We sit there for another hour, long after the food is gone. Maisie tells us about school, about a frog they found in the gym, about how she wants a dog just like Rufus but smaller.
I watch Amber. She leans back in her chair, one arm draped over the back of it, watching Maisie with a look of pure adoration. The light from the overheads catches the gold in her hair.
I love seeing her like this. Unburdened. Happy.
“Thank you for inviting us,” she says softly, looking at the three of us.
“Thank you for coming,” Knox replies. “It’s... nice. Having the table full.”
“Yeah,” Eli chimes in, reaching for Amber’s hand across the table. “It suits us.”
Maisie yawns, big and wide, her eyes watering. “Mommy, I’m sleepy.”
“I know, bug.” Amber stands up. “We should get you home and in the bath.”
“Already?” Maisie pouts. “But we’re having fun.”
“You can come back,” I say quickly. “Anytime. The kitchen is always open for you.”
“Promise?” Maisie asks, looking at me.
“Pinky promise,” I say, holding out my pinky.
She hooks her small finger around mine. “Okay.”
We walk them out to the car. Amber buckles Maisie in, then turns to us.
“Tonight was perfect,” she says. She steps to me, wrapping her arms around my waist and hugging me tight. “Thank you for fixing my tire, Fallon.”
I squeeze her back, kissing the top of her head. “Anytime, Sunshine.”
She moves to Knox next. He looks awkward for a second, not sure what to do with his hands, but then he just rests them on her shoulders. “Good night, Amber. Drive safe.Sois prudente.”
“Good night, Knox.”
Finally, she turns to Eli. He pulls her into a warm, easy hug. “Get home safe, Amber. We’ll see you soon.”
“I hope so,” she whispers.
She gets in her car and drives away. I stand there in the cold, watching her taillights fade, Knox and Eli flanking me.
“She’s good,” Knox says beside me, his breath puffing in the cold air. “The kid... she’s special.”
“She is,” Eli agrees. “They both are.”
We go back inside. The kitchen is quiet again, but it feels warmer than it did two hours ago. The smell of lemon cupcakes and garlic hangs in the air.
It smells like family. It smells like a future I didn’t know I wanted until five minutes ago.
“Back to work,” Knox says, washing his hands at the sink.
“Yeah,” I say, grabbing my apron from the hook. Eli is already humming tunelessly as he starts clearing the table. “Back to work.”
But the smile doesn’t leave my face. Not for the rest of the night.
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
Amber
