The room erupted in laughter, and Braden just shook his head, but I caught the way his eyes softened when they met mine — like he still couldn’t quite believe I was real, or here, or his.
God, I loved that look.
“Okay, but seriously,” I said, turning back to Julep. “You teach me pole, and I’ll choreograph some floor work for you that’ll make Holden come in his pants.”
Julep nearly spit out her drink, eyes wide like there was a story behind her sudden panic.
Holden perked up from where he was on the floor, currently losing a very intense game of Mario Kart to Zeke and Sebastian. “I heard my name and I don’t like it.”
“You will,” Julep called sweetly.
“Certainly more than you’ll like your final position in this game,” Zeke added, and then threw his hands up as the Luigi character he was controlling flew across the finish line, Sebastian right on his heels. “Boo-yah!”
Sebastian giggled. “No fair, you and those stupid bananas!”
“Don’t be a sore loser,” Zeke teased.
“Hey! You better lay off and let my son beat your ass,” Kyle called from where he was playing on the floor with Raven.
“I don’t need him to let me!” Sebastian claimed proudly, and he swiped Zeke’s controller before starting another game. “I got this, Dad.”
The whole room went silent at that, some looks being shared, and I gave one to Braden that told him he’d be filling me in on that later.
“Okay, now that we’ve been here a couple days… can we talk about the elephant in the room?” Mary asked me, sliding in to join us in the kitchen.
“And that is?”
“That I’m obsessed with your ink, and also desperate to add to the canvas.”
Riley laughed. “Oh boy, here we go.”
“Just know if you let her start, she’ll never stop,” Leo warned from where he was taking the controller from Zeke. “Take me as proof.”
The man was covered in ink, especially all down his right arm.
I smiled, turning to Mary. “Music to my ears. What are you thinking?”
Glee lit up her eyes as she tugged my arm into her and started pointing at the gaps and how she’d fill them. She also went on to talk about her tattoo parlor and how she wanted to add a little piece of me to it. Maybe monthly dance classes, as she suggested.
In the living room, Atlas woke from where he’d been dozing on Clay’s chest.
It was loud. It was messy. It was everything.
It felt like home.
“Hey.”
Warm hands slid around my waist from behind, pulling me back against a solid chest with that greeting.
I melted into Braden instantly.
“Hey,” I echoed, tilting my head back to look at him.
He pressed a kiss to my temple, lingering there.
“You okay?” he asked softly.
I followed his gaze out around the cabin — cataloging the people who had welcomed me in like I’d always been a part of this.
