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“Don’t you want to punch me or throw me out or. . . something?”
“We’re not kids anymore.”
“You just don’t wanna lose, old man.”
“Don’t make me kick your ass.”
“Try it.”
“Hurt my daughter, and I will. I won’t try. I will.”
There it is. The steely expression. The papa bear.
“I’d rather hurt myself.”
We pause just outside the door, and he slaps me on the back. “I get that. That’s how I felt about Madeline the first day we met.” He stares into the house and, after a long moment, says, “What took you so long?”
Isn’t that the question of the hour? Or of the century.
From this side of it, it’s silly that I ever held her at arm’s length. How could I have ever thought stolen glances, text messages, and family dinners were enough?
I don’t have a good answer anymore. “I didn’t want you to be pissed at me.”
Joshua huffs.
“I’m just pissed you waited so long.”
“What?” I round on him. He shrugs and sips his coffee as if this isn’t the most awkward conversation of his life.
My phone buzzes in my pocket, and I can bet I know who that is. Brandt. Joshua laughs and heads inside. I check my texts on the way to the breakfast room.
Brandt: I win losers. Pay up.
There are three dots next to Piper’s name.
Piper: You jerkwads bet on my love life?
Madeline: Language!
I’m grinning as I walk through the kitchen. Some things never change—the warm, light, and homey kitchen, the smell of freshly cooked bacon, and the pile of muffins on a plate in the center of the table.
But some things change for the better.
Piper grins at me from where she’s piling scrambled eggs onto a plate. It’s the same sunny smile that I’m used to, that I crave, but there’s an added confidence there now. We don’t have to hide our feelings anymore.
The front door slams open, and footsteps thunder on the hardwood flooring. “Wait for us!”
“Go away,” Piper yells at her other brothers. There’s a rush for the table, reminding me of playing musical chairs as a kid.
“You sure you’re ready for all this?” Madeline asks, pulling me in for a hug.
“One thousand percent.” I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life. I close my eyes, thinking how close I came to waking up and finding Piper gone. We can never tell her parents. They’d be crushed. I’d be even more so since her leaving would have been my fault.
“I’m happy for you, Hunter. So happy. And I know you’ll make her happy.”
“I will. I promise.”
“Get up!” Piper yells. It’s the good-natured, sisterly shout I’m used to, so my heart only skips half a beat. “That’s Hunter’s spot.”
