“Shocking. I was sure you’d stop at the river first,” Brooke said.
“Brooke,” Briggs said. “Why are you here? You said you dropped the groceries off yesterday.”
“I did,” Brooke said. “But then I remembered that your mate was a green witch, and I thought she should have something that makes her happy, so I bought these.”
She returned to the island in the middle of the kitchen and bent down. She popped back up with a flat cardboard tray that held half a dozen potted plants. “I meant to put these in different rooms, but you came home before I could.”
“You bought these for Cece?” Briggs asked, his voice and gaze softening.
“I did. You like plants, right?” Brooke said to Cece.
“I love them. What a thoughtful gift, thank you, Brooke.” Cece said. She joined her at the island, and Brooke growled in surprise when a few of the plants turned toward Cece, their stalks reaching for her like she was the sun.
“Holy shit, you’re seeing this, right?” she said to Briggs.
He grinned. “Wait until you come over and the plants are covering the walls.”
Brooke gave him a confused look before turning back to Cece. “If these aren’t plants you like, don’t feel like you have to keep them or whatever. I just picked out some random ones.”
“They’re all wonderful. Thank you,” Cece said. She thought it was hilarious how different Brooke was from Briggs, and as someone who grew up without siblings, she was already fascinated by their relationship.
The front door opened, and a voice called, “Brooke? Where are you?”
“In the kitchen!” Brooke hollered.
A woman with dark skin and eyes, and amber coloured hair in a pixie cut, joined them in the kitchen. She was slightly shorter than Brooke, although no less muscular, and she gave Cece a shy smile before hugging Briggs.
“Hey, buddy.”
“Hi, Leigh.” Briggs’s smile was genuine and warm.
Leigh joined Brooke, who slipped her arm around Leigh’s waist. “Leigh, this is Briggs’s mate, Cecelia. Or do you prefer Cece?”
“I usually go by Cece,” she said.
“Perfect,” Brooke said. “Cece, this is my mate, Leigh.”
Cece held her hand out to Leigh. “Hi, Leigh. It’s nice to meet you.”
“Hi, Cece. You as well.” Leigh shook her hand. “How was the drive from Fairbanks?”
“Good,” Briggs said. “No issues. How’s school going?”
“Finished classes and I’ve started working on my thesis,” Leigh said.
“Leigh’s getting her PhD in theoretical physics,” Brooke said with a proud look at her mate. “She’s brilliant.”
Leigh blushed, and Brooke grinned and kissed her. “Did your errands go okay?”
Leigh nodded as they heard the front door open again and a woman hollered, “Helloooo?”
“Oh no,” Briggs said before joining Cece and slipping his arm around her waist.
Brooke laughed. “It’ll be fine, Briggs.”
A woman with long silver hair, dark eyes, and a pretty smile walked into the kitchen. She was tall and muscular, but looked small compared to the absolutely massive man who walked in behind her. He had thick salt and pepper hair and blue eyes, and looked so much like Briggs that Cece knew he was Briggs’s father.
“Hello, darling!” the woman said.
