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I crack the fourth egg and whisk them into a yellow slurry. The sound of the chopping quiets.
“You’re the first boy to be brought home.”
My brow pinches together, turning to see Lynette's tiny shoulders sag.
“None of the girls have ever brought someone home. Not even Lotte, who I’m pretty sure dates a few people a year. Though, her dates would probably raise my blood pressure,” she says with a forced laugh.
“I didn’t realize.”
“That’s the reason the boys have been so protective.” She stops and looks out the kitchen window for a beat. “But I can tell you’re different. Sally doesn’t let her emotions get the best of her, but with you, she’s always flustered.”
Heat begins to circulate through my body because I feel the same way about her. She’s my girl, after all.
Lynette holds the knife away from her body. Clearly, to place it in my eyesight. “Ma and I are also very protective of her, so don’t let us down, okay?”
Her cheery tone never falters, but a chill slices through the air. A rock forms in my stomach. I quickly nod with a little too much force, even if she can’t see me.
“I’ll never hurt her,” I say firmly.
“Good.”
“Should I be concerned that you are flashing a knife at my…” I turn to see Sally leaning against the door. God, she’s beautiful. “Friend,” she says, but the word comes out awkwardly like she hates saying it just as much as I hate hearing it.
“Nothing to worry about, honey.” Lyn brushes off Sally’s comment like it’s nothing.
Sally walks up beside me and looks down at my hand. She bites her lip, not lifting her gaze, and I’m not taking mine off her. Her hand twitches toward mine, but before I can reach out and meet her halfway, she retracts, making herself smaller.
Even if it hurts that she still can’t let me hold her hand, I can’t help the smile on my face because this just tells me she wants to.
“Do you need Oliver for anything else, Mama?”
“Are the eggs ready?”
“Yep,” I chirp, taking the bowl of whisked eggs and handing them off to Lyn’s free hand.
I look back at Sally as she points outside and starts out through the sliding glass door, and I quickly follow, not missing the little snicker that leaves her mom’s lips.
“Sorry about that, Ollie.” Sally is already halfway to the tree swing by the time I’m out with her. “I didn’t expect them all to be so weird. Mama never lets anyone besides Ma and Ella into the kitchen. She says we don’t have enough experience to keep up.”
“They aren’t being weird, just protective,” I say. “I can understand why you love it here.”
A solemn look downcasts Sally’s face. I close my eyes, exhaling a sigh. That didn’t have the effect I wanted.
“Sally—”
“I’m sorry.” She leaves me speechless. I hate hearing her apologize. She always sounds like she doesn’t deserve forgiveness. “I know you love Alliance, but I still left you for so many years.”
My frown deepens. “Stop apologizing for having a good life.”
“But I?—”
She trails off, losing her thought as I stroll up right in front of her. Her eyes spark with emotions as I bring my hands up to cup her face.
I bring my face down, making sure there’s only a fraction of space between us. “Princess, I don’t think you know how much I want to kiss you right now.” My lips hover over hers, and I swear she whimpers, but I let go.
Walking past her, I take a seat on the wooden swing and look up at my girl.
“We should talk about how we want to handle this…” I stop because I don’t want to call her a friend. I want to call her my girlfriend. “Situation.”
