His expression turned crestfallen. “I didn’t want to do this here. Now. But I want to be honest with you, sweetheart. Me and your mother will be separating, officially.”
“Oh.” I didn’t know how to feel about that. “Come in. I’m sure we have room for another one.”
“Mr. Rowe.” Zane came over to us and held out his hand. “Happy Thanksgiving, sir.”
“You too, son. This looks like quite the gathering.” He ran his eyes over the two tables pushed together, mismatched chairs crammed around it. It was a tight squeeze, but it didn’t matter. This was family. The kind you chose. The kind that you loved unconditionally. The kind of family everyone deserved to have.
“Dad?” Harleigh said.
“Harleigh Wren, I wondered if perhaps I could join you all?”
Nix wrapped his arm around Harleigh. “I’m sure we can make room.”
“Thank you.”
“Come on,” Harleigh said. “I’ll introduce you to everyone.”
He gave me and Zane a gentle nod and followed Harleigh and Nix.
“You good?” Zane asked me.
“They’re separating, officially.”
“How do you feel about that?” He pulled me into his arms.
“Okay, I guess. Things haven’t been right for a while. But she’s still my mom, you know?”
“I never got the chance to make things right with my mom, but you still have that chance. If and when you’re ready.” He brushed the stray hair from my face.
“When did you get so smart?” I asked him.
“Oh, it’s from hanging around with this girl I know. She’s kind of a genius.”
“She is, huh?”
“Yeah.” He leaned in, brushing his mouth over mine, not caring one bit that the house was full of our friends and family. “She’s beautiful.”Kiss. “So smart.”Kiss. “Compassionate.”Kiss. “Stubborn as a mule.”Kiss. “And I told her that one day I was pretty sure I could fall in love with her.”
“You did, huh?” Zane’s teasing words sent my heart into overdrive, and I couldn’t stop smiling.
He nodded. “But I’ve got a confession to make. I lied. Because I’m pretty sure I’m already falling.”
“Want to know a secret?” I whispered.
“Always.”
“I’m pretty sure I’m falling too.”