Her All Along

“Is it too soon for me to introduce you?” I wondered.

It was almost endearing how apprehensive he became. “If you think that’s a good idea…”

I did. There was no way our first time seeing each other in twenty-five years could be over in a matter of minutes.

“Come on.” I nodded toward the house and started walking. “Elise will give us space quickly. She’s weirdly good at picking up those cues.”

“What isn’t she good at?” It sounded like a joke, and his slight smirk confirmed it.

I answered honestly, nonetheless. “Cleaning. It’s better for everyone if I clean the house.” It was the perfect deal to me.

Finn chuckled under his breath. “Is she messy? You were a neat freak when we were kids.”

I wouldn’t go that far…

“She’s scatterbrained,” I responded with a fond grin. Because there were so many memories of her trying to keep things tidy and failing miserably. She was great at organizing things, but cleaning…? Christ, I’d found my ties in Grace’s underwear drawer and kitchen utensils in the living room. Safe to say, having a big home was different from just running my old, tiny kitchen in the other house. “Typical creative folks. Always focused on their next project.” Be it dinner or something she was going to sell in her shop. Not that I was complaining. She spoiled me rotten by letting me be the guinea pig to her creative mind.

My two worlds were about to meet, and nerves tightened my stomach as I climbed up the porch steps and opened the door. And the first thing I saw was Elise, mid-flight. It looked like she was about to run up the stairs, but she stopped when she heard me.

“I sent Grace and Lias upstairs to watch a movie,” she explained hurriedly. “Do you want me to go up there too?”

Case in point.

I shook my head and extended my hand. “I want you to meet him.”

She smiled tentatively and slipped her hand into mine.

Fuck, I didn’t know why I was this nervous. It was important to me, though. So fucking important. My Pipsqueak and my brother.

Finn stepped inside the hallway and closed the door, and his gaze got stuck on the pictures above the side table. Pictures of Grace, mostly.

“Finn, this is my wife. Elise.” I cleared my throat and pushed down the jitters. “Elise, my brother.”

“It’s nice to finally meet you, Finn.” Pipsqueak shook his hand and smiled the smile that made everyone feel welcome around her. “You’ve been the missing piece for so long.”

I slipped an arm around her waist and kissed the top of her head.

Finn smiled politely. It was easy to see that he was uncomfortable with the notion of being important or any kind of missing piece. “Good to meet you too,” he said. “I’m sure Ave will regret inviting me in soon.” He smirked, as if to show he was kidding, but I knew better.

I had my work cut out for me, and I was ready for it.

“Okay, your humor needs work, but that’s all right,” Elise replied smoothly. “Ave isn’t the funniest man either.”

“Excuse me?” I raised a brow at her.

“Don’t even try.” She snorted and smacked my chest lightly. “Let me get you guys some coffee and snacks, and then I’ll get out of your hair, figuratively speaking.”

She ducked into the kitchen before I could think of something clever to say, and I wasn’t willing to admit that she was one hundred percent correct. Not when I could use this opportunity to spank her later. She went fucking wild at that.

Finn appeared significantly more relaxed now, possibly because Elise knew how to brighten a situation. She’d spent her life studying people in her quest to fit in, and I thought she was better than most neurotypical people at this point.

“Like I said. You’ll like her.” I was confident.

He grinned faintly.

Talk about Sunday plans going straight out the window—in exchange for something I’d only dreamed of.

Epilogue 2

One year later

“I think there’s something wrong with you,” I whispered against my little one’s forehead. “Babies aren’t supposed to be this quiet.”

She shifted in slow motion, made a sleepy sound, and grabbed on to my nose.

I chuckled under my breath and kissed her cheek.

The baby smell—I’d forgotten it. I’d forgotten how amazing it was.

Hazel was born in December, and she’d been our Christmas miracle, even with that name. I liked it now, but it’d taken Pipsqueak several weeks to convince me. Naming our daughter after a nut…

It was appropriate, though, since I’d married a nut too.

Darius had given us this rocking chair as a gift—he’d made it himself—and it’d become my favorite spot for when I put Hazel down to sleep. The night shifts that weren’t about breastfeeding were mine to handle so Elise could get some rest. She was snoring softly in our bed a few feet away, and all I could think about was how long she wanted to wait for our next kid.