he’ll watch just about anything on TV. He’s always learning something new. He’s an accountant at the same company I work for—our uncle John owns the company—and he loves it. Fallon is the most extroverted of us. She likes trying new things and visiting new places, floating around. She loves being outside, so I think she’s going to really like it here.”