Quinn stands in the entryway, gaping with wonder as she takes in the space. “Your house is like the ones in my fairy books.”
Exactly my thought, though it isn’t feminine. It exudes a sense of comfort and encourages you to settle in and stay.
“Thank you,” Emily responds as she takes off her boot. “Want to explore? Sprinkles, too?”
The question breaks Quinn’s momentary stillness. She nods, pigtails bouncing, and steps further into the living room, drawn to a row of carved wooden figures arranged on the mantel.
“Those are animals,” Emily explains, “that I carved.”
Quinn reaches out with careful fingers to touch a leaping fish. “Like Uncle Blake?”
“Well, maybe not as good as Uncle Blake,” she says. “Look around. Just be careful with the carvings, please.”
Released from formality, Quinn tugs Sprinkles into the living room, her attention captured by the collections of handmadeitems that fill the shelves. Blake follows at a distance, keeping an eye on her while giving her space to explore.
The adults gravitate toward the kitchen, where homemade hamburger and hot dog buns sit on cooling racks, along with the promised brownies.
I prop my cane by the counter. “Do you need a hand?”
Emily pulls carrots, onions, and mushrooms from the refrigerator. “Everything’s mostly ready. Jared can handle the grill if you’d put these on a platter.”
Jared opens a door to the backyard, letting in a burst of pine-scented air. “I’ll heat the grill. Just need to know what everyone wants.”
Emily takes a survey and takes the meat and cheese out back while Chloe and I work on putting the veggies onto the platter on the counter.
Through the window, I see Emily hovering at Jared’s shoulder as he preps the grill, and he snaps the tongs at her.
I smile at their antics, feeling a wistful twinge as I watch the way they orbit each other with comfortable familiarity, anticipating needs before they’re voiced.
“They’re good together,” Chloe murmurs, her attention caught by the two Alphas. “It’s so clear they love each other.”
A lump forms in my throat. “It is.”
Chloe’s pink eyes shift to me. “Have you considered that they might be?—”
“Em!” Blake booms through the house, disrupting Chloe as he and Quinn join us in the kitchen, Sprinkles at their heels. “Where’s this fabled shop I heard about?”
“Come out to the backyard,” she yells through the cracked window over the sink.
Quinn rushes toward the door with Sprinkles, flushed with excitement. “Ms. Emily! Your office has so many books! And pictures of buildings!”
“Those are projects I’ve worked on,” Emily explains. “Would you like to see more after lunch?”
“Yes, please,” Quinn squeals.
The meal unfolds on the back patio as we gather at a picnic table set up under a pergola. Sprinkles races around the yard, sniffing at all the new bushes and trees while Emily passes around potato and pasta salads, and everyone loads up their plates.
Conversations flow between Blake discussing the Phase Two schedule, Chloe sharing her current book progress, and Jared regaling everyone with childhood stories of his summers with his cousin, Kyle.
“These buns are incredible,” Chloe moans around a mouthful of burger. “I’d swear there’s magic in it.”
Emily’s lips curve upward. “Just time and patience. The dough fermented overnight.”
“Don’t let her fool you,” Jared adds, refilling Blake’s glass of lemonade. “She was up at five, making sure everything was ready.”
The teasing continues, comfort food and companionship settling into an afternoon of perfect contentment. Sprinkles gets tired of investigating and lies at Quinn’s feet, accepting the small bites she slips to him when she thinks no one is watching. Sunlight warms our shoulders, birds call from the trees, and for this suspended moment, everything sits in harmony.
After the main course, Emily brings out coffee and brownies. The adults settle into deeper chairs, conversation mellowing as the food works its magic. Quinn runs away from Blake’s attempt to clean the chocolate from around her mouth and plays fetch with Sprinkles, her laughter carrying back to us each time the dog returns with the soft ball she throws.