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And beautiful.
“You were right.” With absolute tenderness, he brushed my hair off my face, then kissed me softly, slowly, deeply.
“About what?”
“Me loving you.”
“Do you? Or do you just love my mouth, Drew Katterman?”
“I love you, Zelda Gordon. Your mouth is just a bonus I never expected and sure as fuck don’t deserve.”
I smiled and kissed him back. “I love you, too.” I met his gaze. “And you totally deserved that.”
27
PEACE OFFERINGS
Four dayslater we moved Aithan into the townhouse’s second bedroom.
While Drew wrote behind the closed door of the master bedroom and Aithan relaxed on the living room sofa, an icepack against his ribs, I went downstairs to get the mail.
The day was gray and rainy. Purple and orange Halloween lights still lit up the front window of the townhouse across from mine. My other neighbor had replaced her Halloween wreath with a Thanksgiving-themed one, a circle of orange and burgundy berries suspended from a dark-brown bow.
A box from Pure Lee Baking waited on the front doormat. I retrieved it and paused, enjoying the cool breeze on my face as fall leaves danced across the driveway. I inhaled. The air smelled fresh and sweet. Sighing contentedly, I went inside and carried the box upstairs to the kitchen.
Aithan pushed up from the couch with a pained grunt. “What’s that?” he asked as he returned his icepack to the freezer.
“This is a bit of heaven from Pure Lee Baking. They’re local and specialize in allergen-free baked goods.” I cut open the box and pulled out two dozen coconut sugar cookies shaped like ghosts and a dozen pumpkin muffins. “Ohh, she’s feeling guilty.”
“Who?”
“Greer. This is a peace offering, her way of apologizing.”
He snorted. “Some things are universal among siblings, eh?” His voice sounded stronger every day.
I opened the package of cookies and passed him one. “Like neversayingyou’re sorry?”
He raised it in salute to me. “Exactly.” He took a bite. “Mmm, that’s damn good,” he said around a mouthful of cookie.
“I know, right? AIP compliant, too.” I wasted no time stuffing one into my mouth.
Aithan helped himself to a second and we happily munched away. Gingerly, he put his arm around my shoulder and pulled me close. Every move knifed him as his ribs slowly knit back together. “It’s good to be out of the hospital.” He kissed my temple and rested his cheek against me. “You’re the best, Zel.”
I smiled. “I try.” I kissed the hand he’d draped over my shoulder. “It’s easy to be good to you.”
He smiled back. “I try.”
“I don’t think you have to try hard,” Drew said as he came off the stairs. “You’re just a nice guy by nature, man.”
Aithan shrugged, then winced and made a painful little noise in the back of his throat. “Does that mean I finish last?”
“You mean are you the loser?” Drew asked.
I shook my head. “Is there some game I don’t know about?”
“Nope,” Drew replied, “just a lame saying.”
Aithan kissed my cheek. “If this is what nice-guy losers get, then I’m one hundred percent okay with dragging my broken butt across the finish line dead last.”
