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“Ow!” Liv said.
“Sorry,” Arran said, wincing. “Don’t know my own strength.” He continued, but this time with no yelping from Liv.
Sam went to stand with Maya, who gave him a nudge. “What’s with those two?” she asked.
Sipping his tea, Sam frowned. “What two?”
Leaning closer, she muttered from the side of her mouth, “Liv and Arran.”
“Nothing,” he said, watching them and wondering what Maya was talking about.
She narrowed her eyes. “Hmm.”
Elise came over and linked arms with Maya. “You do realize, that after trying every permutation, we’ve ended right back up at your original idea.”
“I know,” Maya said with a grin. “But it means we’ve proven that this is the right one.”
Elise smiled. “Fair enough.”
Sam checked his watch. “Who wants to eat before it gets dark and we have the official switch on?”
There was a chorus of yeses, and he led everyone inside to where he’d laid out some soup and sandwiches on the kitchen table. As everyone sat, Sam absorbed how much happier the atmosphere in the house seemed. Not just from having his friends inside, but from the lack of Cat’s presence. Again, it was only now that her influence was missing that he fully realized how suffocating it’d been.
Maya slid her hand onto his knee and shot him a concerned expression. “All right?”
Nodding, he leaned in to give her a kiss.
“Aw,” Liv said from his other side. “You two are adorbs.” She put her hands under her chin and fluttered her eyelashes.
Sam laughed, glancing across at Elise, Arran, and Nico, who were chatting over their food across the table. He gave Maya’s hand a squeeze. “Is now a good time for the talk?”
Maya nodded.
“What talk?” Liv asked, picking up a sandwich. “I already know about the birds and the bees.”
Maya laughed, and Sam rubbed his temples.
“There’s no way we’re talking about that,” he said.
Maya scooted her chair closer to Sam’s, putting her arm around him and leaning in to face Liv on his other side. “We’ve decided to be official. Boyfriend and girlfriend. Would that bother you?”
“Bother me?” Liv replied, grinning. “I think that’s bloody awesome! And it’s about time.” She leaned in to kiss Maya’s cheek, then Sam’s. “Utterly delightful news, Miss Maya, and dear brother of mine. I hope I shall be buying a wedding hat forthwith.”
“Steady,” Sam said, raising his eyebrows. “Don’t scare her off when I’ve just snared her.”
Maya laughed, giving his shoulders a squeeze. “Snared? I’m not a bear.”
“No?” He tickled her sides and put on a baby voice. “Not even a teddy bear?”
“Argh! Stop it! I’m ticklish,” Maya said, trying to wriggle away from him.
“Yeah, I know.” He grinned. “That’s why I’m doing it.”
“Ugh,” Liv said, lifting her glass of water. “I’ve changed my mind. It’s fast becoming more sickening than adorbs.” But the smile still played on her face, and Sam could tell his twin was delighted.
“You know,” Liv continued, “I don’t understand why either of you thinks that I’m surprised about this.” She met Sam’s eyes with a wink. “Why do you think I suggested that Maya apply for the ski center job? Or start giving you lifts into work when your car broke down?”
Sam’s mouth fell open. “You sneaky little—”
