Page 60 of Ex Somnis

To the nose I’ve been smoothing out so many times without thinking about it, like it was always going to end up under my thumb.

“I don’t know what a tether is,” I say quietly. “And I don’t really believe in soulmates.”

Both of them look at me.

“So. I don’t have a word for what that makes her. But she’s the person I want to tell things to first. The person I look for in every room now without realizing I’m doing it. She makes everything quieter in my head somehow.” I swallow once. “And if she’s hurt, I hurt. If she’s gone, everything feels wrong.”

I stare at the soft curve of her cheek against the pillow.

“She belongs with me,” I finish softly.

Nobody says anything for a moment, then Ridge makes a sound that is almost a laugh. Not cruel or mocking, but startled.

“Look at that,” he says. “Lennon’s baby boy has a spine.”

“Shut up, Ridge,” Paul says immediately.

“No, seriously.” He’s pointing a lollipop at me. When did he get a lollipop? “The Shaw boy was out here blushing because Lennon looked at him for too long a few days ago, and now he’s claiming territory. Character development.”

Heat crawls up my neck instantly. “I’m not claiming territory.”

“You literally just said she belongs to you.”

“I said with. Not to.”

That shuts Ridge up.

“Huh,” he says after a moment. “Okay. That’s actually⁠—”

“Don’t,” I cut him off.

He almost smiles but then puts the lollipop between his teeth.

Paul is watching me, but I ignore him and glance back toward Lennon. “There’s something else.”

“Of course, there is,” Ridge mutters.

Paul folds his arms. “Something else?”

I hesitate. This is going to sound insane. Considering the current topic, it is an impressive achievement.

“My brother.”

“Jasper.” Paul nods.

“Yeah. He’s…” How do I describe Jasper to people who don’t know him? “He’s eighteen, and he cried once when a crystal broke and blamed Mercury retrograde for our toaster catching fire.”

“The toaster caught fire?” Ridge asks.

“That’s not the point.”

“Which toaster?” Paul asks. “The one at the inn?”

“Also not the point.” I push past both of them. “He reads charts. Birth charts. Astrology. And he does Tarot readings and all that. He’s been doing it for Lennon since she arrived.”

“I’m afraid to ask.” Paul sighs.

I rub the back of my neck. “He said she has three parallel romantic connections happening simultaneously. Which he said is…” I make a vague gesture. “Rare doesn’t cover it, apparently.”