Luke’s voice drifts in behind me, warm and teasing. His arms slide around my waist, his hands settling just below my stomach, fingers splaying there like he belongs exactly where he is.
I smile, leaning back into him. “Says the man who’s been up since six organizing deliveries.”
“Planning,” he corrects. “It’s called planning. You know, that thing that keeps this place running smoothly?”
“Mm-hmm.” I tilt my head, catching his eye. “You mean the thing you used to hate?”
He grins, completely unrepentant. “People change.”
They do.
Luke’s still Luke—still playful, still shameless—but there’s a steadiness to him now. A quiet confidence that wasn’t there before. He moves through the retreat like he owns it, like he belongs here. Like he belongs… here. With us.
His hand shifts, gentler now, and I feel the subtle pressure of it—protective, instinctive.
“Careful,” I murmur. “You’ll wake her.”
“Worth it,” he says softly, his voice dipping just enough to give him away.
I laugh, setting the tablet aside just as Talon steps in through the back door, bringing the cool morning air with him. He’s damp with dew, boots muddy, hair slightly disheveled, like he’s just come in from the forest.
Which, of course, he has.
He pauses when he sees us, his gaze settling first on me, then on Luke’s hands, then back again. There’s no tension there anymore. No hesitation. Just quiet understanding.
“You’re back early,” I say.
He nods once. “Tracks were old. Nothing new.”
Even now, he still walks the land. Still listens to it. But he comes back. Every time.
“Coffee?” I ask.
He steps closer, brushing a kiss against my temple as he reaches for a mug. “Always.”
The back door creaks again a few minutes later, and Reid joins us, already dressed for the day, sleeves rolled, expressioncalm. There’s a lightness to him now that I didn’t think I’d ever see. Not gone—he’ll never be that—but… settled.
At peace.
His eyes meet mine, and something quiet passes between us. No shadows. No weight. Just… us.
“Morning,” he says, crossing the room.
“Morning.”
He leans down, pressing a soft kiss to my lips before glancing at the others. “We’ve got a full house today. Bertha’s latest campaign worked a little too well.”
I smile. “That’s what we pay her for. Her business marketing knowledge is incredible, she’s really been a Godsend.”
“She called again this morning,” Luke adds. “Says we should consider expanding.”
Talon snorts softly. “Let’s not get ahead of ourselves.”
Reid’s mouth twitches. “Agreed.”
It’s like this now—easy, balanced. Each of them exactly who they are, but… better. Sharper. More grounded.
A year.