e. Her tone stayed earnest though. "Grace, don't worry. It was totally m

a little at those wo

Carol cooked lately, surprise flickered across her face, quickly

personally make something, Ethan barely touches it s

ly say no at that p

r, Grace pulled her aside into a side room, and things on

now. You two should... make the most of y

for a response. "Grace, we just got marri

aningful tone, "I'm not saying you shouldn't build

turned red. And then came the final line from Gra

unting on Ethan t

pstairs like it was the most

, confused. "We're re

aid flatly, "A priest is coming by

ed it over dinner-something about bringing s

like Ethan, highly educated and rati

d after a pause, voice laced with subtle

s mother-her la

ing, but he didn't want to take th

rk and steady. "I'll ask once more

straight over to the bed, pulled back the cov

o

Who said you cou

re's only one bed. What do you expect me to do, sleep

his expression said it al

tion. "What if your mom pops in again for a surprise in

r stressing over y

han up-he fell silen

led back into bed. But right after saying that

y bosses in those sketchy videos: "You wouldn

ied, she yanked the covers over her

ered something and peeked her head out

toward her side, probably trying t

se-to-nose, literally breathing each

head in and caught them mid-almost-kiss. Her face instantly lit up

! Pretend I wa

n and Car

o move apart, th

adows. Somehow, Carol noticed his ears had turned

voice a bit lower now, raspier. "Y

She blinked and answered autom

whole body could've fit in the space between them-lik

ff and still. Their breathing overlapped-

d onto the floor, casting pale patches over a nig

ound Ethan like some overzealous octopus-one leg thrown over

ealize Ethan was already awake. He was frowning at her like

I sleep kind of wild. Why didn'

from sleep, replied, "Tri

sheepish laugh.

bolted ou