I looked over to make sure Joshua wasn’t watching and then kissed her softly. “My mom used to hide veggies in the sauce. Carrots and squash and the like. So we didn’t notice.”
Dakota’s eyes widened, and she shushed me. “Don’t say that. He’ll know.”
I laughed and then kissed her again.
“Macon.”
“He’s seen me kiss you before.”
“True, but we need to be circumspect.”
We were both being careful. Too careful. We barely kissed, hardly touched, and pointedly didn’t discuss where we were in our relationship. Especially considering that I had practically moved in, we’d had sex once, and had only been on two fake dates. Yet suddenly, it felt like we were a family.
There were reasons we weren’t discussing our relationship, and fear of the unknown was the main one. Because if we discussed it, then somehow it was real, and then we’d have to deal with the ramifications of that.
“I’ll go help him with his worksheet, check on the kittens, and then we’ll be ready for dinner.”
“Sounds like a plan,” she said, and I looked at her face, frowning.
“What is it?”
“This feels so easy, and I don’t know how I feel about it.”
I nodded, grimacing. “My thoughts are going down that same path, so let’s not talk about it right now,” I replied quickly.
“Oh, good. We’ll just sit in denial and pretend like nothing’s happened. Sounds like a great plan.”
I kissed her gently on the lips and then narrowed my eyes. “For this exact moment, we can do that. But we’re going to talk, Dakota.”
“I know. Soon. One day.”
And then she scurried off and went to make dinner. I didn’t blame her.
I was the one who’d been thinking that I didn’t want to talk because some things would get real. And then I’d just put it on the table like that?
I was seriously losing my mind.
We took the kittens back into their area, and I knew I would have to figure out how to keep them all in one place soon. Mama Cat was already taking over the rest of the house, and the kittens were following. However, Dakota wouldn’t be happy if they started using her furniture as scratching posts more than they already were.
“Okay, Joshua. Help me clean up the litter box, and then we’ll wash our hands and get to that worksheet.”
“Or we could just not do our homework,” Joshua said.
“No can do. I already did mine, and I have more after you’ve gone to bed. If I have to do mine, you have to do yours.”
Joshua’s eyes widened. “But you’re an adult. You have homework?”
“Yes, that’s the sad secret that they never tell you. You have homework even when you’re an adult and have a job.”
“But it’s horrible.”
“Not all the time. Once you find what you’re good at and what you like, sometimes, the homework doesn’t feel so bad. It just feels like you’re prepping so you can like what you do even more later.”
“Maybe. I still don’t like it.”
“Let’s see your worksheet. Maybe I’ll agree with you.”
We finished with the cats, washed our hands, and then went back to the kitchen table to work on homework.
Dakota hummed as she cooked, working on her own paperwork at the same time as I got up to set the table with Joshua after we finished his worksheets.
We felt like a family as if we did this every day. I should feel scared, as if it had all come on too fast. But the fact that it felt right?
That scared me more than anything.
Joshua ate all of his lasagna and most of his salad, and I did my best not to mention that I knew there were extra veggies in the sauce. I was full by the time we were done, and did dishes while Dakota bathed Joshua and got him ready for bed.
I checked in on the cats, made sure everybody was at least in some semblance of where they were supposed to be in that part of the house, and then went to say goodnight to the little boy that had captured my damn heart.
Dakota read him a story while I stood in the doorway, and it felt right. I’d almost died before, had thought that that would be the end of everything. And I realized I hadn’t lived enough. I’d worked so hard on my career, at keeping my little sister safe, that I hadn’t enjoyed my own life.
And now I wanted it. I wanted this. I was going to fight for it. Even if that took a lot of convincing when it came to Dakota.
Joshua dropped off quickly, and Dakota and I tiptoed out, turning off the light as we did. The door snicked closed, and I followed Dakota back to her bedroom.
“He’s out like a light.”
“I’m pretty tired myself,” I said.
“Oh. Should I check on the cats?” she asked, her hands fidgeting in front of her.
I shook my head. “I did earlier. They have the run of the back of the house, and I’ll check on them in a bit. We closed up the rest of the house, and the detective hasn’t called, so we’re in for the night.”
“I wish we could get an update on Adam.”
“There hasn’t been a note in two days, and the detective isn’t very forthcoming with any helpful information.”
“That’s been the gist of it. He’s never liked me.”
I held back a snarl. “He’s an asshole.”
“I know, and I’m trying to stay calm for Joshua’s sake. But inside, I’m screaming, and ranting, and raging.”
“I’m right there with you.”
She looked at me then and licked her lips. “You are, aren’t you? It’s so weird, it feels like you’ve always been here. And it’s terrifying.”
I moved forward and brushed my knuckles down her cheek. “I was thinking the same thing.”
“It’s been so hard to sleep with you so close to me yet not close enough.” She blushed, the heat of her skin warming my fingers. “I can’t
