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She nods, and I lead us up the stairs and inside Vin’s home. The moment we walk through the entryway, she drops my hand before any of my siblings have a chance to see us like this. Not like they all don’t already know what’s been going on between us…

Laughter and chatter drift from the living room, so we head that way and find everyone already here.

“Alex.” My mother steps toward me and pulls me into a hug. “You two look so lovely.”

“Happy Mother’s Day.” I kiss the top of her head and then step back.

“My favorite day of the year.” She winks.

I turn to Charlotte, who appears a few shades paler than she was a minute ago. Her shoulders are tight, and her eyes are glassy. Almost lost inside her head.

I step toward her, ready to ask what’s wrong, when my mother says, “Oh, Charlotte, are you okay? You seem a little pale, dear.”

Charlotte blinks a few times and quickly shakes her head, wearing a smile that doesn’t reach her eyes. “I’m fine.” She holds out the flowers she picked earlier from the greenhouse. “Happy…” She clears her throat. “Happy Mother’s Day!”

Her smile is fake.

Her demeanor is off.

Something is wrong.

I can feel it in my goddamn bones.

My mother’s smile widens as she accepts the flowers. “Oh, these are lovely.” She presses her nose to the top and inhales. “Such a beautiful scent. Thank you!”

“Alex, do you have a minute?” Vin asks, handing Clara to Madeleine, who wraps her arms around her, kissing her all over.

I nod and turn my attention to Charlotte. “Will you be okay if I step away for a minute?”

Charlotte’s eyes find mine. “I…”

Scarlett comes up beside Charlotte and loops their arms together. “You’re needed in the pantry.”

Charlotte’s brows furrow. “The pantry?”

“Don’t ask questions. Just come with me.” Scarlett starts pulling her toward the kitchen.

Charlotte looks over her shoulder. “I’ll be fine.”

They disappear, leaving me torn between going after her and following Vin. I know what my heart wants to do, which is why I take a step in her direction.

“Alex?”

I stop at my mother’s voice and regard her.

“Everything okay?” Her eyes hold mine, missing nothing.

“No point in lying to you when you see everything.” I sigh, dragging a hand through my hair. “I don’t think it is.”

She looks across the room at Vin, then her eyes land right back on me. Taking a step toward me, she clasps her palm against my cheek. “It will be if you listen to your heart, sweetheart.”

I shake my head. “I don’t think it’s that simple.”

She smiles softly. “Of course it is. Love isn’t always loud and in your face. Sometimes it’s quiet and reserved. It’s what I see in your eyes when you look at her and when she looks at you.” She pats my cheek gently and steps back. “Everyone here sees it except the two of you. And the sooner you stop fighting what’s already there, the sooner you’ll put yourselves out of your misery, dear.” She walks around me and joins Leo, Mauro, and Eli, who pretend like they didn’t just hear every word between us.

Her words wash over me, hard and unrelenting, probably because they’re true and there’s no point denying it any longer. I’ve been in love with Charlotte since the night I sat beside her on that bathroom floor. Ever since then, she’s consumed my every thought, claimed every beat of my heart, and awakened something in my soul I never thought I’d feel: happiness.

The kind that terrifies a man like me because it gives him something to lose. And as much as every instinct in me screams to keep her here… I won’t.