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This wasn’t just a community. This was a family.

Popeye shuffled up to us, holding a toolbox. Even he was helping.

“Hi. How you feeling?” I asked.

He looked at me with one eye squeezed shut. “Nifty coincidence you’re here, wouldn’t ya say?”

He didn’t wait for me to answer. He gave Daniel a knowing nod and then hobbled off toward the garage, mumbling to himself.

“What was that about?” I asked, looking up at Daniel.

“Eh, he’s got this theory about the town.”

“What theory?”

He looked a little amused. “He says the town has a way of protecting itself. That it gets what it needs. He thinks you were here today because Hannah needed you.”

I wrinkled my forehead thinking about it. “Huh. I wasn’t actually planning on being here today.”

“Oh, yeah? What changed your mind?”

My parents were playing golf with my ex?

“The weather was nice,” I said instead. I tilted my head. “Hey, do you know how to make a quiche?”

He peered down at me. “Quiche? Yeah.”

“Will you show me?”

He shrugged. “Sure. We can make one tonight and have it for breakfast.”

I smiled. “I think I’m going to want you to show me a lot of things, Daniel. There’s a lot I need to learn.”

Chapter 23

Daniel

We were lying in my bed, the morning after Hannah’s baby came. It was eleven a.m. I had guests coming, but not until later today. Check-in wasn’t until three o’clock, so I got to hang out with Alexis in my underwear until she left.

We were napping—we’d been up all night.

I snuggled into her, nuzzling my nose into her neck. She made a happy groaning noise and rolled over, and the second I had her lips in reach, I kissed her.

We were exclusive.

I couldn’t stop smiling.

I knew being exclusive wasn’t everything. It wasn’t a title. It wasn’t boyfriend, girlfriend. But it meant I wasn’t competing with anyone else, not for her attention or her time. Maybe it meant she’d come down more—maybe she’d even ask me to visit her.

But most of all I was glad there was nobody else, because the idea of it made me feel fucking unhinged. I didn’t realize how much of a relief it was until it was off the table. I don’t think I allowed myself to think too much on the fact that she may be seeing other people because I didn’t feel like I was in any position to ask her not to.

I had these visions of what kind of guys probably hit on her over there. Older, successful—rich. Driving expensive cars, taking her to places I could never afford in a million years. It felt impossible that I’d managed to get her to agree to this. But I wasn’t gonna look a gift horse in the mouth. I was going to take it, say thank you, and run.

I heard a huffing noise, and we both looked over. Hunter had put his chin on the bed to look at us, his tail wagging. His lip was curled up around a single snaggle tooth, and his bushy eyebrows pivoted as he looked back and forth between us. This dog loved her.

Alexis laughed, smiling up at me. “Did you know that dogs developed eyebrow muscles to better manipulate us?”

I propped myself on my elbow. “Really?”