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It was safe, clean, and ours.

“Come look at the kitchen,” I told them, gesturing toward the hallway.

The moment Willow stepped into the kitchen, she threw both hands in the air and let out a shriek.

“Oh, hell yeah!”

“Willow!” I hissed, jumping. “Must you be so loud, girl!”

She ignored me completely, spinning in a slow circle like she’d just entered heaven.

The kitchen had always been spacious, but it had definitely gotten an upgrade over the years. The cabinetry, countertops, and fixtures Caspian had chosen were all replaced with more modern designs and finishes. His signature black was still incorporated throughout, but the lighter colors gave the space a brighter, more welcoming feel. The appliances had also been upgraded, including a large stainless steel refrigerator along the far wall.

Willow walked over, pulled both doors open, and stared inside with absolute reverence.

“Lakelyn.”

“What?”

She looked back at me, eyes wide. “Look at the sheer cubic footage of this appliance. I could lay down on the middle shelf and take a nap.”

“Please do not climb into the refrigerator.”

“I'm just saying, if the summer heat gets too much, I have options.”

Kaidence rushed over and gripped the edge of the lower drawer to peer inside. “It's huge!”

“See?” Willow gestured triumphantly. “The child understands luxury.”

Granny walked over to the island and rested both hands flat against the stone, letting out a long, contented breath. “Plenty of room to move around without bumping elbows. And look at that double oven. You could bake three sweet potato pies at the same time and still have room for a roast.”

“And nobody's sleeping on top of each other,” I added.

Kaidence pointed toward the hallway. “What'’ down there?”

“The formal dining room and sitting room,” I told him. “Walk, don't run.”

He took off at a brisk trot, his sneakers padding across the hardwood.

“That boy has selective hearing,” Willow laughed, closing the refrigerator. “He hears ‘free snacks’ from three miles away, but ‘stop running’ doesn't register until you scream his full government name.”

“He gets that from Caspian,” I said softly. “Caspian used to have that exact same fast stride. Always moving like the floor was on fire and he had somewhere important to be.”

A quiet stillness settled over the room before we followed Kaidence toward the dining room.

The space was just as beautiful as the rest of the house. A long oak table sat beneath a modern chandelier, surrounded by upholstered chairs. The old glass table Caspian had owned was gone, but the memories attached to the room were still sharp.

I stood in the doorway, staring at the head of the table.

I could still see Caspian sitting there in a black shirt, sleeves rolled up, answering business calls on speakerphone while I sat across from him trying to eat dinner. I remembered getting so frustrated by his constant interruptions that I threatened to throw his phone into the pool. He’d simply ended the call, tossed the phone on the table, walked around the chairs, lifted me straight out of my seat, and carried me upstairs while I laughed and swatted at his shoulders.

A faint smile touched my mouth before I could stop it.

Willow caught the look and raised an eyebrow. “What you smiling at, sis?”

“Memories,” I simply replied then quickly cleared my throat. “Let’s get Granny settled first.”

I’d already decided before we left the hotel that Granny wasn’t climbing stairs.