CHAPTERFORTY-EIGHT
Snow
I awake snuggled in a tangle of arms and legs, like a cocoon.
“Morning,” Shane whispers.
We try not to wake up Afton since he doesn’t have to get up like we do.
“Guys, I’m up.” Afton chuckles, rolling over to face us.
“Sorry,” I mumble.
“I need to learn what goes on here if I’m going to stay.” He kisses my head before getting out of bed and stretching.
“You’re going to stay?”
“It’s all right, right?” he asks, concern coloring his features. “I thought we talked about this.”
“No, we did. It’s just with . . .”
“London?”
I nod.
“Doesn’t change how I feel about you and Shane,” he states matter-of-factly.
“Okay,” I murmur.
“I’m not going anywhere.” He pulls me from the bed and takes me in his arms.
“Okay,” I repeat against his lips.
“Go and get dressed. I’ll help Silas and Axel muck stalls, and then I’ll come help you with the chickens.”
“Thank you,” I tell him as I run down to Ever’s room where I keep my clothes.
I should probably move some of my stuff to Shane’s room since that’s where I’m at all the time. He moved things around in the closet so all of us could hang stuff up. Afton already moved his things in. I guess he is staying.
I throw on some clothes and haul ass downstairs to find the screen door ripped off.
“What the—”
“Snow, go sit in the kitchen,” Shane says calmly, and my gaze snaps to him. “Afton, keep her company. I’ll go grab Silas and Axel, and we will check out the property.”
I don’t sit, though, choosing to start breakfast instead. I’m guessing chores won’t get done. And I can’t sit, anyway—I need to do something.
“What happened to the door?” Austin asks.
“Probably London,” I muse.
“You think he would do this?”
“He’s out of control,” I confess, “and yesterday, he was watching the house.”
“I wish we knew what was wrong with him,” Austin says as he starts the coffee, taking over the eggs so I can start the toast.
“I think I know,” Ariel pipes in, making us jump. I didn’t even know she was here.