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Amy belted a laughed outright.
He stared at it in disbelief. “That’s been there this whole time?”
“Apparently.”
“Outstanding,” he said, handing it to her with mock dignity. “My reputation’s officially over.”
“Not if you own it,” she teased.
The doorbell rang again, saving him. From the living room, Mia’s voice sailed out. “Uncle Sully! Is that the pizza?”
Sully answered the door and retrieved the boxes from the delivery teenager. At his feet, the twins clasped their hands in matching pleas. “Can Amy stay? Please! We can all eat pizza together!”
He tried halfheartedly to object—but Amy was already smiling at the girls as they danced around their uncle.
“Well,” she said, “how could I say no to that?”
They ate in the cozy paper-plate chaos of the kitchen. Pizza, cookies, and laughter blended with easy conversation. Amy teased him gently but kindly, and the girls were thrilled to have her attention. Sully found himself relaxing.
At one point, Lily leaned across the table and whispered very seriously, “We like Noah.”
Amy blinked. “My nephew?”
Both girls nodded, giggling as if sharing a dangerous secret.
Sully looked between them, bewildered. “You two are far too young to be thinking of boys!”
“Yes, that one!” Mia said dreamily. “He’s funny.”
Amy pressed her hand to her mouth, caught between shock and laughter. “I’ll be sure to tell him he has admirers.”
By the time the plates were empty and a movie was playing, the girls had gone full statue mode, enthralled and cross-legged on the floor.
Amy stood, brushing crumbs from her jeans. “I should get going.”
Sully followed her to the door. “Thanks for dropping by. Really.”
She smiled softly. “Thanks for letting me crash family night. It was fun. You have a beautiful home.”
The silence that fell between them wasn’t awkward, just brimming with something newly realized. He found himself smiling down at her. He didn’t want the evening to end.
He hesitated, then surprised himself. “Hey… maybe, uh, next time it could just be dinner. You and me.”
Amy’s gaze caught his, a flicker of warmth curling into surprise. Then, instead of answering, she rose onto her toes and pressed a light kiss to his cheek.
His heart did something stupid and fast.
“I’d like that,” she said, stepping back. “But only if you promise to wear your hair like this again.” She reached up and plucked another glittering butterfly clip from just behind his ear.
Sully’s eyes widened. “There was another one?”
She grinned, bright with mischief. “You’ll never know.”
Then she turned and walked down the porch steps, leaving him standing there with a shirt dusted with shimmer, ears burning, and heart unexpectedly light.
He looked down at the tiny pink clip and chuckled. “Guess I’ve got my answer,” he muttered.
Behind him, the twins giggled from the couch. “Uncle Sully’s got a girlfriend!”
