"So don't work in academia," Sam said, as if it was obvious. "Museums, historical societies, private collections—they all need experts. And they pay better than universities."
Kim looked around the room, bewildered. "You don't even know me and you’re all in."
"You're Neil's," Kevin said simply. "That's all we need to know."
"Plus," Tonya added with a warm smile, "anyone who tells off a controlling boss is our kind of person."
KIM
As the night wore on, I found myself relaxing in ways I hadn't in years. They cared that Neil cared about me, and that seemed to be enough for them to welcome me into the family.
"So, what made you become a historian?" Tonya asked, refilling my tea for the third time.
"My grandmother," I admitted. "She died when I was twelve, but before that, she'd tell me stories about her grandmother who worked on the Underground Railroad in Ohio. She had this oldquilt with patterns that were supposedly part of the code system. I spent years researching whether that was true or myth."
"Was it true?" Jess asked, genuinely interested.
"Partially. The quilt code theory is disputed, but some patterns definitely had meaning within specific communities. My grandmother's quilt had the Bear's Paw pattern, which indicated mountains or hills to follow."
"Like these mountains," Neil said quietly.
"Exactly like these mountains." I met his eyes across the table. "When I found references to Burke Mountain in Thornton's journal, I thought about her quilt. It felt like she was pointing me here."
Shane shifted in his corner. "Sometimes the dead guide us to where we need to be."
The weight in his words silenced the room for a moment. Then Kevin stood, breaking the spell.
"It's getting late. Kim, welcome to the family. Whatever you need to handle this Pemberton situation, you've got it."
"The cease and desist will be ready by tomorrow afternoon," Jess promised. "What's his full name?"
"Dr. Harrison Pemberton III," I said, and Sam snorted.
"Of course he's a 'the third.' They always are."
As everyone prepared to leave, Tonya pulled me aside. "There’s something you should know about Neil."
My stomach tensed. "What?"
"He doesn't let people in easily. None of the brothers do. But once you're in, you're in forever. They'll move mountains for you." She squeezed my hand. "Just don't break his heart. I don't think he'd survive it."
The drive back to Neil's cabin felt different. I was part of something bigger, something that had been forged through shared trauma and chosen loyalty.
"Your family is amazing."
"Our family," Neil corrected. "You're part of it now."
"You think they can help?"
"We don’t make promises we can't keep.”
I watched the stars through the windshield, processing everything that had happened. This morning I'd been Dr. Pemberton's invisible research assistant. Tonight, I was part of a family that had formed its own gravity, pulling in damaged souls and giving them place to heal.
I thought about Tonya's warning about not breaking his heart. She didn't understand. Neil might be the one built like a mountain, but I was the one who'd been shattered and remade in the span of a few days.
Chapter 8
Kim
